Indy Closes Central Division Doubleheader
November 5, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
The Indy Fuel (2-4-1-0) hope to bounce back from a 4-0 loss to the Fort Wayne Komets as they welcome the fellow Central Division rival Quad City Mallards (4-3-0-0) Saturday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Puck drop is slated for 7:35pm, and tickets for Pucks & Paws Night, presented by Church Brothers Collision Repair, are available through Ticketmaster and at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office.
Indy enters Saturday night's matchup on a five game winless streak (0-4-1-0), while Quad City is coming off a Thursday night loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones. Friday night against the Komets, Fuel goaltender Eric Levine turned in a strong 38-save performance. However, the combination of a 31 save-shutout from Komet goaltender, Eric Hartzell, and three third period goals by the Komets were enough to overpower what had been a good defensive night for the Fuel.
Looking to pick up their first victory since Oct. 15 in Cincinnati, Indy hosts the Mallards in the last game before a week-long, three-game trip to Alaska. Meanwhile, Quad City has won four of their last five games dating back to Oct. 21.
Inside the Matchup: Indy currently sits in seventh place in the newly-realigned Central Division, and Quad City is tied for fifth with the Wichita Thunder. Saturday night marks the first of 10 meetings between the Fuel and the Mallards for the 2016-2017 season. Quad City will host the next matchup on November 25 at the iWireless Center. During the 2015-2016 season, the Fuel posted a 7-2-1-0 record against the Mallards, with five of those wins coming on home ice.
Who to Watch: Fuel forward Alex Wideman leads the club with six points (3g, 3a), including two assists in the Fuel's 6-7 overtime loss to the Allen Americans ... Fellow forward Marek Tvrdon recorded two goals in that same loss to Allen...Tvrdon was drafted by Detroit in 4th round (#115) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and recorded 21 points (8g, 13a) in 23 games last season with the Toledo Walleye.
Quad City forward Justin Kovacs leads the Mallards in points and assists (3g, 6a) this season. In 63 games with the Kalamazoo Wings last season, Kovacs recorded six goals and 23 assists ... Forward Sam Warning leads the team in goals (4g, 4a). Warning was also with the Mallards last season and tallied 31 points (15g, 16a).
Worth Noting: Indy and Quad City are both 2-0-0-0 when leading after the second period...Indy has allowed 24 goals this season, five more than Quad City's 19... Quad City is 2-2-0-0 record on the road and Indy is 1-1-1-0 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum....The Fuel are killing off a perfect 100% of the penalty kill at home (0/5) ... The Mallards sport the league's third-best power play unit at 23.1% ... Thursday night against Cincinnati was the first time all season Justin Kovacs was held off the scoresheet, snapping a six-game point streak ... Mallards forward Chris Francis (2g, 1a) has scored in each of his last two games.
ECHL Stories from November 5, 2016
- ECHL Transactions - November 5 - ECHL
- IceHogs Assign Evan Mosey to Indy - Indy Fuel
- Reading Royals (ECHL) Transaction: Successsful Waiver Claim Asserted - Reading Royals
- Steelheads vs Colorado - Idaho Steelheads
- Indy Closes Central Division Doubleheader - Indy Fuel
- Monarchs Game Day Capsule, November 5, 2016 - Manchester Monarchs
- Bow Knows- Rookie's 31 Saves Guide Idaho to Shootout Win - Idaho Steelheads
- Third Period Helps Thunder Skate Past Grizzlies - Wichita Thunder
- Royals Double up Rush in First Game Ever in South Dakota, 6-3 - Reading Royals
- Salazar Stretches Goal Streak to Five Games as Eagles Fall in a Shootout - Colorado Eagles
- Royals Top Rush - Rapid City Rush
- Komets Burn Fuel 4-0 - Fort Wayne Komets
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