FORT WAYNE, IN – After a 2-1 win over the Comets in Indy the night before, the Fuel came off with a 5-4 win in the teams final meeting of the 2022-23 regular season. Usually a physical match, tonight was no different. The game totaled 105 penalty minutes with Indy scoring 34 compared to 71 for Fort Wayne. This provided 12 power play opportunities for the Fuel, the most in a game in franchise history.
The Fuel outgained the Komets 11-9 in the first. Each team had a goal early and late in the period.
Indy got his first opportunity to power play just 25 seconds into the game. Alex Weidman opened the scoring at 1:08, assisted by Chad Whitman and Colin Bellick.
Fort Wayne’s Jake Johnson tied it up with an equal goal two minutes later.
There were four more two-minute minors between scoring, with three of those penalties belonging to Indy.
Brian Lemos gave Fuel a 2-1 lead with an equal goal assisted by Kyle Maksimovic and Chris Cameron at 18:18.
Kirill Cheka was called for the pinfall at 18:55, allowing the Komets’ Shawn Boudreas to tie the game.
Joe Masonius was called to stay at 19:46, ending the period tied at 2-2 and into the Fuel Power game.
Indy once again outscored Fort Wayne (11-8) and caught two two-minute penalties over four KOs. Cam Gray replaced goalie Zach Driscoll as the starting quarterback.
Fuel in the middle tire started the power play, but was unable to capitalize on it.
Fort Wayne’s Mark Russell gave them their only lead of the game with an equally powerful goal at 4:36.
Scott Allan was called for a fumble at 13:24 and Maxim Golod took advantage to tie the game at 3-3.
Like the first two periods, Indy outgained Fort Wayne in the final frame, 11-6. Of the 105 total penalty minutes counted in game three, 53 of them belonged to the Kumites.