Bloomington Blaze Weekly

Published on December 26, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAMES: Tuesday, December 27, 6:30 p.m. Central- at Fort Wayne Komets, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

Thursday, December 29, 6 p.m. Central- at Dayton Gems, Hara Arena

Friday, December 30, 7:05 p.m.- vs. Missouri Mavericks, U.S. Cellular Coliseum

Saturday, December 31, 6:30 p.m. Central- at Fort Wayne Komets, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, begin a busy stretch of eight games in 13 days with four games in each of the next two weeks. Only one game this week is in the friendly confines of U.S. Cellular Coliseum, but three games are on home ice next week. During the two-week stretch, the Blaze visit Fort Wayne three times, including the Komets' 55th New Year's Eve game.

RECENTLY: The Blaze won both contests of the past week, including their first road win on Tuesday night, a 4-2 triumph in Moline over the Quad City Mallards. The teams traded goals through two periods, with Omar Pacha and Mark Znutas finding the back of the net for the Blaze. Aaron Dawson recorded the game-winning tally with 7:38 left in the game, and Jon Booras sealed the victory with an empty net goal. Back on home ice on Friday, the Blaze improved to 2-1-0 over the Tulsa Oilers with what coach Paul Gardner called a "gutsy" 2-1 victory. The Blaze tied the game in the final minute of the first period on a power play, extra-attacker goal by Mark Znutas. Jon Booras recorded the game-winning goal with 2:27 left in the second period. On both nights, the Blaze killed long 5-on-3 power plays late in the third period to preserve the wins.

M*A*S*H REPORT: Brodie Sheahan is expected to miss the week's action with an upper-body injury suffered in Friday's game, and Marc Rechlicz is doubtful for the same reason. Defenseman Greg Moore returns to the lineup this week after coming off the 30-day injured reserve list.

FIRING UP: Jon Booras is on an eight-game point streak, and has earned a point in 11 of the last 12 games and 17 of the last 19 ...Vladimir Nikiforov has picked up a point in 10 of his 12 games with the Blaze...Booras and Nikiforov lead the Blaze with three game-winning goals...Mark Znutas is tied for third in scoring among league defensemen, and his 19 points puts him tied for sixth among league rookies; Znutas is fourth among rookies with 14 assists...Aaron Dawson is fourth among CHL blue-liners with seven goals...the Blaze are 6-0-1 when leading after two periods...Bloomington has surrendered eight shorthanded goals, most in the CHL...the Blaze have scored first in 11 out of their 25 games, and are 6-5-0 when doing so.

FOLLOWING THE BLAZE: All Blaze games can be heard on WJBC.com and via pay-per-view on CHL-TV. Fans are invited to watch every Blaze road game at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 Gill Street, west of Airport Road in Bloomington. The Blaze visit Fort Wayne on Tuesday and Saturday, and Dayton on Thursday before returning home on Friday to host the Missouri Mavericks in the first meeting of the season. Friday's game is another Pepsi Date Night, when fans can bring a Pepsi product to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office when buying a reserved seat ticket and get a second ticket free, and with the purchase of any combo meal, a second meal of equal or lesser value is also free.

For more information on Bloomington Blaze hockey, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (BLMBlaze), go to www.bloomingtonblaze.comor call the Blaze office at U.S. Cellular Coliseum at 309-434-2980.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 26, 2011


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