Bloomington Blaze Weekly

Published on November 21, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAMES:

Thursday, November 24, 6:30 p.m. Central- at Fort Wayne, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

Friday, November 25, 7:05 p.m.- vs. Dayton Gems, U.S. Cellular Coliseum

Saturday, November 26, 7:05 p.m.- vs. Allen Americans, U.S. Cellular Coliseum

The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, open the holiday season with three games in three days, with a Thanksgiving battle in Fort Wayne followed by two games on U.S. Cellular Coliseum ice.

LAST TIME OUT: The Blaze completed a six-game-in-nine-day swing by collecting only one point. The Blaze last week lost all four contests, three of which were tight battles (5-3 at Quad City Tuesday, 3-1 at Dayton Thursday, 7-3 at Quad City Friday, 3-2 vs. Dayton Saturday). Possibly the most frustrating of the four losses was the lone home game on Saturday, when the Blaze tied the Dayton Gems twice, but gave up a goal both time about one minute later. Brodie Sheahan led the Blaze with seven points (one goal, six assists) during the week. Jon Booras contributed three goals and two assists for five points.

NEXT TIME OUT: The Blaze (1-8-2) make their first trip to Fort Wayne on Thanksgiving night to face the Komets (6-5-0, 5th Turner Conference). The Komets handed the Evansville IceMen their only regulation loss so far last week, followed by a 4-2 loss to Dayton and a 4-0 win over Quad City. Thursday night's game will be the 50th consecutive Thanksgiving game for the Komets at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Center Brett Smith carries a 10-game point scoring streak into the week for the Komets.

--The Blaze rematch with the Dayton Gems on Friday in Bloomington. The lone Blaze win was over the Gems on opening night. The Blaze are 1-2-0 against the Gems, and Dayton owns a 2-0-1 mark over the Blaze.

--Allen visits Bloomington on Saturday for the only matchup between the squads this season. The Americans enter the week on top of the CHL with an 8-2-3 record. Allen completes a short two-game trip in Bloomington on Saturday after a visit on Friday to Missouri. Bruce Graham is second in the CHL in scoring with 19 points, and Jason Deitsch had a 12-game point scoring streak stopped on Saturday.

PERSONNEL MOVES: The Blaze have acquired physical forward Chris Chambers, who began the season a level lower in the SPHL with the Mississippi Surge, where last year he gathered seven goals, 12 assists and 119 penalty minutes. Forward Luke Popko comes off the injured reserve list this week, although forward Marc Rechlicz begins the week on the 10-day IR due to an injury late in Friday's game at Quad City. The Blaze have waived forward Mike Baslyk and goaltender D.J. DelBuono.

FLICKERS: Brodie Sheahan now leads the Blaze in scoring with 13 points (four goals, nine assists)...Jon Booras is on a team-high five-game point scoring streak...Zane Kalemba has the most saves in a single game in the CHL so far this season with 52... Bloomington has extended the league's longest winless streak to ten games....the Blaze are tied for the highest-scoring first and second periods with their three-goal opening period on October 28 and their four-goal second period on opening night...the Blaze power play continues to produce an average of just over one goal per game, and is fourth in the CHL at 23.4 percent...the Blaze penalty kill has climbed to eighth at 80 percent.

MARK YOUR PLANNERS: To accommodate a concert by major country artists Lady Antebellum, the Blaze have moved their game with the Rapid City Rush from Sunday, January 29 to the next night, Monday, January 30 at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for January 29 will be honored on January 30, and fans who can't attend the rescheduled game can redeem tickets for any other regular season contest.

FULL TO THE GILL: Fans are invited to watch every Blaze road game at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant at 3002 Gill Street, west of Airport Road in Bloomington.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2011


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