Kaden Fulcher got the start in goal for the Walleye on Friday. It was the first time that the Fuel had faced the 20-year-old netminder. Fulcher came into the game with a 7-2-1 record with a 2.74 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

FUEL STARTING LINEUP

Matt Rupert – Ryan Rupert – Logan Nelson

Zach Miskovic – Josh McArdle

Matt Tomkins

The Walleye got off to a fast start in Indy as defenseman Ryan Obuchowski buried his second of the year on a nice feed from TJ Hensick. That goal came just 42 seconds after the opening puck drop.

Less than a minute later, Mathew Thompson got it right back for the Fuel for his fifth goal of the season. Defensemen Alex Brooks and Neil Manning got the helpers on Thompson’s first goal back from an injury.

The Rupert twins joined the first period goal scoring party next less than two minutes after the Thompson goal. Ryan Rupert ripped his fifth of the season home on a pass from his twin brother, Matt Rupert.

Kevin Dufour’s 11^th of the season came on a breakaway pass from Thompson. The puck squeezed through Fulcher’s pads to make it 3-1 8:49 into the game.

Greg Wolfe got one back for the Walleye as he tallied his eighth of the season on a one-timer from Hensick.

Kevin Tansey capitalized on a Fuel turnover and evened the game up for Toledo as the 25-year-old wired home his sixth of the season while falling to the ice.

The most impressive play of the night, though, was not recorded on the scoresheet. Fuel winger Kevin Dufour chased the puck down from the opposite blue line to beat out Kelly Cup winning defenseman Matt Register to negate a sure-fire icing call.

The Walleye caught fire late in the third period, however, as they scored three goals in a matter of 1:54, including a penalty shot from AJ Jenks and an empty netter by Hensick. Dufour answered back with 54 seconds to make it 6-5 Toledo but the last-minute comeback fell short as the Walleye took their first game in Indy in the 2018-19 season.

Quotebook

• Thompson on his return from a minor injury: “It was good. [We] got a lot of chances. [Olivier Labelle] and [Dufour] definitely helped me out. We were able to get a lot of offensive zone time, which makes the game easy. It was only two games, so I didn’t feel too rusty or anything. It was easy to bounce back.”
• Thompson on his line mate Dufour’s speed: “He’s got next-level speed. It makes the game easy for me. You can put the pucks in certain areas and certain spots and you know he’s going to win those races. It makes the game easier for everyone around him and certainly easier for himself. He utilizes it well and he definitely did tonight.”
• Fuel head coach Bernie John on Tomkins’ play and the lack of help he has had: “None of that is on Tomkins. It’s all on everybody else. We’re not playing well defensively and we’re not doing the right things. We’re just getting away from our game. We make ourselves defend so much. We have the puck and instead of getting it to our forwards and getting it out, we want to try to make an extra D-to-D pass and then there’s a fumble and something happens along the boards or a bad bounce and now we’re defending in our zone and now we have to play in our zone for another 30-40 seconds. That’s not the way we play. We play pucks north and we just got to get it through [the players’] minds that that’s the way we play.”

By The Numbers

• 4 – Number of points for Thompson on Friday against Toledo
• 12 – Shots on goal for the Fuel after two periods
• 2 – Number of goals for Dufour and Thompson

The post RECAP: Fuel’s Third Period Breakdown Leads to Devastating 6-5 Loss to Walleye appeared first on The Rink.

In those three games, the Fuel have averaged just over four goals per game. Despite averaging four goals per game, the Fuel are averaging only 24 shots per game.

“Even if you listen to the NHL guys, it’s not all about shots,” Indy Fuel Head Coach Bernie John said. “It’s about getting grade-A chances and we’re getting grade-A chances. Do we want more shots? Yes, we want more shots. We want to get pucks to the net, put pressure on goaltenders to make saves and on teams to defend but we like our chances when we get the right grade-A’s.”

It’s not just forwards that are scoring for the Fuel either. Rookie defenseman Robert Powers has four points in three games for Indy, which puts him tied for second in defenseman points and tied for third among rookie scorers in the ECHL. The offensive defenseman has found himself in on the rush while doing his job defensively to allow goaltender Matt Tomkins to play his game.

Tomkins has looked greatly improved since last season, most notably putting up a 39-save performance in their Friday night victory and earning the first star of the game. Tomkins wasn’t quite ready to take all the credit for his performance, though.

“Yeah, that was huge,” Tomkins said when asked about how his defense contributed to his performance. “Obviously, we were on our heels a little bit to start the game there but once we got rolling it was good.”

The first period has not been the Fuel’s friend to start the season. In their first three games, the club has been outscored 4-3 and outshot 32-22 in the opening frame.

“[It’s been] two games in a row where we’ve laid an egg a little bit in the first period and then we come back [in] the second and third and it’s more of an even game and it’s a little bit better,” John said.

