Special Teams Burn Fuel in 6-1 Road Loss to Oilers
October 21, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Indy Fuel News Release
TULSA, OKLA. - The Indy Fuel (2-1-0-0) suffered their first setback of the 2016-17 season Friday night as they fell 6-1 to the Tulsa Oilers (2-0-0-0) at the BOK Center. After a tightly-contested opening period, the Oilers broke the game wide open by putting on a special teams clinic for the opening night crowd - tallying twice on the power play and adding a shorthanded goal to turn a 1-1 deficit into a commanding lead. In all, it was five unanswered goals and a perfect performance on the penalty kill that gave the home team a lopsided victory in the first-ever meeting between Indy and Tulsa.
Forward Darcy Murphy scored twice on the man advantage early in the second period to give the Oilers a 3-1 edge, before Dan DeSalvo stretched the lead to three soon after on an extended Fuel power play. With Reid Halabi serving a double-minor, DeSalvo sprung loose on a shorthanded breakaway, beating Indy goaltender Jake Hildebrand for a 4-1 advantage at 8:43 of the middle frame.
Tulsa added a pair of markers in the third period to put the game away. Forward Adam Pleskach netted his second of the season and the evening at 4:49, before Shawn Bates finished the damage 17:25 with a goal off of an offensive zone draw. On top of the two-goal outings by Murphy and Pleskach, four other Oilers finished with multiple points, including DeSalvo (1g, 1a), Emerson Clark (2a), Wes Cunningham (2a) and Kale Kessy (2a).
The game started with a flurry of activity, with both clubs trading goals within the first 2:14 of play. Pleskach opened the scoring at 1:10, picking up his own rebound on a short rush on Hildebrand, before Tyler Currier answered for the Fuel just over a minute later. Currier now has goals in two straight games for Indy, both serving to put his team on the board.
The Fuel had plenty of chances to get back into the game with the man advantage, but could not capitalize. Indy finished the night 0-for-5 on the power play, coming up empty on a brief 5-on-3 power play, Halabi's double-minor, and a five-minute major penalty to Clark during a third-period altercation. Through three games the Fuel are scoreless on nine chances with the extra man - while giving up a shorthanded goal.
Hildebrand, the reigning CCM/ECHL Goaltender of the Week, was saddled with the loss after turning away 25 shots. Jamie Phillips recorded his second victory of the campaign with 21 saves.
Indy finishes a three-game road trip Saturday with a visit to the Missouri Mavericks. Puck drop from Silverstein Eye Centers Arena is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET.
Next Home Game: Friday, October 28 vs. Tulsa Oilers - 7:35 p.m. The Fuel and CHN are celebrating healthy lifestyles in conjunction with the first annual Fuel 5K Run/Walk on October 22. Race participants can attend the game for free and will be recognized. For more info on the Fuel 5K and to register, visit here.
Single-game tickets are now available for the third season of Fuel hockey in Indianapolis at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office or at all Ticketmaster locations. Ticket Plans of all sizes are also available, from Full-Season Plans to six and three-game packages, in addition to Group Ticket options. Learn more by visiting IndyFuelHockey.com or calling 317-925-FUEL. Stay up to date throughout the offseason by following the Fuel on Twitter and Instagram (@IndyFuel) and don't forget to 'Like' the Fuel on Facebook.
ECHL Stories from October 21, 2016
- Mallards Hold off Rush - Quad City Mallards
- Tulsa Dominates Fuel in Home Opener - Tulsa Oilers
- Americans Earn a Split with Atlanta After 3-1 Win - Allen Americans
- Special Teams Burn Fuel in 6-1 Road Loss to Oilers - Indy Fuel
- Walleye Edge Beast 6-5 in a Shootout in Action-Packed Home Opener - Brampton Beast
- Royals Suffer First Loss of the Year, 5-1, to Manchester - Reading Royals
- Walleye Take out the Beast - Toledo Walleye
- GAME RECAP: Allen Defeats Atlanta 3-1 to Salvage Season Series Split - Atlanta Gladiators
- Monarchs Topple Royals, 5-1 - Manchester Monarchs
- Mavericks Fall in First Visit of the Season to Wichita - Kansas City Mavericks
- Game Recap: K-Wings Topped by Komets in Back-And-Forth Clash - Kalamazoo Wings
- Admirals Fall in Tight One against Elmira - Norfolk Admirals
- Jackals Overcome Admirals in Home Opener - Elmira Jackals
- Stingrays Name Captains for 2016-17 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Solar Bears Add Three Players from Toronto to Roster - Orlando Solar Bears
- Thunder Add Dennis Kravchenko - Adirondack Thunder
- Laurikainen Returned to Admirals - Norfolk Admirals
- Kea, Geiger Assigned to Jackals from Rochester - Elmira Jackals
- Zombies on Ice, Presented by NYZ Orlando Set for October 29 - Orlando Solar Bears
- Beast and Team Captain Brandon Marino Launch New Outreach Program - Brampton Beast
- Opening Night Festivities - Adirondack Thunder
- Quad City Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Bobby Gertsakis and Matt Chiarantano Released from SPC - Reading Royals
- Mavericks Game Preview - October 21 at Wichita - Kansas City Mavericks
- Game Day Storylines- vs Utah - Idaho Steelheads
- Jackals Begin Home Schedule with Laser Show, Match with Admirals - Elmira Jackals
- Monarchs Game Day Capsule - Manchester Monarchs
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