INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Ignited by a three-goal second period inferno and a three goal night from right wing Nick Bligh, the Indy Fuel ran their undefeated streak to six consecutive games in a 6-3 victory over the Quad City Mallards Tuesday night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
In defeating the playoff-bound Mallards for a second consecutive time at home and extending their home ice unblemished skein to 4-in a row, the Fuel shattered a 1-1 deadlock with those three second period strikes, stoked by Josh Shalla’s 32nd goal and crowned by Bligh’s first two goals. The Dartmouth College first year pro’s second of his three goals was the game winning goal for the Indy club.
Left wing Alex Wideman had staked the Fuel to an immediate 1-0 first period lead when he connected on his 21st goal of the season at the :10 mark, moments after the game’s opening face-off. It was Indy’s fastest goal at the start of the game and at the start of a period in team history.
After Quad City had reduced the Fuel lead to 4-3 with a pair of consecutive goals, Bligh went to work, again, completing his first-ever pro “hat trick” in period three before Jake Marchment found the empty net at 19:55 of the final frame of the game to clinch the conquest.
Two recent newcomers to the Fuel lineup authored their first points as pros as center Fillip Rydstrom engineered two assists and left wing Austin Hervey assisted once. Left wing Matt Rupert continued his late scoring scourge with two more assists.
Goaltender Jake Hildebrand posted the victory in the Fuel goal, brushing aside 32-shots. In the process, Hildebrand advanced his record to 4-1-1 in his last six starts and 5-2-1 in his last eight dates.
The Fuel late season surge has been nothing short of remarkable as they are not only unbeaten in their last half-dozen decisions, but also, they are 6-1-1 in their last eight games and 8-3-2 in their last 13 outings. Offensively, the Fuel have become a high-tech, high-octane juggernaut, having scored 55 goals during those last 13 games.
Indy will close its third ECHL season this weekend with a pair of games in the form of a home-and-home series against league-leading Toledo. It’s the home finale on “Fan Appreciation Night” Friday night at 7:35 p.m. and the 72nd and final game of the season Saturday night in the Ohio city at 7:15 p.m.
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