INDY FENDS OFF LATE PUSH TO DEFEAT WHEELING

(FUEL RELEASE)

WHEELING - In the first half of a home and home series between the Indy Fuel and Wheeling Nailers, the Fuel would score three goals in the first period in what would be a nine-goal game. Giving up two goals in the third period, the Fuel would eventually hang on to defeat the Nailers 5-4.

Opening the scoring less than two minutes into the game, Indy’s Nic Pierog fired a wrist shot past Wheeling goaltender Brandon Halverson. One minute later on the power play, Pierog picked up his second goal of the game beating Halverson with another wrist shot. After killing off multiple penalties throughout the opening period, Peter Krieger would triple Indy’s lead late in the period after he snuck past Wheeling’s defensemen and beat Halverson with a backhand shot.

Taking an early interference penalty, Indy’s Peter Krieger sent Indy to the penalty kill for the third time of the game. Getting alone on the power play, Matt Alfaro sent a pass to Austin Fyten who beat Fuel goaltender Billy Christopoulos with a wrist shot. Responding on the man-advantage Indy’s Joe Sullivan gave Indy a 4-2 lead when he buried a pass from David Broll.

Earning a 4-on-3 man advantage, Wheeling would score their second goal of the game when Aaron Thow deflected a wrist shot from the blue line to make it 4-1. Jumping on a loose puck late in the second period, Joe Sullivan fed Michael McNicholas a pass which he one-timed past Wheeling’s Halverson to give Indy a 5-2 lead.

Cutting Indy’s lead to two goals, Austin Fyten scored his second goal of the game when his wrist shot beat Indy’s Christopouls over the shoulder. Just over a minute later, Patrick Watling jumped on a Fuel turnover and put the puck past Christopoulos to make it a one-goal game. Indy would defend a barrage of Wheeling chances late in the game but would hold on to take the 5-4 win.

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