INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Jan Mandát continued his torrid start on Friday, scoring a hat trick to lead the Indy Fuel to a 5-2 victory over the Iowa Heartlanders. The loss was the sixth straight by the Heartlanders to start the season, keeping the team winless. Seamus Malone and Mitchell Hoelscher each had two assists for the Fuel.

Iowa had an early opportunity to jump out front when they found themselves on the power-play a little over eight minutes into the contest. However, it would be Mandát giving Indy the lead, scoring a shorthanded goal just before the nine-minute mark. Bryan Lemos forced a turnover, then knock the puck ahead to Mandát, sending him the other way on a breakaway. Mandát beat Iowa netminder Hunter Jones with a nice move for his fourth goal of the year.

At 16:49, Alex Wideman extended the lead to two. The Fuel were controlling the puck inside the Iowa zone, with Cam Bakker feeding Wideman, who beat Jones over the shoulder for his third tally of the year.

The two-goal lead held through the first period, and the Fuel extended to three when Chad Yetman scored 8:07 into the second. Just after Indy killed off a shorthanded situation, Hoelscher found Yetman at the back door, who beat Jones for his fifth goal of the year.

Iowa cut the deficit to two, scoring just seven seconds later. Off the center ice draw, Zach White moved his way quickly through the middle of the ice, feeding Tommy Parrottino, who beat Zach Driscoll. It was the second goal of the season for Parrottino.

With 5:43 left in the second, the Fuel restore their three-goal advantage. Malone passed the puck to Mandát, who was just inside the right face-off circle. He lifted a wrist shot that beat Jones over the shoulder in the upper corner for his second goal of the game.

The Heartlanders continued to pressure, cutting the deficit to two once again with the goal 11:50 into the third. T.J. Fergus received a perfect pass from Michael Pastujov, who blasted a one-timer by the Fuel netminder for his first goal of the season.

However, Iowa would get no closer. Mandát delivered an empty net tally with 77 seconds left in the contest, finishing off the hat trick while sealing the victory.

The loss dropped Iowa to 0-6-0. The Heartlanders return to Coralville on Sunday where they will welcome the Fort Wayne Komets (1-2-2). The puck drops at 2:05.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier