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Blaze Host Mallards Thursday and Friday

January 9, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


The Bloomington Blaze, fueled by Mid-Illini Credit Union, continue a four-game homestand to begin 2013 with a pair of games against their Illinois rivals.

The Blaze host the Quad City Mallards on Thursday and Friday at 7:05 each night. The Blaze are 17-14-1 for 35 points and are tied with Rapid City for sixth place in the Central Hockey League. The Mallards are 14-15-4 for 32 points and are in ninth place. The Blaze are 4-2-0 against the Flock. This is the first meeting between the rivals since a 4-2 Mallards win on December 12 in Bloomington. Jesse Dudas leads the Blaze against the Mallards with 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points, while Mallards forward Mickey Lang has 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points against the Blaze. Both squads' last opponent was Arizona, as the Mallards lost 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday in Moline after the Blaze beat the Sundogs 6-3 in Bloomington on Saturday.

Bloomington will be without forward David Gilbert after he was recalled to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Monday. Gilbert recorded 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 29 games with the Blaze. Also recalled was forward Jay Barriball, who collected one assist in his two-game assignment to the Blaze before returning to Peoria of the AHL.

The Blaze conclude the three-game weekend with a Saturday trip to last-place Tulsa. The Blaze have won all four previous meetings this season over the Oilers. Face-off at BOK Center on Saturday is 7:35 p.m.

The games can be viewed on CHL-TV and heard on WJBC.com with links to both on the home page of www.bloomingtonblaze.com. Fans are invited to bring radios tuned to 93.7 FM to hear the WJBC broadcast inside U.S. Cellular Coliseum. All Blaze road games can be viewed at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 Gill Street in Bloomington. For game day and single-game tickets, visit or call the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office at 309-434-2679. For group and multi-game packages, call the Blaze office at 309-TC SPORT (827-7678). More information on the Blaze is available on Facebook and Twitter (BLMBlaze).

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