The Indy Fuel came up short in Game 2 of the first-round Kelly Cup Playoffs on Saturday, falling 5-1 to the Fort Wayne Komets in a tense matchup that featured multiple penalties and late-game skirmishes.

Indy struck first when Cody Laskosky scored at 6:39 of the opening period, assisted by Trevor Zins and Jordan Martin, giving the Fuel a 1-0 lead. Indy outshot Fort Wayne 19-5 in the first, but penalties began to pile up, setting the stage for the Komets’ comeback.

The second period saw Fort Wayne tie the game at 1-1 on a goal by Reece Harsch. Matthew Brown gave the Komets their first lead at 5:16, and despite a series of penalties from both sides, Indy was unable to generate a power-play goal. By the intermission, Fort Wayne had extended its advantage to 3-1, outshooting Indy 19-12 in the period.

In the third, the Komets turned a power play into a 4-1 lead with a goal from Zach Bookman. Indy was awarded a penalty shot, but Mitchell Weeks stopped Smereck’s attempt, keeping the deficit at three. Fort Wayne capped the scoring with a late goal by Brady Stonehouse with just 31 seconds remaining.

Temperatures flared after the final horn as both teams engaged in fights across the ice, reflecting the intensity of this first-round rivalry. Multiple players from both sides were assessed penalties, including Tucker, Paquette, and Weiss for the Fuel, and Reece Harsch for the Komets.

With the series now 2-0 in favor of Fort Wayne, the next matchup is set for Tuesday, April 28, when the Komets visit the Fishers Event Center for Game 3. The Fuel will look to rebound at home, facing the challenge of climbing back from an early playoff deficit.