The Indy Fuel (19-17-1-0) entered the game against the Wheeling Nailers (18-16-2-0) with a 3-2 record against them. this year.
To protect this winning record against Wheeling, Jason Pawloski backstopped the Fuel in net. Pawloski entered the game with an 0-3-0 record along with a 5.57 goals-against-average and an .806 save percentage.
At the home team’s end, Matt O’Connor was in the starter’s crease. O’Connor entered with a 7-4-1 record alongside a 2.93 goals-against-average and a .903 save percentage.
FUEL STARTING LINEUP
Kevin Dufour-Mathew Thompson-Brett Welychka
Alex Brooks-Robert Powers
Jason Pawloski
The Fuel and Nailers ended a bland first period scoreless. That was the second night in a row the Fuel finished a first period with no score.
Brett Welychka tipped in a point shot from Robert Powers just 17 seconds into the second period for his eighth of the season. With the goal, Welychka now has points in his last five games.
Just 30 seconds later, Zac Lynch buried his tenth of the season on an international goal with assists by Renars Krastenbergs and Yushiroh Hirano.
With two minutes remaining in the middle frame, in his first professional game, Alec Butcher tallied his first pro goal to give the Nailers their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Logan Nelson tied the game up at 2 for the Fuel 6:39 into the third period with his sixth of the season.
Again, 22 seconds later, Craig Skudalski answered for Wheeling with just his second of the year. That turned out to be the game winner, as the Nailers hung on for a 3-2 victory.
By The Numbers
5 – Number of points for Welychka in as many games
16 – Number of shots the Fuel allowed in the second period
30 – Longest amount of time that the Fuel had the lead (in seconds)