The Indy Fuel dropped a 6-3 decision to the Bloomington Bison on Friday night, despite outshooting them and cutting an early deficit to one goal late in the game.

Bloomington jumped out to a fast start, scoring three times in the first 10 minutes. Brenden Datema opened the scoring at 4:36, followed by a goal from captain Eddie Matsushima at 7:08. Ayden MacDonald added a power-play goal at 9:23 to make it 3-0.

Indy responded before the end of the first period when Kevin Lombardi scored at 16:04, with Tyson Feist and Harrison Israels picking up assists.

The Fuel continued to push in the second period, killing off an early penalty before Lombardi struck again at 5:34 to cut the deficit to 3-2. The same trio of Lombardi, Feist and Israels combined on the goal. Bloomington answered later in the period with a goal from Zakary Karpa to regain a two-goal advantage.

Matsushima extended the Bison lead to 5-2 with a power-play goal early in the third period. Israels pulled Indy back within two at 9:06, assisted by Lombardi and Feist, giving all three players three points on the night.

Indy pressed late and pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker, but Lou-Félix Denis sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 17:47.

The Fuel outshot Bloomington 38-27 and return home Saturday night to host the Cincinnati Cyclones in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game.