Fuel End Road Trip with Shootout Win in Orlando
February 20, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
ORLANDO - The Indy Fuel had seen a bit of everything during their six game road trip, but the club saved their most exciting part of the journey for last. The Fuel (26-26-2-0) needed overtime and five rounds of a shootout to dispatch the Orlando Solar Bears (23-21-2-4) 3-2 on Saturday night at Amway Center, winning two of their three games this week in Central Florida. Indy returns home after the two-week swing through Missouri and Orlando with a 2-4-0-0 record.
Defenseman Ben Marshall tallied the game-deciding goal in the fifth round of the shootout and goaltender Shane Owen capped off another sturdy performance as the Fuel picked up the critical overtime point. Owen stopped four of five shots in the skills competition, and another 33 through 65 minutes of action to send his team home with four points from the three-game set in Orlando. With the win, Indy jumped from 10th place in the Western Conference into sole possession of eighth the final playoff spot.
Indy's Rhett Bly and Orlando's Patrick Watling traded goals in the first round of the shootout, which was required when neither team could break a 2-2 tie through sudden death overtime. The Fuel were granted a pair of 4-on-3 power plays in the extra frame, but came up empty thanks to five overtime saves from Solar Bears goaltender Rob Madore.
Owen and Madore were each perfect in a scoreless first period Saturday, before Cody Sharib got Indy on the board 3:10 into the middle frame. Sharib slid an Alex Lavoie rebound past Madore inside the right goal post, after defenseman Anders Franzon held the zone to gain puck possession. The goal was the rookie forward's 12th of the season and second in as many games.
Orlando evened the contest just past its halfway point, when Brady Vail converted a one-timer on the power play. Set up by a Niklas Lindberg feed, Vail beat Owen over the glove from the high slot for his fourth goal of the week and his team-leading 17th of the campaign at 12:32.
It took the Fuel just 56 seconds to regain the lead, capitalizing on a Solar Bear turnover. Alex Lavoie matched Vail's feat with his fourth tally of the three-game series, scored unassisted at 13:28 of the second. An Orlando breakout pass missed its target and found Lavoie at the blue line, who walked in and beat Madore to the blocker.
The Solar Bears made it 2-2 just 1:08 into the third period when Lindberg picked up his second helper of the night, finding Jack Rodewald with a centering pass to cap off a 3-on-2 rush.
Both goaltenders were tested down the stretch and came through with difficult saves to force overtime. Madore made a diving pad save to deny a Peter Schneider offering, just moments before Owen made a dramatic glove save on Vail. Madore finished with 33 saves.
Indy was scoreless on four power play opportunities Saturday, while Orlando scored once on six chances - four of them coming in the second period.
The Fuel return to Indiana Farmers Coliseum for a Tuesday night contest against the ECHL-leading Missouri Mavericks, before two more road tests next weekend in Cincinnati and Toledo.
Next Home Game: Tuesday, Feb. 23 vs. Missouri Mavericks - 7:05 p.m. Dogs are every hockey player's best friend! Receive a $10 voucher towards ANY concession purchase with paid admission! FACE Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic will be on hand with a few furry friends and details on how you can make a positive impact in an animal's life.
Single-game tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster or at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office, while a variety of different ticket plans and group specials are available by calling (317) 925-FUEL or visiting IndyFuelHockey.com . Don't miss out on anything from the Fuel in 2015-16, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel ) and don't forget to 'Like' the Fuel on Facebook.
ECHL Stories from February 20, 2016
- Oilers Own Overtime, a 5-4 Win over Americans - Tulsa Oilers
- Royals Hold on in Thriller in Manchester, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Ginn Shuts out Grizzlies in 2-0 Gladiators' Win - Atlanta Gladiators
- Missouri Defeats Evansville in First of Two-Game Weekend Match-up - Kansas City Mavericks
- Wichita ties it late, wins in OT - Idaho Steelheads
- Solar Bears Get Point But Fall to Indy in Shootout, 3-2 - Orlando Solar Bears
- Downing Paces Cyclones to Victory - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Thunder Reaches Milestone in Dramatic Comeback OT Win - Wichita Thunder
- Fuel End Road Trip with Shootout Win in Orlando - Indy Fuel
- Nailers Top Beast in OT After Wild Back-And-Forth Affair - Brampton Beast
- IceMen Drop Third Overtime Heartbreaker to Mavs - Evansville IceMen
- Monarchs Can't Complete Comeback, Fall to Reading, 4-3 - Manchester Monarchs
- Americans Fall in Overtime 5-4 - Allen Americans
- Jackals Fire 50 Shots on Goal But Fall to Fielding, Thunder, 3-1 - Elmira Jackals
- Cyclones Hold off Mallards 5-3 - Quad City Mallards
- Swamp Rabbits Fall in Overtime Despite Rashid's Two Goals - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Cameron's Overtime Heroics Leads Rays to 4-3 Win at Greenville - South Carolina Stingrays
- Eagles Surrender Three Goals in Second Period in 6-3 Loss to Wings - Colorado Eagles
- K-Wings Explode for Six Goals, Cap off Weekend Sweep of Eagles - Kalamazoo Wings
- Nailers Win Wild One to Finish 5-1-0 Road Trip - Wheeling Nailers
- 'Blades Let One Slip Away as Norfolk Rallies for Shootout Win - Florida Everblades
- Late Third Period Goal Lifts Walleye to a 4-3 Win over Fort Wayne - Toledo Walleye
- Walleye Set Sellout Record - Toledo Walleye
- Rush Visit Peewees - Rapid City Rush
- Gameday: Adirondack at Elmira - Adirondack Thunder
- Schwartz Returned to Solar Bears, Martin Reassigned by Marlies - Orlando Solar Bears
- ECHL Transactions - February 20 - ECHL
- Game Notes: vs Quad City - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Oilers Host Americans Tonight: Game Preview - Tulsa Oilers
- Gelinas Recalled by Iowa - Quad City Mallards
- Jackals and Thunder Finish Weekend Set with Saturday Showdown - Elmira Jackals
- Game Day Preview: Allen at Tulsa - Allen Americans
- Nailers at Beast Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- Game Preview: South Carolina at Greenville, 7:00 p.m. - South Carolina Stingrays
- Monarchs Game Day Capsule - Manchester Monarchs
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Defenseman Tyler Lewington Reassigned to South Carolina - South Carolina Stingrays
- Monarchs Assigned Scott Sabourin and Zach Leslie by Ontario - Manchester Monarchs
- ECHL Today - February 20 - ECHL
- Americans Lose a Tight Game to Missouri 4-2 - Allen Americans
- Oilers Melt IceMen 5-2 - Tulsa Oilers
- Mavericks Win 4-2 vs Visiting Allen Americans - Kansas City Mavericks
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