BISON DOUBLE UP INDY FUEL, 6-3
By: Erik Koinwinski, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Four Bison recorded multi-point games and the powerplay struck twice as the Bloomington Bison defeated the Indy Fuel 6-3 at Grossinger Motors Arena Friday.
The Bison continued their positive momentum from Wednesday’s game, which saw Bloomington score three unanswered goals, and began Friday’s contest with three straight goals. Under five minutes into the game, Brenden Datema seemed to have dumped a puck in deep from the Fuel blue line, but the attempt redirected to him and he fired it past the goaltender’s glove. Nikita Sedov and Sullivan Mack earned assists on the play. Thirty seconds later, a Fuel defenseman collided with his own netminder on an odd-man rush and took the starter out of the game for a minute of the action. Fifty-five seconds after he returned to the crease, Bloomington jumped ahead 2-0. Mark Kaleinikovas hustled across the Indy blue line and slid the puck to the front of the net from below the goal line to Eddie Matsushima, who buried the pass, Shortly after, Bloomington earned their first power play chance and took full advantage. Ayden MacDonald found himself alone in the slot, where Mack found him for a snipe around halfway through the frame. Callum Tung had a strong start in his return to the Bison net, saving nine of the ten shots he faced in the period, including a breakaway stand and high-danger chances on the penalty kill. Indy was able to best him on a redirection with just under four minutes remaining in the period, but the Bison held their 3-1 lead through the intermission.
Indy finished killing off a carry-over penalty and built momentum in the middle stanza, outshooting the Bison 19-7. However, each team would only capitalize once in the second period. The Fuel scored on a rebound just over five minutes in to cut the Bloomington lead down to one. Parker Gavlas ignited the crowd after getting in a fight around the halfway mark and the tide turned back toward the Bison, who would increase their lead soon after. Sedov forced a neutral zone turnover and sauced the puck to Kyle Jackson, which set up a 2-on-1 from the blue line. Jackson outwaited the Indy defense and fed Zak Karpa for Bloomington’s 4-2 tally. With under three minutes remaining, Indy sent a flurry of shots Tung’s way, but the Bloomington defense and goaltender remained strong, and every shot was saved.
Early in the final frame, Tung was removed from the game but returned two minutes later. Bloomington drew another penalty to go on its fourth powerplay and netted the second powerplay goal at 6:25. Jackson received a pass from Sedov in the right circle, and loaded up for the shot, only for it to hit Matsushima in front of the net for the captain’s second goal of the night. Sedov and Jackon each earned their third assist on the goal. Indy added one more goal near the halfway mark after a shot knocked off Tung’s mask and play continued. Lou-Felix Denis sealed the 6-3 win with an empty-net goal from Matsushima and Sedov.
In his first start with the team since returning on loan from the Hartford Wolf Pack, with whom he earned three wins, Tung completed the game with 34 saves. The Bison have now won nine of their last 12 games and remain deadlocked with the Toledo Walleye for second place in the Central Division.
Bloomington hosts the Kansas City Mavericks for a two-game series at Grossinger Motors Arena beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday on First Responders Night presented by Country Financial. Single-game tickets are now available for ALL Bloomington Bison home games starting as low as $20! Visit ticketmaster.com or call 309-965-HERD to purchase tickets today.
