INDIANAPOLIS, IN – In their second game during a three game week, the Indy Fuel hosted the Fort Wayne Komets for the fifth time this season. Indy scored early in the first period only to give up two unanswered Fort Wayne goals and fall 2-1 on Thursday night.
Taking the lead early in the first period, Michael McNicholas got alone on the power play and one-timed a pass from Mike Lee past Stefanos Lekkas to give Indy a 1-0 lead. The Komets outshot the Fuel 9-5 throughout the first period, but Dan Bakala and the Fuel defense held on and eventually took the 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Earning a power play early in the second period, AJ Jenks buried a centering pass from Brandon Hawkins to tie the game at one goal apiece. Throughout the remainder of the period, both teams would trade chances but Bakala and Lekkas held strong, sending the teams into the locker room tied 1-1.
Outshooting the Komets 6-1 in the first five minutes of the period, the Fuel were held off by Fort Wayne goaltender Lekkas. After being dominated at the beginning of the period, Fort Wayne took the lead when Olivier Galipeau fired a wrist shot past Bakala. Although outshooting the Komets 11-8 in the third period, Lekkas and the Fort Wayne defense weathered the storm and defeated the Fuel 2-1 on Thursday night.
The next game for the Fuel will be Sunday afternoon at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum when the Wheeling Nailers hit Indianapolis for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop.
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