The Indy Fuel will face the Toledo Walleye in the first round of the ECHL playoffs, but the path was anything but easy.  The Fuel needed just one point to clinch a post season berth, and it looked like they might beat the Kalamazoo Wings at the Fishers Event Center Friday night.

The Fuel had a 4-3 lead with 40 seconds remaining in Period 3 when the Wings’ Max Humitz found the back of the net, tying the score and sending the game into overtime.  At that point, Indy was guaranteed a playoff spot.

The 7-minute overtime period resulted in no scoring, when Kalamazoo scored twice in the shootout to take the win.

The Wings took charge early in the contest, with Drake Pilon scoring twice in the first stanza, one being on a power play in Period 1. In Period 2, Kevin Lombardi and Nathan Burke scored for the Fuel, but Ryan Naumovski lit the lamp for Kalamazoo, and the Wings led 3-2 after 2 periods.

About 14 minutes into the third Period, Owen Robinson picked a perfect time to score his first professional goal, tying the score at 3-3.  But Humitz scored with seconds remaining in Period 3, forcing the game into overtime but assuring the Fuel a playoff series with the Toledo Walleye.

Game 3 of the playoff round will be a home game at the Fishers Event Center Monday, April 21.  Tickets are on sale.