(Over 5,000 fans attend seventh annual event benefitting local children’s charities.)
Records:Â Â Evansville: 10-14-2-0; Indy: 11-14-2-0
Goalies:  IND – Carruth (W), 6-4-2-0, 44 saves
    EVN – Greenham (L), 4-3-1-0, 29 saves
Scoring:
1st Period: 1. IND – Sharib 8 (Ciampini, Mattson, 13:10)
2nd Period: 2. IND – Clarke 7 (Lavoie, Roehl, 5:51); 3. EVN – MacDonald 7 (Duco, Carlsson, 18:43)
3rd Period: 4. IND – Brittain 4 (SH, unassisted, 4:28)
The Indy Fuel held the Evansville IceMen offense in check thanks to a 44-save performance from Mac CarruthSaturday in a 3-1 win at the Ford Center at Evansville’s seventh annual Teddy Bear Toss event.
For the second straight night, Indy jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period. Cody Sharib provided the goal for the Fuel when he snuck a shot between the legs of IceMen goalie Scott Greenham from a sharp angle low in the left circle at 13:10. Carruth stopped all 14 Evansville shots in the opening frame.
Former IceMen forward Dylan Clarke added to Indy’s lead when he banked a shot off the skate of an IceMen player and into the net early in the second period. Then Justin MacDonald brought the Teddy Bears flying on to the ice when he scored with 1:17 left in the period. Out of a goal-mouth scramble, MacDonald lifted the puck over the sprawled out Carruth to cut the Fuel lead in half.
The 5,117 fans in attendance rained a large number of Teddy Bears down onto the ice, sending the teams into the second intermission early. Those bears will be donated to 9-1-1 Gives Hope and other local children’s charities.
After the intermission, the Fuel capitalized on a little puck luck, when IceMen defenseman Andrew Himelson turned the puck over when his stick broke on a pass in the Evansville zone. The puck bounced right to Josh Brittain, who walked in and scored a short-handed goal to give the Fuel a 3-1 lead.
While the IceMen generated 45 shots, including 15 in the third period, Evansville’s power play was unsuccessful on five opportunities and went 0-for-9 on the weekend. Carruth won his sixth game of the season, and third against Evansville. Greenham stopped 29 shots in his first regulation loss since October 24.
The IceMen now have a week off for Christmas, before returning to the ice next Saturday, December 26 to face the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Ford Center. Game time is scheduled for 7:15pm as it will be Evansville’s annual “Home for the Holidays†game.
Then the team travels to Quad City Wednesday, December 30, before hosting the Mallards on New Years Eve and will bring in 2016 with indoor fireworks after the game in Evansville.
