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ECHL Indy Fuel

Fuel Visit Fort Wayne Looking to Snap Winless Skid

November 4, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release


MORELLIS CLEANERS GAME PREVIEW: FUEL VS. KOMETS Game 7 Friday, November 4, 2016 8:00 p.m. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Ind. Broadcast Info: CBS Sports 1430, ECHL.TV, @IndyFuel

Hungry for their first victory since the opening weekend of the ECHL season, the Indy Fuel (2-3-1-0) make their first regular season trip to Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Friday night to take on the Fort Wayne Komets (4-2-0-0). The 8:05 p.m. ET puck drop from Fort Wayne will be carried live on CBS Sports 1430 and CBSSports1430.com, and can be streamed from anywhere with ECHL.TV. For live in-game updates, follow the Fuel on Twitter (@IndyFuel).

After starting 2016-17 with a pair of victories, Indy managed only one point from its next four games - losing three straight in regulation before falling 7-6 in overtime to the Allen Americans last Saturday. The Fuel are looking to get back into the win column Friday as they begin a tough stretch that sees them play four of their next five games on the road - the first two against Central Division opponents. Following the matchup with the Komets, Indy returns home Saturday to host the Quad City Mallards before embarking on a week-long trip to the Last Frontier and three games against the Alaska Aces.

This weekend's doubleheader offers the Fuel a chance to jump back into the mix in what is shaping up to be an ultra-competitive Central Division. Through three weeks Indy finds itself in the basement, with all six teams above them sporting winning records - led by the 7-1-0-0 Tulsa Oilers. However, as it stands Friday, four points could catapult the Fuel as high as a tie for third place before heading up north.

A team that has struggled to score at times in the early going, Indy hopes to continue the offensive momentum gained from the thrilling overtime contest with the two-time defending Americans last weekend. The Fuel's six goals and 43 shots each set a season high mark, while a total of 10 players factored on the scoresheet - seven recording multi-point outings. In what was a wild, back and forth contest at Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indy rallied from 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2 deficits in the first two periods before Allen staged a pair of comebacks in the third.

The eight total goals scored against the Americans and a 3-2 loss to Tulsa last Friday surpassed the Fuel's total offensive output over their first four games. Forward Marek Tvrdon accounted for three of Indy's tallies over the weekend, scoring once against the Oilers and twice against Allen. Two of Tvrdon's goals came on the power play, a unit which also has enjoyed a recent resurgence.

The Fuel try to keep their sticks hot heading into their first regular season encounter with Fort Wayne, which brings a 2-1 home record into Friday's showdown. Tied for fourth in the Central with Quad City, The Komets are aiming to grab two points in their last game in Allen County before a five-game road trip.

Coming off of a 4-3 road loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Wednesday, Fort Wayne figures to get a boost from the return of a few key players. Forwards Mike Embach (returning from injury) and Trevor Cheek (returning from AHL Tucson) both figure to make their season debuts Friday, and 2015-16 Komets leading scorer Shawn Szydlowski sat out in Cincinnati due to illness but could be back in the lineup against the Fuel. However, Fort Wayne will be without starting goaltender Pat Nagle for an extended period of time after placing him on injured reserve Monday.

Inside the Matchup: Friday is the first of nine meetings between the Hoosier State rivals in 2016-17, and the first of four at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Four of the first five games in the season series will take place in Fort Wayne, before the two clubs play the final four at Indiana Farmers Coliseum down the stretch. The Fuel and Komets will not meet in Indianapolis until Feb. 4.

Fort Wayne won the 2015-16 series against Indy, skating to a 7-3-1-0 record. Three of the five games between the two teams in Allen County last year went into overtime, including Indy's only victory in a 3-2 triumph on Dec. 11. Komets forwards Mike Embach and Shawn Szydlowski led the season series in scoring, marking 11 and 10 points respectively. All time Fort Wayne holds a 15-4-2-1 record against the Fuel, and are unbeaten in regulation at home with a mark of 9-0-2-1.

Who to Watch: Forward Alex Wideman (3g, 3a) leads the Fuel with six points in six games, tallying three assists over last weekend's doubleheader at Indiana Farmers Coliseum ... Nick Mattson (4a) paces all Indy defensemen in scoring, picking up four helpers over his last four games ... Forward Patrick D'Amico (2g) has tallied goals in each of his last two outings.

Komets forward Kyle Thomas (2g, 6a) leads his team with eight points, finding the scoresheet in all six of his team's games. The third-year pro picked up a goal and two assists in Fort Wayne's 5-0 win over Allen last Friday ... Center Mike Cazzola's (2g, 4a) six points are most of any Komet rookie, and both of his goals have been game-winners ... Goaltender Eric Hartzell has appeared in three straight games for Fort Wayne, and is expected to take over starting duties in Pat Nagle's absence. Hartzell enters Friday with a 1-2-0-0 record, a 2.43 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.

Worth Noting: The Fuel have not held a lead after a period since their 2-1 victory at Cincinnati on Oct. 15. Indy is 2-0-0-0 when holding a lead after heading into either the first or second intermission ... Kevin Lynch (1g, 4a) is tied with Mattson for the Fuel's assist lead, and paces his team with a +4 rating ... Indy's penalty kill is ranked seventh-best in the ECHL at 88.2% ... Fort Wayne forward Garrett Thompson (3g, 1a) has scored in two straight games ... The Komets signed former Fuel goaltender Keegan Asmundson on Monday. Asmundson posted a 6-6-0-0 record with a 2.61 goals against average and a .917 save percentage in 13 appearances with Indy in 2015-16 ... Fort Wayne has outscored opponents 6-2 in the third period this season.

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