ECHL Indy Fuel

Indy Fuel Pit Stop Weekly: Week 13

January 9, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release


LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: 2(0-2-0) 6-11

SAT. JAN. 7 FUEL 3 AT ALLEN 6

SUN. JAN. 8 FUEL 3 AT ALLEN 5

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: (4)

TUES. JAN. 10 FUEL AT WICHITA 8:00 PM

FRI. JAN. 13 FUEL AT QUAD CITY 8:00 PM

SAT. JAN. 14 TULSA AT FUEL 7:35 PM (BLACKHAWKS NIGHT)

SUN. JAN. 15 FUEL AT FORT WAYNE 5:00 PM

NEXT HOME GAME: SAT. JAN 14 VS. TULSA ON BLACKHAWKS NIGHT WITH HALL OF FAMER DENIS SAVARD

*** ALL INDY FUEL GAMES HOME AND AWAY ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON INDIANAPOLIS' CBS SPORTS 1430 ***

THE FUEL IN REVIEW: In the midst of an extended four games' road excursion, the Indy Fuel commence the new week residing in seventh place in the ECHL Western Conference Central Division with a season-long record of 34(9-22-3) for 21-points. Under the direction of Head Coach Bernie John, the Fuel have dropped their last 4-starts and are 19(1-16-2) through their last 19-decisions. Their lone triumph in that span was attained on December 30th on home ice where they trimmed Cincinnati, 3-2. That victory halted an Indy 14-game winless spell. On home ice, the Fuel have compiled a mark of 16(6-9-1). They are 8(1-7-0) in their last 8-games at home while in enemy territory their record stands at 18(3-13-2). The Fuel are winless in their last 11-games abroad at 11(0-9-2) with their last victory gained back on November 12th in Alaska where the men of Fuel hockey have actually extracted two of their three foreign ice successes thus far this season. For the early part of January, the Fuel record stands at 3(0-3-0).

CHALLENGING CHAMPIONS: The past weekend, the Fuel turned-in two stellar and spirited efforts as they performed admirably in Texas where they locked horns with the 4-time champions, the Allen Americans. In game one of the two-games' series on Saturday night, the Fuel were overtaken by the league's kingpins, 6-3. Josh Shalla (1-1-2) (GTG), Kevin Lynch (1-1-2) and Alex Guptill (UG) were the Fuel-men marksmen with the Lynch and Guptill strikes stoked :52 apart in the middle stanza to dissipate the deficit to 4-3. The two goals in that lightning-like sequence of :52 represented the second fastest 2-goals which the Fuel have produced thus far this season. The fastest two strikes this campaign were registered in :50. Sunday, once again, the Fuel were gallant, valiant and valorous in defeat. Though they bowed, 5-3, the men of the Fuel fought back brilliantly from a 2-0 shortfall to seize an early 3-2 advantage when Matt Rupert fired a pair of goals 1:41 apart with the second one produced through the power play. Patrick D'Amico fused the resurgence with a second period connection, :25 after the Champions had achieved a 2-0 lead. Three late third period goals from Allen sealed the Fuel's fate. Rupert's 2-goals in 1:41 represented the fastest 2-goals scored by an individual Fuel player this season, eclipsing the campaign's previous standard of 2-goals in 1:44 by Evan Mosey.

BLACKHAWKS NIGHT: The "Madhouse on Madison" returns to Indiana Farmers Coliseum this Saturday as the Fuel celebrate their NHL affiliate during the third annual Blackhawks Night! Meet Chicago hockey legend and Hall-of-Fame center Denis Savard, along with iconic anthem singer Jim Cornelison, mascot Tommy Hawk and the Blackhawks Ice Girls! Autograph stations will be set up on the concourse throughout the game with Savard, Cornelison and the Ice Girls - while Tommy Hawk will roam the arena with Nitro! The Fuel will be looking the part on Blackhawks Night with brand new specialty jerseys. Take home your own game-worn sweater during a post-game jersey auction, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Prevail.

ROAD WATCH PARTY AT SQUEALERS: Join fellow fans this Sunday at Squealers Barbecue Grill in Castleton (E. 86th Street) to watch the Fuel take on the rival Fort Wayne Komets. Enjoy some great food and take advantage of drink specials just for Fuel fans. Grab $1.50 domestic drafts and $3.00 select Sun King varieties as you cheer the team to victory!

TWO FOR THE ROAD: Before their big "BLACKHAWKS NIGHT" on Saturday night, the Fuel have more business to attend to abroad. There are two more foreign ice affairs on their docket, beginning Tuesday night when they tangle with the Thunder in Wichita for the first and only time this season. In their last action, Wichita halted its 9-game winless skid; 9(0-8-1) with a 4-2 triumph Saturday night at Missouri. The Thunder are 19(7-12-0) at home, having fallen in their 6-straight starts on home base. Friday night, the Fuel cap the sojourn in Moline, IL where they will rekindle rancor with divisional adversary Quad City. Indy is 4(0-2-2) in a quartet of sessions staged between the two fractious foes with the Fuel earning a single point in each of their previous pair of visits to America's heartland through results of 4-3 (OTSO) and 3-2 (OTSO).

