Fuel Fall to K-Wings in Overtime Thriller During Teddy Bear Toss Night

LarryInFishers.com

In front of a sold-out crowd of 6,610 fans at the Fishers Event Center, the Indy Fuel hosted their annual Teddy Bear Toss game, a heartwarming tradition that saw a franchise-record 6,852 stuffed animals collected for charity. Despite the charitable success, the night ended with a narrow 4-3 overtime loss to the Kalamazoo Wings.

The evening kicked off with the K-Wings striking early as Travis Broughman found the back of the net just 2:04 into the game. Despite the early setback, the Fuel dominated possession for much of the opening period, peppering Kalamazoo goaltender Hunter Vorva with 12 shots compared to the K-Wings’ 8.

Kalamazoo doubled their lead late in the first period when Lee Lapid scored at 18:38, giving the visitors a 2-0 advantage heading into intermission.

The second period brought a turning point for the Fuel. At 6:41, Ryan Gagnier netted a goal off assists from Colin Bilek and Bryan Lemos, igniting the Teddy Bear Toss. Fans showered the ice with thousands of stuffed animals in support of local charities, creating a pause in play for cleanup.

Shortly after, Jordan Martin added a shorthanded goal at 15:06 to tie the game 2-2, assisted by Darby Llewellyn. The Fuel’s penalty kill unit shone again, keeping Kalamazoo scoreless on the power play and building momentum heading into the third period.

In the final frame, Kalamazoo regained the lead with a goal by Ryan Cox at 2:56. However, the Fuel responded with a game-tying goal from Colin Bilek at 14:26, assisted by Ty Farmer and Thomas Farrell. Regulation ended in a 3-3 deadlock, with Indy holding a slight edge in shots, 26-22.

The overtime period proved decisive. At 2:32, Zach Okabe capitalized on a chance for the K-Wings, scoring on their second shot of the extra frame to secure a 4-3 victory.

Despite the loss, the Fuel’s effort and the community’s generosity marked a memorable evening. Fans can expect an intense rematch as these two teams face off again Sunday night in Kalamazoo.

Game Notes

  • Teddy Bear Toss Success: 6,852 stuffed animals collected for charity, a franchise record.
  • Indy Shorthanded Success: Jordan Martin’s goal marked the Fuel’s second shorthanded tally this season.
  • Looking Ahead: The teams will meet again in Kalamazoo for the second game of the back-to-back series.