The Indy Fuel capped off a grueling weekend of hockey on Sunday, falling to the Fort Wayne Komets in a dramatic 3-2 shootout at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The game began with a flurry of action in the first period. Ty Farmer opened the scoring for the Fuel at 14:02 with a long-range blast from the blue line, assisted by Kevin Lombardi. However, the Komets responded quickly, just 50 seconds later, as Cameron Supryka found the back of the net with a similar shot from the point, leveling the game at 1-1.

Neither team committed penalties in the first period, but the Komets outshot the Fuel 12-9.

The second period saw physicality ramp up, starting with a major hit by Nathan Noel that sent Odeen Tufto briefly to the locker room. Noel’s hit resulted in a roughing penalty, but the Fuel successfully killed off the minor.

Fort Wayne grabbed the lead at 14:58 when Michael Gildon capitalized on a dump-and-chase play, burying his second goal of the season. Moments later, the Komets’ Nick Deakin-Poot was penalized for roughing, but the Fuel couldn’t convert on the power play.

The period ended with fireworks, as multiple players were assessed roughing penalties during a post-whistle scrum. Nathan Noel and Jack Dugan received 10-minute misconducts for escalating the altercation.

The third period featured more back-and-forth action. At 10:08, Cam Hausinger tied the game for the Fuel with a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Nathan Burke. Both teams had chances, but stellar goaltending and disciplined defensive play kept the game knotted at 2-2.

A late tripping penalty against Chris Cameron with 15 seconds left in regulation carried over into overtime, but neither team could capitalize during the extra frame despite four quality chances apiece.

In the shootout, goaltenders Ben Gaudreau and Fort Wayne’s netminder stood tall through three rounds. In the fourth round, Nathan Burke failed to convert for the Fuel, setting the stage for Odeen Tufto’s heroics. Tufto, who had returned from injury earlier in the game, delivered the game-winner to secure a 3-2 victory for the Komets.

Fort Wayne outshot Indy 44-34, with Gaudreau making 41 saves, including three in the shootout, in a valiant losing effort.

The Fuel, looking to regroup after a hard-fought weekend, head to Kalamazoo for a New Year’s Eve match-up, then return home to the Fishers Event Center Friday, January 3rd, facing Kalamazoo once again.