The home-ice struggles continued Wednesday for the Evansville IceMen in the team’s only morning game of the season. The Indy Fuel shutout the IceMen 3-0 in front of 6,779 fans, most of them students for Evansville’s 5th Annual Education Day at the Ford Center.
Kyle Stroh put the Fuel on the board with 7:25 left in the opening period. Stroh redirected a Ben Marshall shot from the point past IceMen goalie Christoffer Bengtsberg, who was sliding to his right. Indy outshot Evansville 7-5 in the first.
The Fuel added to their lead early in the second period, when Alex Lavoie set up Garett Bembridge, who skated in alone on Bengtsberg. Bembridge got Evansville’s rookie goaltender to slide to his right before a tucking a backhander in behind to make it 2-0. The IceMen were unsuccessful on two second period power-plays, and were 0-for-4 in the game.
Indy started the third period on a power-play that carried over from late in the second, and Dylan Clarke banged in a rebound at 1:36 that gave the Fuel the 3-0 advantage. Fuel goaltender Mac Carruthmade 22 saves in the shutout, his second win against Evansville this season. Bengtsberg stopped 19 shots in the loss and is now 0-2 in his first ECHL season.
The two teams will play again Friday at the Ford Center for their third of 11 meetings this season. The first 1,000 kids under the age of 12 into the building will receive a Youth IceMen Jersey, presented by TRCI.
Friday’s game will be the first opportunity to take advantage of the Friday Night Hat Pack, where groups of 10 or more who purchase the package receive a ticket to the game and an IceMen hat for each group member, all for just $20 per person. For information about discounted group rates or pro-rated season tickets, visit www.evansvilleicemen.com or call an IceMen Account Executive at 812-421-GOAL (4625).
