MOLINE, Ill. – Alex Guptill scored one goal and added two assists and Jake Hildebrand made 39 saves as the Indy Fuel (11-22-3) defeated the undermanned host Quad City Mallards (18-15-2) 6-3 Friday night.
The Fuel moved in front for good by ripping off three goals in two minutes and 17 seconds early in the second period. Josh Shalla kick-started the Indy outburst by snapping a 1-1 tie with a wraparound 58 seconds into the second. Just 18 seconds later, Guptill finished off a 2-on-1 rush to stretch the gap to 3-1. A further minute and 59 seconds after that- at 3:15 of the middle frame- Paul Zanette scored the fourth Fuel goal from the left wing circle.
The Mallards who dressed just 17 players- instead of the normal 18- due to injuries, battled back into the game almost immediately with two rapid-fire second period goals of their own. Andrew Panazarella fired the puck home from the right point at 6:24; at the 6:46 mark Pavel Jenys tipped home Chris Francis’ centering pass to make it a one-goal game again, but the Mallards could not quite complete the rally.
Hildebrand, who was at his busiest in stopping 16 third period shots, made a series a fine saves while keeping the Mallards of the scoreboard the rest of the way and setting the stage for Patrick D’Amico’s crucial insurance goal. D’Amico gave the Fuel a 5-3 lead when his wrist shot broke in off Mallard goaltender C.J. Motte’s glove at 9:42 of the third period. Matt Rupert’s empty net goal capped off the Indy victory at 17:57 of the third.
Indy’s Bryn Chyzyk scored the first goal of the game from the slot at 2:09 of the opening period. The Mallards’ Alex Petan rifled in an equalizer from the top of the right wing circle at 15:37 of the first, but the Fuel would soon regain the initiative.
With Quad City Mallards release
Contact the photographer: Rich.Guill@prohockeynews.com (Sean Flynn Photography)
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