Indy Completes Flawless Weekend with Win in Wheeling
January 10, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
WHEELING, W.V. - The Indy Fuel (17-18-2-0) picked up all six possible points from a three-game weekend, finishing the sweep with a 3-2 victory over the Wheeling Nailers (15-16-2-2) Sunday afternoon at WesBanco Arena. Forward Peter Schneider potted the game-winning goal with 2:32 remaining in regulation and goaltender Shane Owen delivered his second standout performance in under 24 hours to give the Fuel their third straight victory.
Despite having leads of 1-0 and 2-1 disappear over the first two periods, Indy persevered and found the upper hand for good when Schneider blasted his eighth goal of the season past Nailers goaltender Franky Palazzese. Cody Sharib tracked down his own rebound off of a solo rush and found Schneider trailing in the high slot, who cranked a perfect shot off the crossbar to give the Fuel the definitive 3-2 edge.
After posting a 32-save shutout in Saturday's home victory against the Evansville IceMen, Owen backstopped his team to a win of the road variety with a season-high 39 saves against Wheeling. The 25-year-old netminder turned aside all 17 shots he faced in the third period to keep the game at a 2-2 tie, despite the hometown Nailers efforts to take control of the game. No save was bigger than a sprawling glove save on Wheeling's Anton Zlobin, keeping the score even with just over five minutes to play. In his last two starts, Owen has stopped 71 of 73 shots faced, a .973 save percentage.
For the second consecutive day, forward Adam Lapsansky opened the scoring in the favor of the Fuel. Indy's newest forward continued his hot start when he stuck with a broken play and made it 1-0 4:47 into the game with a great individual effort. Garett Bembridge fed Lapsansky in the high slot from the left wall, who needed to take three whacks at the puck before finding the net behind Palazzese. The native of Slovakia now has two goals and two assists in three games since joining the Fuel a week ago.
Wheeling found an answer on the power play when Zlobin converted a one-timer past Owen from the left circle. The Nailers outshot the Fuel 11-4 after 20 minutes of play, but headed into the second at a 1-1 tie.
Indy regained the lead at 6:55 of the middle frame when Bembridge scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season on a great finish to a zone entry. Bembridge swooped in on the Wheeling net unmarked after an Alex Lavoie drop pass left a pair of defenders flat-footed. The veteran cut in front of Palazzese and outwaited the netminder before making it 2-1 with a backhand. Lavoie and Sharib were credited with assists, both finishing the game with a pair of helpers.
The lead lasted until the last minute of the second, when the Nailer's leading scorer Jarrett Burton used heavy traffic in front to feather a mid-range shot through Owen, setting up a 2-2 stalemate to begin the third.
Indy went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Wheeling scored on their only opportunity.
Sunday's win draws the Fuel to a win apiece in the three-game season series with the Nailers, with the rubber match taking place at Indiana Farmers Coliseum next Sunday. The rematch will once again fall on the third leg of a three-game weekend for Indy, who hosts the Rapid City Rush on Friday and the Orlando Solar Bears on Saturday.
Next Home Game: Friday, January 15 vs. Rapid City Rush - 7:35 p.m. Tonight is all about the ladies! Peruse a number of vendors on the concourse and enjoy concession specials tailored to our female fans. It's also another Free App Friday, presented by South of Chicago Pizza and Beef! If the Fuel win, you can present your game ticket at any of the three South of Chicago Pizza and Beef locations for a free appetizer.
Single-game tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster or at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office, while a variety of different ticket plans and group specials are available by calling (317) 925-FUEL or visiting IndyFuelHockey.com. Don't miss out on anything from the Fuel in 2015-16, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and don't forget to 'Like' the Fuel on Facebook.
ECHL Stories from January 10, 2016
- Americans Big Second Period Leads to 5-2 Victory - Allen Americans
- Michalek, Mallards Blank Fort Wayne 2-0 - Quad City Mallards
- Fuel Get Fortunate in Final Minutes, Win 3-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Allen Scores Five Straight to Sink Eagles 5-2 - Colorado Eagles
- Royals Stymie Stingrays to Snap Skid, 3-1 - Reading Royals
- Indy Completes Flawless Weekend with Win in Wheeling - Indy Fuel
- Beast Erupt for Seven Goals in Romp over K-Wings - Brampton Beast
- Power Play Tallies Push Royals Past Rays 3-1 Sunday - South Carolina Stingrays
- Breton's Penalty Shot Goal Kickstarts Aces Win - Alaska Aces
- Aces Knock off Gladiators 2-1 - Atlanta Gladiators
- K-Wings and Beast Combine for Ten, But Beast Hold Home Ice - Kalamazoo Wings
- Americans Host Colorado Today at 4:05 pm - Allen Americans
- Garbowsky and Kea Head to Rochester - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL Transactions - January 10 - ECHL
- Rush Add Scofield - Rapid City Rush
- Nailers vs. Fuel Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Game Preview: South Carolina at Reading, 4:00 p.m. - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Today - January 10 - ECHL
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