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ECHL Indy Fuel

Fuel Rally Late, Fall in Missouri

February 13, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release


INDEPENDENCE, MO. - A spirited comeback attempt by the Indy Fuel (24-24-2-0) came up just short as Indy dropped a 5-4 decision to the Missouri Mavericks (37-6-2-1) Saturday night at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. The Fuel used two late third period tallies to whittle a 5-2 Missouri edge to a single goal, but could not find a third as the Mavericks picked up their second win in as many nights against Indy. The two teams finish a weekend tripleheader tomorrow afternoon as the Fuel look to glean a couple points from the league-leading Mavericks.

Goals from Peter Schneider and Zach Miskovic inside five minutes left in regulation helped Indy cut the deficit to 5-4, but a lopsided second period proved to be the difference-maker. Missouri outscored the visiting Fuel 4-1 over the middle frame, turning a 1-0 Indy lead into a two-goal cushion of their own. Forward Rocco Carzo tallied a pair in the second to pace the offensive outburst, beginning with a goal just 1:23 into the period which tied the game at 1-1.

After netting three assists in Friday's 4-3 victory, Missouri forward Ross Johnston scored the first of two goals on Saturday just 1:54 after Carzo's equalizer. The forward whiffed on a centering pass from Tanner Fritz, but collected the puck in time to tuck it behind Fuel goaltender Shane Owen to give his team the lead for good at 3:17.

The helper was the first of three on the night for Fritz, the next coming when he set up Carzo with a pinpoint cross-ice pass on a mid-period power play. Carzo's second of the frame and 12th of the season made it 3-1 Mavericks at 10:17.

Indy stopped the Missouri rally with a power play goal of their own and a deft display of hand-eye coordination from Dylan Clarke. Just a minute and a half after falling behind by two, Clarke spun around and batted a Miskovic point shot past Parker Milner to bring the score to 3-2.

However, the Mavericks were not finished with their second period scoring. Defenseman Chris Owens restored the two-goal advantage with 3:45 left in the period when he threaded a shot from the blue line through traffic in front and over Owen's right shoulder.

Johnston found his second goal just over halfway through the third period, finishing off a Fritz feed on the man advantage to give Missouri a 5-2 lead.

Instead of going away quietly, the Fuel carried the play in the third period. Indy outshot the Mavericks 16-9 and closed the gap on the scoreboard, a rally that started when Schneider capped off a turnover from Michael Colantone at 15:13 of the frame. The assist was Colantone's second of the night, adding to his two-goal performance on Friday night.

Miskovic completed a multi-point outing of his own when he beat Milner clean right off of a face-off win from Alex Lavoie with 2:57 remaining. The Fuel followed their captain's seventh goal of the season with a flurry of chances down the stretch, but the Mavericks held on for their fourth win against Indy in 2015-16.

Rhett Bly accounted for the only goal in a first period that weighed heavily in Indy's favor. Colantone won a puck battle on the forecheck and found Bly on the right dot who ripped a shot past Milner 7:55 into the game.

The Missouri netminder made 31 saves for his 10th win of the season. Owen suffered his second loss of the weekend, stopping 29 of 34 shots faced.

Indy finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play; the Mavericks scored twice on four opportunities.

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