The Fuel’s power play has been far from stellar as well, but their penalty kill has proved to be a key reason for their recent success. The power play has gone 3-for-15 (20.0%), with all three goals coming in their 8-4 rout over the Kalamazoo Wings. The penalty kill, on the other hand, has gone 17-for-19 (89.5), which is second behind many teams that have yet to allow a power-play goal.

The Fuel have even started to see an edge to their game that they haven’t seen in previous years. Big bodies, such as Anthony Collins, Connor Moynihan, and Dmitry Osipov were brought in to protect some of their young studs.

“We’ve got a couple of big boys, we got a lot of guys who like to stand up for the team, and that’s huge because it gives us other guys that are a little softer some extra space,” Fuel forward Josh Shalla said.

The Fuel take on the Toledo Walleye (1-1-0-0) Saturday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum for another Central Division matchup at 7:35 PM.

The post What’s Been Clicking: Indy Fuel Continue Hot Start to Season appeared first on The Rink.

The 22-year-old netminder attended Minnesota State University, where he backstopped their team for three seasons. Most recently, as a junior in 2017-18, he boasted a 6-3 record with two shutouts, 2.57 goals against average, and a .895 save percentage.

Kyle Hayton got the starting call for the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday but ended up splitting time with two-time Kelly Cup Championship winner Lukas Hafner. Hayton came to Fort Wayne following a stellar college career at St. Lawrence University and the University of Wisconsin. The Denver, Colorado native was a Hobey Baker nominee and named the ECAC Goaltender of the Year in 2016-17.

Hafner’s ECHL career began in 2015-16 when he played five games with Alaska, coming straight out of Western Michigan University. The 26-year-old most recently won a Kelly Cup with the Colorado Eagles last year.

FUEL STARTING LINEUP

Josh Shalla–Quentin Shore–Radovan Bondra

Neil Manning–Alex Brooks

Pawloski

It is possible that Fuel head coach Bernie John told his players to come out of the gates swinging. Fuel forward Anthony Collins took that message to heart and started swinging his fists with Chase Stewart just three minutes into the period for the first fight of the Fuel’s season.

Shortly after a Komets penalty expired, the Fuel found the back of the net for the first time in the 2018-19 season just under 13 minutes into the game. 13-year veteran Olivier Labelle was able to bury a backdoor pass from Ryan McGrath to give the Fuel a 1-0 lead.

Less than three minutes later, the Fuel’s powerplay struck twine on a strike from Shalla. The 27-year-old winger is the Fuel’s all-time leading goal scorer, netting 50 goals in 90 games with the club.

The Komets quickly struck back, though, as Charley Graaskamp cleaned up a rebound from a Kevin Gibson point shot to cut the Fuel’s lead in half and end the first-period scoring.

The Komets struck first early in the middle frame, as Taylor Crunk buried one past Pawloski. The play was set up by defenseman Jeff King as he dangled past the Fuel defense to feed Crunk in the goalmouth.

The power play success did not bleed over into the second period. After a slashing penalty called on the Komets, the Fuel’s power-play unit saw themselves chasing the Komets’ penalty kill all over the ice until Shalla took a penalty of his own 50 seconds into the man advantage.

Back and forth play continued, with a bit of an aggressive edge occurring in the third period by both teams. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in regulation, though, to break the 2-2 tie. This tie commenced 3-on-3 overtime at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

The best look of the overtime period came from Shalla who dangled between a Komet defender’s legs but was unable to corral the puck after. After some solid chances from both teams in the five-minute period, the final buzzer sounded to send the two teams to a shootout.

The Komets struck first in the shootout, as defenseman Ryan Lowney was able to put the puck through Pawloski’s five-hole to give the Komets a 1-0 shootout lead after the second round.

After a goal from Shore for the Fuel, Justin Hodgman ripped a slap shot past Pawloski to seal a 3-2 comeback victory for the Komets.

What We Learned

• Brett Welychka had a fantastic game after being sent down from Rockford. He has unlimited potential and could be a top AHL player or depth NHL player in the next couple of years with the right development.
• Pawloski had a great game, stopping 25 of 27 Fort Wayne shots. He will be a solid backup behind Matt Tomkins when he is here and can also be a great starter in the rotation or if Tomkins gets recalled to the IceHogs.
• Kevin Dufour was a great offseason acquisition from the Wichita Thunder. He is a solid second line winger who can create odd-man rushes.
• Robert Powers is still raw. It is just one preseason game, after all, but in the small sample size we have, Powers didn’t play up to potential. He missed a couple of passes and needs to work on his puck control but a lot of that has to do with the chemistry of the team right now. His development will come with time.
• Not sold just yet on Shore. The Fuel acquired him late in the offseason. He had his moments for sure, ending his first game with the club with an assist, five shots on goal, and the lone shootout goal for Indy. He still has room for growth, but something about his game just didn’t click. Like the situation with Powers, it is still a very small sample size, limited chemistry, and it was just the first game of the season.
• Labelle and Bondra bring an intensity to the game that the Fuel need. When Matt Rupert and Ryan Rupert enter the lineup, it will be interesting to see how they mold with the playing styles of Labelle and Bondra. Along with an aggressive behavior on the ice, all four are capable of scoring, with Bondra and the Ruperts putting a little more emphasis on defense.

