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Early Komets Barrage Enough to Defeat Blaze

December 27, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


FORT WAYNE, Indiana - The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, held Fort Wayne scoreless for more than 36 minutes after giving up four goals, but could not overcome the deficit in a 4-3 loss to the Komets on Tuesday night at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The Komets opened the scoring with 10:54 left in the first period when Artem Podshendyalov slammed in a rebound from the right circle. The Komets made it 2-0 with 3:40 left in the opening chapter after a Blaze turnover at center ice with a Colin Chaulk goal.

The teams traded a pair of goals each in the second period. Fort Wayne increased the lead to 3-0 on Stephon Thorne's wraparound goal that climbed over Blaze goalie Zane Kalemba's right pad, and pushed the lead to 4-0 after a Blaze turnover resulted in a slap shot unassisted goal by Jesse Bennefield just 3:27 into the period that resulted in Mark Sibbald taking over in the Blaze net. The Blaze answered with a pair of goals quickly, as Jordy Trottier scored his first goal with 15:03 left in the second, and 57 seconds later and moments after the Komets hit the post with a shot, Kyle Laughlin scored a rebound goal to cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Blaze took advantage of a power play to start the third period with a Luke Popko goal just 70 seconds into the final chapter to cut the Komet lead to 4-3. The Blaze were given a four-minute power play midway through the third period, but could not mount an attack, and also came up empty with the extra attacker on in the final minute.

The Komets outshot the Blaze 34-26. Blaze backup goalie Mark Sibbald stopped all 18 shots he faced, and Nick Boucher earned the win in net with 23 saves. The Blaze fall to 8-16-2 while the Turner Conference-leading Komets improve to 17-7-1. The teams meet again on Saturday night in Fort Wayne.

Before the game, the Central Hockey League named Blaze netminder Zane Kalemba as the Oakley Goaltender of the Week. Kalemba stopped 55 of the 58 shots he faced in two wins during the week. The Blaze also placed assist leader Brodie Sheahan on the ten-day injured reserve list due to an upper-body injury suffered in Friday's home win over Tulsa.

The Blaze travel to Dayton on Thursday before playing their only home game of the week on Friday against the Missouri Mavericks. It's a Pepsi Date Night, where fans who bring a Pepsi product to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office when purchasing a reserved seat ticket receive a second ticket free, and with the purchase of any combo meal, the second combo meal of equal or lesser value is free. More information is available at www.bloomingtonblaze.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (BLMBlaze) or by calling the Blaze office at 309-434-2980.

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