Fuel Fall in 2016-17 Season Finale
April 8, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
TOLEDO, OHIO - The 2016-17 ECHL season came to a close Saturday night for the Indy Fuel (23-42-3-4), who suffered a 10-0 beating at the expense of the Toledo Walleye (51-17-2-2) in front of a sellout crowd at Huntington Center. Forward Dane Walters had a career night with five goals and one assist for the Walleye, who clinched the Brabham Cup as ECHL regular season champions for the second time in three seasons.
The lopsided defeat brought a sour end to what was a strong last chapter of the season for Indy. The Fuel skated to a 6-3-0-1 record over their last 10 games, and picked up points in 10 of their final 15 games, finishing the campaign in sixth place in the ECHL's Central Division. Toledo locked up the league's first-overall seed over the fellow Western Conference rival Allen Americans, and will begin the 2017 Kelly Cup Playoffs next Friday against the Kalamazoo Wings.
The Walleye scored four times in each of the first two periods Saturday night, with Walters accounting for all four of his team's goals in the second. The fourth year pro became the first ECHL player this season to tally five goals in a single game. Taking into account a first period assist, Walters matched the league's single game high mark this season with six points.
Shane Berschbach and Simon Denis each chipped in four assists for Toledo, which won four out of five games against Indy this season. Eleven different Walleye skaters registered points, with nine logging more than one. Goaltender Jake Paterson turned aside 24 shots to pick up his seventh shutout of the season.
Fuel goaltender Eric Levine suffered the loss, making 27 saves in two periods of action. Jake Hildebrand took over for the third period, stopping 8 out of 10 shots.
Indy finished the night 0-for-2 on the man advantage, while Toledo scored once on three power play opportunities.
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