Fishers, Ind. – The Bloomington Bison dropped a 5-0 loss to the Indy Fuel on Friday evening at the Fishers Event Center.

After a relatively uneventful first two minutes and 22 seconds, Brenden Datema drew a slashing penalty and sent the Bison to the game’s first powerplay. Bloomington recorded the first shots for either squad on the man advantage, and Shane Ott and Jonny Evans were both denied on Grade-A chances. Upon returning to even-strength play, Parker Gavlas blocked a cross-ice, two-on-one feed and the puck bounced behind Bloomington’s net. An Indy forward snuck in behind the net and centered a pass to the slot, from where a wide-open teammate gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 4:35. The goal was reviewed for potential goaltender interference and deemed legal. Four minutes later, Callum Tung made an aggressive poke check to stop an Indy breakaway bid and keep his team within a goal. Bloomington continued to feel Fuel pressure and took an offensive-zone penalty at 12:28. Twenty-one seconds into the penalty kill, Indy increased its lead, and more penalties would follow. After a skirmish at center ice Mikael Robidoux was assessed a double-minor for roughing and the Fuel picked up one roughing minor on the play. Less than 90 seconds after the teams returned to five-on-five, a tripping penalty led to Bloomington’s third penalty kill of the first. Indy made it a 3-0 game with three minutes and three seconds left in the period. Mikhail Abramov created an opportunity on the response shift but his backhand shot from the slot was stopped and the Bison took a three-goal deficit and 10-6 shot disadvantage into the second period.

Bloomington created sustained offensive-zone time through the beginning and middle of the period and Jesper Solomon-Frisell, Cooper Moore and Gavlas all had shots blocked in a surge. Just ahead of the 13-minute mark, the Bison were sent back to the penalty box and Gavlas created one of the best chances for the shorthanded visitors. The defenseman rushed up the far-side of the ice as his team returned to full strength and forced the Fuel to take a holding penalty. On its second powerplay, Bloomington generated chances but struggled to get pucks past shot-blocking penalty killers. Tung came up with another big stop on a scramble in the final three minutes and Matt Hubbarde was stopped twice on the other end of the ice to bring up the second intermission. 

Bloomington began the third with more pressure but were once again sent to the penalty box early. Tung saved a cross-zone feed, and the Bison completed the penalty kill. Fresh out of the box, Riku Ishida rifled a slap shot on net exactly five minutes in but was denied. Bloomington peppered Indy’s net on an 11-4 shot run but would not score. The Bison surrendered two goals on their final four shots against and took the team’s second 5-0 loss to Indy this season. Final shot totals favored Bloomington 26-25.

The Bison continue a four-game road trip Saturday at WesBanco Arena against the Wheeling Nailers and will return to Grossinger Motors Arena on Wednesday, January 7 against the Kalamazoo Wings.

Join the Bison for Star Wars Night on Saturday, January 10 when the first 1,500 fans will receive a team-branded giveaway lightsaber!

Single-game tickets are available for ALL Bloomington Bison home games starting as low as $20! Visit ticketmaster.com or call 309-965-HERD to purchase tickets today.