Third-period push puts Fuel past Heartlanders, 2-1

Cody Laskosky scores go-ahead goal in the third to lead Indy Fuel over Iowa Heartlanders

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:45am

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A cubist-style painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in blue, red, and yellow, representing the action and energy of a hockey game between two teams.A cubist interpretation of the intense third-period battle between the Heartlanders and Fuel, captured in a dynamic, fragmented painting.Coralville Today

The Indy Fuel defeated the Iowa Heartlanders 2-1 in a close game at Xtream Arena on Friday. Cody Laskosky scored the game-winning goal for the Fuel in the third period, while Riley Mercer made 35 saves in the loss for the Heartlanders.

Why it matters

This was an important divisional matchup between two ECHL teams fighting for playoff positioning. The Heartlanders were looking to bounce back after the loss and continue their strong season at home, while the Fuel were aiming to solidify their spot in the standings.

The details

Grant Ahcan gave the Heartlanders a 1-0 lead late in the second period, but Matt Petgrave tied it up for the Fuel early in the third. Cody Laskosky then scored the go-ahead goal for Indy midway through the final frame to give them the victory. Mitchell Weeks made 23 saves for the Fuel, while Riley Mercer stopped 35 shots in the losing effort for Iowa.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 10, 2026 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
  • Grant Ahcan scored to give the Heartlanders a 1-0 lead with 1:33 remaining in the second period.
  • Matt Petgrave tied the game at 1-1 for the Fuel at 5:33 of the third period.
  • Cody Laskosky scored the game-winning goal for Indy at 11:11 of the third period.

The players

Cody Laskosky

A forward for the Indy Fuel who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Riley Mercer

The goaltender for the Iowa Heartlanders who made 35 saves in the loss.

Mitchell Weeks

The goaltender for the Indy Fuel who made 23 saves in the win.

Grant Ahcan

A forward for the Iowa Heartlanders who scored the opening goal of the game.

Matt Petgrave

A player for the Indy Fuel who scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against a divisional opponent, but the guys really stepped up in the third period to get the win.”

— Cody Laskosky, Forward, Indy Fuel

What’s next

The Heartlanders will look to bounce back on Saturday, April 11 when they host the Indy Fuel again for the STEM Skate Off game presented by Shoemaker Haaland. The teams will then conclude their weekend series on Sunday, April 12 for the Landers FanFest game presented by United Iowa Financial.

The takeaway

This was a hard-fought divisional matchup that came down to the wire, with the Fuel ultimately edging out the Heartlanders thanks to a late third-period goal. Both teams will look to build on this result as they continue their push for the playoffs.