Overtime Goal Fuels Indy Over Wheeling
Nailers drop fourth straight game by one goal
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WHEELING -- With four teams within four points of third place in the Central Division, Wheeling entered its current six-game homestand looking to make up some serious ground.
However, four games in, the Nailers are still looking for their first win of the string after a fourth consecutive one-goal loss Friday night.
Kevin Dufour's 15th goal of the season, coming at 3:57 of overtime, capped off a defensive contest that was dominated by good goaltending as the Indy Fuel gained a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Wheeling at WesBanco Arena.
Even with the loss, the Nailers (20-21-3-1 -- 44) picked up a point and moved into fifth-place tie with idle Kalamazoo. Ironically, the Wings were already in town for tonight's showdown with Wheeling.
The loss also dropped Coach Mike Bavis' squad below the .500 mark for the season and 10-11-2-1 on the home ice.
"This is a tough division and that team (Indy) has some skill and they brought it heavy on our end," Bavis said. "We are going to have to scratch and claw in this division with four teams right with each other. But there is still a lot of hockey to play."
The Nailers got it going early off a steal in the Fuel zone. Michael Phillips' nice defense led to a quick pass to a wide open Alec Butcher in front of the net with Butcher burying his fourth goal in nine games at 3:44 of the first period.
That lead held until the final minute of the opening period when Wheeling watched a couple of quality chances go by the board only to have Mathew Thompson break free behind the defense and beat John Muse 1-on-1 to knot the count at 1-1 at 19:08. Keven Dufour and Samuel Thibault were credited with helpers.
Fuel goalie Matt Thompkins had an interesting initial nine minutes of the second period, turning back four quality shots by the Nailers while also having to be alert on a pair of mistakes by teammates deep in the Indy zone. However, with all of that the score remained tied at 1-1.
The visitors did what they do best midway through the second, killing a power-play opportunity, then took their first lead less than a minute later on Robert Powers' blast over Muse right shoulder at 12:34 for a 2-1 advantage.
It was a lead that did not last long as Wheeling answered 33 seconds later on Winston Day Chief's eighth goal of the campaign. Day Chief's tip-in on the left side again tied the contest, this time at 2-2 with Troy Josephs and Aaron Titcomb assisting.
Muse and Thompkins both made their presence known in the third period with the Wheeling goalie turning away 10 shots and his Indy counterpart 14 as the teams headed to overtime at 2-2.
Both goalies again shined in overtime before the Nailers missed the net on a shot late which led to a transition rush for Fuel. Dufour's backhand on an assist from Logan Nelson provided the difference.
"I think our pressing started wearing their defense down a little later in the game," Bavis said. "And you can't overthink a loss on the 3-on-3 in overtime where a bounce could make the difference either way. It was a hard-fought game.
"Muse has had a couple of real good games recently, but he definitely was not rewarded for his solid play (Friday). These games are all big from here on out, especially with Kalamazoo and Cincinnati coming in here next.
"Getting (Danny) Fick back (tonight) will be big also. He is a real workhorse around the net and will really help us."
While Wheeling has lost its last four home games, the Nailers have picked up a pair of points with a loss in the shootout and Friday night's overtime setback.