Indy Celebrates Win on New Year's Eve
January 1, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
FORT WAYNE- The Fuel played their last game of the calendar year in Fort Wayne, taking on the Komets for the fifth time this season, looking to go ahead in the season series after the two Indiana teams have split their games so far.
Heading into this game, the Komets were on an eight-game win streak that the Fuel ultimately broke in a 4-3 back-and-forth win on the final night of the year.
The first period started off with three different sets of 4-on-4 play after a handful of penalties handed out on both sides, but no goals to show for it. It was eventually Fuel captain, Keoni Texeira who scored first for Indy after intercepting a rebound from an Andrew Perrott shot. At the end of the first period, the Fuel were outshooting the Komets 17-6.
At the 6:40 mark of the second period, Alex Wideman tallied his eleventh goal of the season to put the Fuel up 2-0 but it was just twelve seconds later that Matt Alvaro got the Komets on the board to make it 2-1.
Driscoll made a series of amazing saves as the Komets seemed to wake up in the second period, but that led to a scrap that resulted in a power play for the Fuel. Fort Wayne's Scott Allan took an additional penalty, giving the Fuel a 5-on-3 opportunity that they could not capitalize on.
The Fuel were able to go ahead by one again with a goal by Seamus Malone that was initially reviewed to see if he kicked it in or not. The goal was good, and the score was 3-1 before back-to-back penalty kills for Indy.
The Fuel began the third period shorthanded but were able to kill the penalty. The penalties seemed to go back and forth between the two teams yet again as time ticked down on Fort Wayne's ability to come back. Indy took a too many men penalty at 13:52 in the third period and as a result, Oliver Cooper was able to make it 3-2.
On the next faceoff, Chad Yetman knocked the puck in, with the help of Fort Wayne's Daniel Maggio, extending his goal streak to six games and his point streak to eleven games as well as giving the Fuel a two-goal lead again.
Fort Wayne pulled the goalie for the extra skater and quickly was able to score a third goal courtesy of Luka Burzan to make it a one-goal game again. The Komets were even able to catch up to the Fuel in shots and at the one-minute mark of the third frame, were outshooting Indy 34-33.
With less than twenty seconds to go, the Komets has a breakaway chance, but Driscoll made a huge save and shut the door on the 4-3 game, Fort Wayne's win streak and 2022 with style.
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