MATT THE MIGHTY: In recent game activity, the Fuel firepower has shown marked improvement. One of the major catalysts in the club's offensive upgrade has been left wing Matt Rupert. The second-year pro from perennial OHL major junior 'A' powerhouse London, came to the forefront Sunday in sparking and spearheading his team's spirited comeback counterattack crescendo. Trailing in the contest, 2-0, the Fuel rallied with 3-consecutive strikes to gain an early 3-2 third period advantage. The Grand Bend, Ontario product climaxed the comeback with a pair of goals in a rapid-fire fashion 1:41 to catapult his club into a 3-2 lead. Rupert's second goal was his team-best third on the power play. Rupert is the Fuel's nomination for Sher-Wood/ECHL Player of the Week.

THE KEVIN CONNECTION: Center Kevin Lynch has sustained his star-studded enormous performance for the hometown team. The former U. of Michigan standout essayed 3-points in the recently capped two-games' series in Allen. Averaging a point a game over the Fuel's last 7-games with 7(4-3-7) Lynch is ranked #3 in the Indy point-producing derby with 31(10-12-22). His 3-UG top the team.

PREMIERE POINTMEN: 1- Alex Wideman 34(12-17-29); 2- Josh Shalla 33(16-9-25); 3- Kevin Lynch 31(10-12-22); 4- Alex Guptill 30(10-8-18); 5- Patrick D'Amico 28(4-11-15); 6- Matt Rupert 34(8-6-14); 7- Jonathan Carlsson 30(1-11-12); 8- Nick Mattson 32(1-11-12); 9- Tristan King 23(3-8-11); 10- Matt Stanisz 30(4-5-9)

UNEVEN STRENGTH STORY: On the specialty teams front, the Fuel seem to be demonstrating some significant improvement, particularly on the power play. For the season, the extra man band is 12-92 for a proficiency rating of 13%. The power play is 1 for the last 15; 2 for the last 16; 12.5% and 5 for the last 26 for a rating mark of 19.2%. As far as the penalty-killing report is concerned, the Fuel are 4 for the last 7; 8 for the last 12 and 19 for the last 25-advantages afforded the adversary. Indy has scored 2-SHG while yielding 4-SHGA.

FUEL FACTS: The Fuel are showing sharp improvement offensively. After enduring a span where they mustered a menial 14-GF in 10-games for a GFA of 1.40, the Fuel, over the last 8-games, have connected 26-times for a GFA of a healthy 3.25. With the recent arrivals of defenseman Nick Grasso from Macon of the SPHL and former OHL Erie standout, right wing Nick Betz, the Fuel have now employed 41-players, still 2-games shy of the halfway point of the season. There are only 11-players remaining from the Fuel's opening night roster and 4 of those are on the shelf with a myriad of maladies; Raphael Corriveau, Brady Ramsay, Cody Sharib and Matt Stanisz. Indy has scored 3-GF or more in 4 of its last 5-games and 6 of its last 8-outings. On the road, in the last 2-periods combined, the Fuel have been outscored, 51-21. Defenseman Chris Williams 73-PIM top the team. For 3 Fuel players, the past weekend was a homecoming of sorts at Allen; Jake Hildebrand, Tristan King and Alex Guptill were all former employees of the Americans. Only team leading scorer and ECHL All-Star Alex Wideman and Matt Rupert have been at the starting gate for all 34-Fuel games this season.

TV TIME FOR THE FUEL: All season long, all Indy Fuel Friday night and Saturday night home games are televised live in simulcast form. WTHR-TV 13 / COZI-TV will have all of the action live with the Fuel's exclusive radio flagship home of CBS SPORTS 1430. Terry Ficorelli will have the play-by-play call with Bob Kravitz and Talor Whitaker alongside.

THE DAILY FUEL FILL-UP: All Fuel hockey fans can stay up to date every day even when there is not a game. It's "The Fuel Fix From Fic," Monday through Friday afternoon during the Kent Sterling Show from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm on the exclusive radio flagship home of the Indy Fuel, CBS SPORTS 1430.

TICKET INFORMATION: Indy Fuel tickets for all home games are available at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations or on line at indyfuelhockey.com. Call us by phone as well as (317) 925-FUEL.

SOUTH OF CHICAGO: Fill your tank at South of Chicago and Fuel your Fridays in the process! Enjoy the lunch buffet at any of the three South of Chicago Pizza & Beef locations and pick up a coupon for $3 off any ticket to a Friday Fuel home game. Must redeem coupon at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office, limit one coupon per ticket. For more information, visit nobspizza.com .

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