Fuel Move Back into Fourth Place After Overtime Loss to Toledo
Published on April 7, 2018 under ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
INDIANAPOLIS - The Indy Fuel earned one very precious point in the chase for the fourth and final playoff berth in the ECHL's Western Conference Central Division standings Saturday night on home ice at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in a 5-4 overtime affair against the first place Toledo Walleye.
In the process, the Fuel claimed sole possession of the last playoff spot by a single point over fifth place Kalamazoo as the Wings bowed on home ice to the Brampton Beast, 2-1.
The Fuel and Kalamazoo will battle it out Sunday in a 3:05 matinee here in Indianapolis with the winner advancing to the first round of the league's post-season tournament.
On Saturday night, the Fuel climbed into a 2-0 by the 1:06 mark of the second stanza when Josh Shalla scored his first of three goals at 1:35 of the first period and Matt Rupert connected on his second goal in as many nights on an electrifying breakaway flight in the second minute of that second period.
However, the Walleye rallied with three consecutive goals with the first two coming 3:07 apart in the latter stages of period two. AJ Jenks and Dylan Sadowy each fired strikes to equalize the contest before Connor Crisp produced the visitors initial lead of the night at 3-2, early in the third period at 2:41.
Bent on claiming the victory outright Saturday night, the Fuel gallantly responded when Shalla singularly created his club's second lead of the night. The reigning ECHL Player of the Week stashed a pair of goals with the first one, knotting matters at 3-3 at 10:34 and his second to complete his second "hat trick" of the season cannonaded at 17:43, catapulting Indy back into the lead at 4-3.
However, Toledo had other designs. Lifting its goalie for the sixth attacker, AJ Jenks scored his second goal of the night with only :15 remaining in regulation time to tie it, again at 4-4. That set the stage for overtime where the Walleye garnered the extra point on a Patrick McCarron goal at the 1:31 mark with Jenks earning the primary assist.
The Fuel outshot Toledo, 38-28 as they completed the nine-games' season series against the Toledoans with a 9(1-6-2) record, going winless at home 6(0-4-2).
A trip to the playoffs will be the grand prize Sunday at 3:05 pm at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum where the Fuel will battle Kalamazoo for the right to play Toledo in the opening round of the 2018 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Tickets for Sunday's winner-moves-on regular season finale are available through Ticketmaster or at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office! Don't miss a second of the action during the 2017-18 season - follow the Fuel on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and 'Like' the Fuel on Facebook.
ECHL Stories from April 7, 2018
- Grizzlies Close Season with Shutout Win, Sellout Crowd - Utah Grizzlies
- Rush Win Wild Affair to Close out Season - Rapid City Rush
- Oilers Season Comes to An End in Loss to Rapid City - Tulsa Oilers
- Fuel Move Back into Fourth Place After Overtime Loss to Toledo - Indy Fuel
- Mavericks Blanked in Season Finale - Kansas City Mavericks
- Cyclones Fall in Quad City Finale - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Wings Loss Sets Stage for Win-And-In against Indy - Kalamazoo Wings
- Mallards Rally to Win Finale - Quad City Mallards
- Geiger Nets Late Winner in Regular Season Finale - South Carolina Stingrays
- Swamp Rabbits End Season on a High Note against Gladiators - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nailers End 2017-18 with An Exclamation Point - Wheeling Nailers
- Gladiators Blanked by Strong Goaltending in Regular Season Finale - Atlanta Gladiators
- Royals Steam into Postseason with 5-2 Win over Admirals - Reading Royals
- 'Blades Defeat IceMen in Season Finale - Jacksonville Icemen
- Beast Put a Dent in K-Wings Playoff Plans with 2-1 Victory - Brampton Beast
- Monarchs Defeated by Railers, 3-2 - Manchester Monarchs
- Admirals Fall 5-2 in Reading to Close Season - Norfolk Admirals
- Railers Win Season High Sixth Straight with 3-2 Victory in Manchester - Worcester Railers HC
- Game Preview: Orlando Solar Bears at South Carolina Stingrays - Orlando Solar Bears
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Steelheads Game Day Storylines at Allen - Idaho Steelheads
- Nailers at Komets Game Day Snap Shot, April 7 - Wheeling Nailers
- Cyclones Game Notes: vs. Quad City - Cincinnati Cyclones
- ECHL Transactions - April 7 - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
- Syracuse Crunch Recall Troy Bourke - Adirondack Thunder
- Game Day: Season Concludes Saturday Night in Reading - Norfolk Admirals
- Royals Donate Money to Humboldt Broncos Tragedy - Reading Royals
- Swamp Rabbits Play Final Game on Road against Gladiators - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Monarchs Game Day Capsule, April 7 - Manchester Monarchs
- Game Day Preview: Americans vs. Idaho - Allen Americans
- Komets Draw Cincinnati for First Round Playoffs - Fort Wayne Komets
- Cyclones Announce Playoff Schedule against Ft. Wayne - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Gameday Report: Mavericks at Grizzlies - Kansas City Mavericks
- Royals Host Final Game of Regular Season with FANdemonium - Reading Royals
- Wichita Clinches First-Ever ECHL Playoff Berth - Wichita Thunder
- Steelheads' winning streak snapped in overtime - Idaho Steelheads
- Wings Return to Top Four by Earning Point in Quad City - Kalamazoo Wings
- Third Period Surges Eagles Past Thunder - Wichita Thunder
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