Bloomington Blaze Weekly

Published on March 11, 2013 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


The Bloomington Blaze, fueled by Mid-Illini Credit Union, remain in the hunt for a Central Hockey League playoff spot with four games scheduled for this week, three of which will be on home ice.

LAST WEEK:

Tuesday, Mar. 5- @Missouri Mavericks 5, Blaze 2

--The Mavericks scored 13 seconds apart before the game was two minutes old and surged ahead for the win.

Friday, Mar. 8- @Tulsa Oilers 2, Blaze 1

--The Oilers defeated the Blaze for the first time this season in the sixth and final meeting of the campaign.

Sunday, Mar. 10- @Quad City Mallards 3, Blaze 2

--The Mallards broke a three-game losing streak to the Blaze and won their fourth straight game.

THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, Mar. 12, 7:05 p.m., U.S. Cellular Coliseum- Quad City Mallards at Blaze (Casey's 8 Gallons Night- $8 admission with voucher from Casey's General Stores for each 8 gallons of fuel)

--The Blaze return home for the first time in 11 days after four straight road games.

Friday, Mar. 15, 7:05 p.m., iWireless Center- Blaze at Quad City Mallards

--The Blaze enter the week trailing the Mallards by eight points with eight games remaining.

Saturday, Mar. 16, 7:05 p.m., U.S. Cellular Coliseum- Denver Cutthroats at Blaze (Post-game Jersey Auction- Disability Awareness Night benefitting Miracle League, Homes for Hope, United Cerebral Palsy)

Sunday, Mar. 17, 4:05 p.m., U.S. Cellular Coliseum- Denver Cutthroats at Blaze (Casey's 8 Gallons Night--$8 admission with voucher from Casey's General Stores for each 8 gallons of fuel, Post-game skate with players)

--The Blaze are 1-4-0 vs. Denver, with the Fish winning the last three meetings.

Eight is enough: With eight games remaining, the Blaze are eight points out of a playoff spot but can do plenty to melt that snowman this week. Quad City and Arizona enter the week tied for seventh and currently hold the final two post-season positions. The Blaze face Quad City five more times, and both teams also face Denver and Missouri to round out the remaining schedule. Arizona faces the three teams who have clinched playoff berths with one game against Allen, two against Wichita and three against Fort Worth.

Wiping away streaks: The Blaze are trying to reverse a pair of inopportune streaks as they push for a playoff berth. The Blaze are on their longest losing streak of the season, five games, and they have now lost seven straight road games and 11 of their last 12 away from home. Although the Blaze are one of the highest scoring teams on the overall season, they have been outscored 17-8 during the current five-game skid.

Blaze anatomy: The Blaze are slowly returning skaters to the lineup. F Jared Walker, F Leo Thomas and D Matt Suderman returned to the ice last weekend after time on IR. F Nicklas Lindberg remains on 30-day IR and D Aaron Dawson is on 14-day IR. F Kyle Bochek is scheduled to return Friday from a five-game league suspension. Last week, the Blaze released D Nello Ferrara and F Phil Ginand.

Junior Blaze home finales: The Junior Blaze have clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the Midwest Junior Hockey League and will travel to Michigan to face the regular-season champion Hartland Hounds for a best-of-three first-round series on Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 (if necessary). The Junior Blaze conclude the regular season at home this Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. against the Rhinelander Street Cats before the Blaze games. Admission is included in the Blaze ticket.

Get on the bus:The Blaze booster club is sponsoring a bus trip the final regular season game on Sunday, March 24 at Quad City. Cost is $38 and includes a game ticket. Contact Mike Corzine at oba88@mchsi.comor stop by the booster club table at Blaze home games.

Following the Blaze: All Blaze games can be heard on WJBC.com and fans inside U.S. Cellular Coliseum can listen to the WJBC broadcast on 93.7 FM. Fans are invited to watch all Blaze road games at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 Gill St. west of Airport Road in Bloomington. Like the Blaze on Facebook and follow the team on Twitter (BLMBlaze) and at www.bloomingtonblaze.com. Group and multi-game ticket packages are available by calling the Blaze office at 309-TC SPORT (827-7678). For single-game and game day tickets, stop by or call the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office at 309-434-2679.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2013


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