Fort Wayne Komets (16-14-0-1) at Indy Fuel (17-14-0-0)
7:05 PM Eastern
Indiana Farmers Coliseum
Watch Live: ECHL.TV
Team Statistics:
Power Play
Indy (15.6%, 18th)
Fort Wayne (16.1%, T-14th)
Penalty Kill
Indy (83.8%, 15th)
Fort Wayne (84.3%, 12th)
Shots For/Against Per Game
Indy (27.71, 27th)
Fort Wayne (30.23, 22nd)
Shooting%
Indy (12.3%, T-1st)
Fort Wayne (10.0%, T-15th)
Avg. Height/Weight
Indy – 6’1”, 195 lbs
Fort Wayne – 6’1”, 201 lbs
Analysis:
The Indy Fuel are coming off a 6-2 win over a Central Division opponent, the Kalamazoo Wings, on New Years’ Eve.
The Fuel exploded for four goals in the second period, collecting goals from four different players. Forward Ryan Rupert recorded a four-point outing and brother Matt Rupert netted two goals in the Monday matinee.
The Fort Wayne Komets are entering Thursday’s game with a 4-3 loss to the Brampton Beast on their minds. The Komets were trailing the Beast 4-0 going into the third period and attempted a third period comeback but fell just short.
The Fuel defeated the Komets 5-2 in Fort Wayne in their last outing to improve their head-to-head record to 1-2 this season. The last time the Komets visited Indiana Farmers Coliseum, they defeated the Fuel 3-1 in Indy’s home opener.
The Komets’ top three scorers against the Fuel are not currently on their roster. Forwards Phelix Martineau and Marc-Olivier Roy are employed by AHL teams while forward Garrett Ladd was traded to the Jacksonville IceMen.
It’s also worth noting that the Fuel’s most penalized game was their home opener against the Komets, in which they totaled 32 penalty minutes and a season-high two major penalties.
Players To Watch
Indy: Radovan Bondra
The 21-year-old has many places to improve in, but he has been showing his potential as of lately. Bondra has six points in his last five games, including two assists in the Fuel’s last game in Kalamazoo. We’ll see how he fares against Indy’s top rival tonight.
Fort Wayne: Justin Hodgman
Hodgman played in his first game following a two-game suspension on New Years’ Eve after he took a baseball swing at a Kalamazoo player on Dec. 27. The veteran is the top scorer in active players for the Komets against the Fuel this year with three points in three games.