INDIANAPOLIS, IN – In the first of three straight matchups, the Indy Fuel hosted the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday night. Throughout the majority of the game, Indy led thanks to a goal from Peter Krieger. Tying the game late in the third period, Matt Murphy forced overtime where Brandon Hawkins scored the game-winner 30 seconds in. 
With Fort Wayne leading shots 2-1, neither team was be able to get much going through the first half of the opening period. Indy was given a full, two-minute 5-on-3 power play but Robbie Beydoun and the Fort Wayne penalty kill held them off. Neither team was able to put the puck in the net through the first 20 minutes, sending them into the locker room tied 0-0.
Controlling the beginning of the second period, the Fuel were the first team to get on the board when a shot by Willie Raskob was tipped by Krieger past Beydoun. Although earning multiple chances on the man advantage, Fort Wayne was unable to beat Fuel goaltender Sean Romeo throughout the remainder of the second period.
Throughout the first 10 minutes of the final stanza, Indy and Fort Wayne traded chances, tying them 4-4 in shots. The Komets scored to tie the game at the 6:25 mark in the third period when Murphy one-timed a pass from Anthony Nellis over the shoulder of Romeo. The Fuel weathered a storm of Komets chances in the final minutes to force a seven-minute overtime period. Taking advantage of an odd-man rush, Hawkins would score net the overtime winner 30 seconds into the period.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
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