INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Closing out three games in three days, the Indy Fuel (12-13-0-0) hosted the Kalamazoo Wings (7-13-3-0) for the annual teddy bear toss game. Indy opened the scoring 59 seconds into the game and kept the scoring coming, putting up five goals from five different players and earning a 5-2 win over the Wings.
Joe Sullivan netted the opening goal, sending the teddy bears flying 59 seconds into the first period. The second-year forward intercepted a Kalamazoo pass and beat Wings goaltender Jake Hildebrand (25 saves) through the five hole. Each team was handed multiple power plays through the first period but both penalty kills remained perfect.
The Fuel started the second period on the power play, but Hildebrand stopped all three shots from the Fuel man-advantage. Midway through the period, an Indy turnover led to a breakaway for Dylan Sadowy. Facing a quick wrist shot from Sadowy, Charles Williams (35 saves) shut the door on the first chance as well the rebounds that followed. Zach Frye tied the game late in the period, firing a slap shot from the blue line and beating a screened Charles Williams. Doubling their goal total and taking the lead late in the period, Keoni Texeira fired a wrist shot from the blueline and beat Hildebrand to send the Fuel into the locker room up 2-1.
Entering the third period ahead by a goal, Indy took advantage of an emotional Kalamazoo team, earning back-to-back five-on-three chances. Mikael Hakkarainen collected the first chance, burying a back-door pass from Bobby MacIntyre. Earning his fifth power-play goal of the season, Spencer Watson fired a wrist shot past Hildebrand, giving Indy the 4-1 lead. Kalamazoo responded with a goal of their own by Zach Diamantoni but Indy closed the game with an empty-net goal from MacIntyre.
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