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McInnis, 28, returns to the Fuel after joining the club last season in November. McInnis tallied 18 goals and 34 points in 57 games with Indy last season, playing on the third line alongside last season’s team MVP Ryan Rupert and Matt Rupert. The gritty forward was also the recipient of the Fuel’s 2017-18 Game Changer award. The award was selected by head coach Bernie John and assistant coach Ryan McGinnis. The Boston, MA native brings four seasons of ECHL experience to the Fuel, playing for five other teams around the league. McInnis played three seasons in Orlando, serving as the Solar Bears’ assistant captain in 2016-17 before being traded to the Utah Grizzlies just 13 games into the season.

McInnis brings a great two-way game to the Fuel for this coming season. One play that sticks out in my mind is when McInnis blocked two shots at the end of the last game of the regular season against the Kalamazoo Wings. Those two blocked shots saved the game and perhaps the season for Indy. Not only can he play on the defensive end, but he brings a gritty play to the offensive zone. He puts his body in front of the net to screen the goaltender for shots coming in from the point, something the Fuel have not done much of in the past.

Dufour, 25, will be coming to Indianapolis for the first time in his career, after playing for three other ECHL teams in the past. The Bowling Green State University alum is entering his second full season in the league, playing for the Wichita Thunder for most of the season last year. In 43 games with Wichita, the Quebec City native tallied 15 goals and 15 helpers to send the Thunder to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

I can imagine Dufour being a solid second-line winger alongside Thompson for next season. Dufour’s playmaking abilities will be a huge addition to the organization’s strong forward core already. Not only can Dufour find his teammates but he has no problem putting the puck in the back of the net. Dufour has a strong ability to put home rebounds and can clean up in the dirty areas, much like McInnis. Hopefully, both Dufour and Thompson will feed off each other’s playmaking abilities and will be the origin point for each other’s growth next season.

For more Indy Fuel news, updates, and analysis follow @evanfmiller on Twitter.

The post BREAKING: McInnis, Dufour Sign with Fuel for 2018-19 Season appeared first on The Rink.

First of all, According to the ECHL rulebook, a team may not have more than four veterans on its roster at any time during the season. The ECHL website states that “A veteran shall mean a player, other than a goaltender, who has played in at least 260 regular season games of professional hockey.”

The Fuel currently have five players that meet that veteran threshold on the active roster: captain Michael Neal, defenseman Zach Miskovic, and forwards Josh Shalla, Ryan Rupert, and Darian Dziurzynski. Of the five players, four of them finished in the top five on the team in points.

At 32 years old, Miskovic might have seen his last season with the Fuel. The ECHL veteran has played the most games in a Fuel sweater in club history (186). In those 186 games, he has registered 55 points. The point total is not bad for a defenseman, but he is not producing like the Fuel need.

Miskovic seems to be far past his prime and unable to keep up with the speed of today’s ECHL game. In the three seasons that Miskovic has played with the Fuel, he has also had a -32 rating. A reasonable progression for Miskovic to continue his association with the Fuel might be a move behind the bench as an assistant coach.

Strengthening the defensive core is also something the Fuel could concentrate on in their long offseason. Defense has always been a weakness of the team and bringing in a solid offensive defenseman would be great. One of the best defenseman in team history, Robin Press, will most likely see more time with Rockford than he does with Indy next season. That would leave the team with only Brandon Anselmini, which would be fine, but he’s not the type of player you build your defense around.

Bringing in a legitimate goal scorer is something the Fuel have yet to do in their four-year history. Former Adrian College captain Mathew Thompson might be a player who would be worth bringing back for next season. He showed great potential after being brought in at the tail end of this past season. Thompson’s speed, skill, and a hint of physicality comprise just the type of skill set Indy has missed. Playing him along side Shalla and Dziurzynski could be a lethal option for the Fuel next season—if they all return.

Goaltending will also be an issue for the Fuel going forward. Unexpected breakout Etienne Marcoux may end up in the AHL with a team like the Chicago Wolves next season.  Based on his outstanding performance between the pipes in Indy, teams will take a look at him as a potential backup. Matt Tomkins might be back for another season, but it should be a priority for the team to find a backup goaltender over the offseason.  The Fuel’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, have an abundance of goaltenders now with four on their active roster.

Something that differentiates the rest of the remaining teams in the playoffs from the Fuel are smart decisions in their own end, and not turning the puck over. In the defensive end, the Fuel seem to struggle with execution, such as making one simple pass to get it out of the zone or having the confidence skate the puck out past the blue line.

All too often, the defense either just ices the puck or blatantly turns it over in the slot. Focusing on these details early on in training camp and the preseason should help the Fuel get out to an early lead in the standings.

If the Fuel continue to make smart decisions in the front office and make the moves that will help the team in the long run, they could build on the playoffs this season make a deep run in the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

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