The Indy Fuel built multiple leads Friday night at the Fishers Event Center, but the Fort Wayne Komets forced overtime and escaped with a 5-4 win on a breakaway goal just 33 seconds into the extra frame.
The night opened on a strong note for Indy. Tyler Kobryn scored his first goal with the Fuel at 3:00 of the first period, finishing a brief breakaway with assists from Jadon Joseph and Connor Joyce. Indy then struck shorthanded when Jesse Tucker made it 2-0 at 11:35, but Fort Wayne responded quickly. Still on the power play, Blake Murray cut the deficit to 2-1 just 18 seconds later. The Fuel carried that lead into the first intermission while outshooting the Komets 6-5.
Fort Wayne tied the game early in the second period on a wraparound goal by Alex Aleardi at 4:03. A series of penalties followed, setting the tone for a chippy middle frame. Indy regained the lead when Sahil Panwar converted a power play opportunity at 9:01, assisted by Matt Petgrave and Lee Lapid.
Tempers flared at 11:01 when Tucker was called for unsportsmanlike conduct following a skirmish, and the Komets capitalized on the power play with a goal from James Stefan to make it 3-3. More roughing penalties followed, including a double minor to Fort Wayne’s Nick Deakin-Poot after an exchange with Joseph. Despite the physical play, neither team scored again before the second intermission. Indy held a 20-11 shot advantage after two periods.
The Fuel regained the lead early in the third. Former Fuel forward Zach Jordan was sent off for slashing just 32 seconds in, and Panwar notched his second power play goal of the night to put Indy ahead 4-3, with assists from Jordan Martin and Lapid.
Fort Wayne applied pressure throughout the period, and after Indy successfully killed a high-sticking penalty at 8:46, the Komets pulled even once again. Stefan scored his second goal of the game at 15:21 to make it 4-4. Both teams generated chances late, but neither could break the tie in regulation.
The overtime period ended quickly. On the Komets’ first shot of the extra session, Deakin-Poot slipped behind the defense and scored on a short breakaway, giving Fort Wayne the 5-4 win.
Indy outshot Fort Wayne 33-23 but fell to the Komets for the second time this season.
The Fuel are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and are currently in their 12th season, playing their second season at the Fishers Event Center.