INDIANAPOLIS — The Indy Fuel (18-15-0-0) entered Friday’s matchup with a sour taste in their mouth from their loss to the Fort Wayne Komets the night before. The Wheeling Nailers (16-15-2-0) stood in their way of reclaiming third place in the Central Division.
Matt Tomkins was the man in net to backstop the Fuel. Tomkins entered with a 13-10-0-0 record along with a 3.19 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage.
At the other end, Jordan Ruby got the call for Wheeling. Ruby entered with a 3-1-1 record along a 2.77 goals-against-average and a .903 save percentage.
FUEL STARTING LINEUP
Avery Peterson-Ryan Rupert-Logan Nelson
Miles Liberati-Zach Miskovic
Matt Tomkins
Kevin Dufour got the Fuel on the board first, just 4:13 in. A pass from Mathew Thompson put Dufour in all alone on Ruby, as he backhanded it home. That was Dufour’s 17th of the season, which is tied for second in the ECHL.
Just 19 seconds into a Fuel power play, Alex Brooks wristed one past Ruby for the defenseman’s third goal in six games.
Renars Krastenbergs’ ninth of the season cut the Indy lead in half as he buried his second goal in as many games. His goal came from a sharp angle that just beat Tomkins on the short side after skating around the zone a while by himself.
Brett Welychka’s short side snipe on Ruby doubled the lead for the Fuel at 3-1. That was his fifth of the season.
Nailers forward Mark Petaccio made it 3-2 with five seconds left as they tried to mount a literal last-second comeback.
Quotebook
Welychka on the success of the special teams: “Special teams was a huge part of our success tonight. For us to put two in the back of the net on the power play is a huge confidence booster for us, especially going into Fort Wayne tomorrow. Obviously, a divisional rival and a tough rink to play in. You know that we’re going to get power plays [and] opportunities tomorrow. For us to capitalize tonight, [we’re] glad we did it but we’re looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully we can do the same.”
Head coach Bernie John on holding Wheeling to only three shots in the second period: “I think even the first period, I know they got nine or ten shots, but I don’t think they generated much. They might’ve been tired from…driving all day. But we took advantage of it, and we’re supposed to, and I think we were better than we were last night. Now, our whole goal is to win every week, so we’ve got an opportunity to go 3-1 for the week this week and put ourselves in a good spot after the week.”
By The Numbers
3 – Number of shots on goal for Wheeling in the second period
2 – Number of points for Brooks tonight. He has three goals in his last six games.