Pierog tally gives Fuel OT win over Mavericks

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Coming off of back-to-back wins last weekend, the Fuel visited the Kansas City Mavericks on Friday night for their last game before Christmas. After giving up three goals in the second period, the Fuel bounced back in the third period to force overtime where Nic Pierog would end the game with a wrist shot past Taran Kozun.

Both teams opened the first period trading chances but it would take until just over nine minutes for somebody to break the scoreless tie. Picking up the puck at center ice, Keoni Texeira fired a shot on Kansas City goaltender Kozun and Matt Marcinew put home the rebound to give Indy a 1-0 lead. The Fuel would have back-to-back chances late in the period but would eventually take their one-goal lead into the locker room.

Just over halfway into the second period, Ross Olsson beat an unexpecting Dan Bakala over the shoulder with a long wrist shot, tying the game at one goal each. Fourteen minutes into the second stanza, Texeira fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Kozun, earning his second point of the game and giving Indy a 2-1 lead.

Responding nine seconds later, Bryan Lemos fired a shot past Bakala tying the game at two goals apiece. After a hooking penalty by Willie Raskob, Rob Bordson deflected a shot on the power play handing the Mavericks the 3-2 lead heading into the locker room.

After killing off seven straight minutes of penalties early in the final period, Indy’s Marcinew slid a cross-ice pass to Alex Rauter who beat Kozun over the shoulder with a wrist shot. Bakala fought off a barrage of chances late in the game to hold off the Mavericks, forcing a seven-minute overtime period.

With only one shot in the overtime period for each team, Pierog made it count for the Fuel. Getting alone in the slot, Pierog beat Kozun with a wrist shot to send the Fuel home with a 4-3 win over the Mavericks.

The Fuel are now off until Saturday, December 26th when they play host to the Wheeling Nailers at 7:05 p.m.

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