Iowa looks for 4-game point streak Friday at Indy

Indianapolis, IN – The Iowa Heartlanders have points in three straight games and ready for a divisional showdown at the Indy Fuel Friday at 6:00 p.m. Friday marks the second matchup of 11 between the clubs and the final of the calendar year, with the next season-series games coming Jan. 4-7 at Xtream Arena.The Heartlanders got a point in an overtime defeat Wednesday at Kalamazoo, 3-2. Jake Durflinger and James Sanchez scored.The Fuel are coming off a 4-2 defeat at Wheeling Wednesday. The Fuel have two home games this weekend before going on the road for five in a row.Broadcast Coverage: Watch on flohockey.tv. Listen on mixlr.com/goheartlanders  Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Indy Fuel (Chicago Blackhawks/Rockford IceHogs)Durflinger gets a Gordie HoweJake Durflinger scored his first professional goal Wednesday at Kalamazoo, the first time this season a Heartlanders player has had a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” (goal, assist and fighting major in the same game). Durflinger generated an assist in the first period Wednesday, had his first pro goal in the second, then fought later in the second period against Matheson Iacopelli.A rookie from Walnut Creek, CA, Durflinger scored three goals last season at Merrimack in his fifth NCAA season.Season-series round upThe Heartlanders and Fuel last played Nov. 4, a 5-2 Iowa defeat. In the game, Tommy Parrottino and T.J. Fergus scored to keep Iowa within reach, but a Jan Mandat empty-net goal prevented the Heartlanders from cutting deeper. Mandat leads the season series with three goals. Michael Pastujov had two assists in his professional debut.Hunter Jones made 31 saves in defeat, while Zach Driscoll earned his first Indy victory (22 saves).Iowa is 3-5-1-1 all time against the Fuel; two of those wins came at Xtream Arena last season.Thanksgiving side notesThe Heartlanders spent their Thursday off day in Indy after playing Wednesday in Kalamazoo. Among things to be “thankful” for, Michael Pastujov leads Iowa with ten points. Cole Stallard is tied with Matthew Boucher for a team-best five goals. Matt Murphy is third on Iowa with eight points (1g), best among Heartlanders defensemen.Home to Coralville tomorrow Iowa travels home after Friday's game to play the Cincinnati Cyclones, the only time this season the Heartlanders will have to transition between a road game one night, and a home game the next. The Heartlanders play about 360 miles from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.Upcoming home games and ticket information.The Heartlanders are set to begin a three-game home stand with Military Appreciation Night, presented by GreenState Credit Union vs. Cincinnati on Sat., Nov. 26 at 7:05 p.m. The Heartlanders host Cincinnati again on Sun., Nov. 27 at 2:05 p.m., with a special postgame skate presented by The Family Dental Center. On Wed., Nov. 30 at 7:05 p.m., Iowa hosts Kansas City in a game presented by Mercy Iowa City. View the team’s full promotional schedule at iowaheartlanders.com/promotions. Single-game tickets, group ticket options, partial plans and season ticket memberships are available for Heartlanders home games at Xtream Arena.  Call 319-569-GOAL or visit iowaheartlanders.com/tickets for more information.