INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Zach Driscoll stopped 20 shots to help lead the Indy Fuel to a 3-1 victory over the Iowa Heartlanders. Goals by Carson Rose and Cameron Hillis in the second period proved to be the difference in the contest. Nolan Orzeck scored the lone goal of the game for Iowa. The Heartlanders remain winless on the road, dropping to 0-12-6.

Indy scored the only goal of the first period, taking the lead with just four seconds left in the frame. While on the power-play, Seamus Malone passed the puck to Spencer Watson at the side of the net. Watson found Luc Brown in the high slot, who corralled the puck on his stick before lifting a wrist shot over the glove of Corbin Kaczperski for his second goal of the year.

Iowa tied the score at 4:26 of the second when Orzeck scored his third goal of the year. Riese Zmolek carried the puck out of his own end and through the neutral zone. As he crossed the Indy blueline, Zmolek fired a wrist shot that Driscoll saved, but the puck deflected straight into the air where Orzeck was able to knock in the loose puck to tie the score at one.

The game did not remain tied for very long, as Rose restored the Fuel lead just 18 seconds later. Rose read a clearing attempt perfectly, intercepting the pass, then lifting a wrist shot over the blocker of Kaczperski for his first goal of the year.

At 6:30, Hillis sealed the victory with his 10th goal of the season. With Watson creating a perfect screen in front of Kaczperski, Hillis blasted a slap shot from just outside the right face-off circle, beating the Iowa netminder to the short side to make it 3-1.

The Heartlanders simply could not generate enough offense in this contest, taking five shots in the first and eight in both the second and third periods. Kaczperski saved 31 of the 34 attempts he faced, dropping to 5-4-1.

Iowa (7-16-8) looks to snap the road losing streak when they travel to Independence to take on the Kansas City Mavericks (14-12-4) for two games starting on Friday. The puck drops at 7:05.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier