Bombers Weekly

Published on October 14, 2002 under ECHL (ECHL)
Dayton Bombers News Release


BOMBERS OPEN 12th ECHL SEASON WITH SPLIT OF TWO HOME WEEKEND GAMES, THREE TILTS AHEAD THIS WEEKEND: The 2002 Northern Conference Champion Dayton Bombers split a pair of home games during their first weekend of East Coast Hockey League play. Both contests were against divisional foes. The Bombers will experience their first "three games-in-three nights" sequence this weekend, with all of the affairs once again against teams inside the Northwest. Below is a recap of the games played this past Friday and Saturday:

10/11/02- Johnstown 5 @ BOMBERS 1

The Chiefs used a three-goal first to spoil the Bombers' home and regular season opener. Phil Roy and Vladmir Nemec scored even strength goals, then Dominic Forget tallied on a penalty shot at 15:27 to vault the Chiefs to a 3-0 lead. After a scoreless second, the Bombers attempted a comeback in the third when Torrey DiRoberto beat Johnstown goalie Peter Aubry, with assists from Chris Thompson and Mike Vellinga. However, the Chiefs would pad their lead with goals less than two minutes apart. Lukas Smital converted at 10:42, then Jim Leger struck at 12:33. The Bombers outshot Johnstown 36-34, but fell to defeat. For the Bombers, the setback was their first regulation loss to the Chiefs since the 2000-2001 season. The Bombers went 10-0-3 against Johnstown last season (including playoffs).

10/12/02- Wheeling 1 @ BOMBERS 4

The Bombers rebounded in convincing fashion, outshooting the Nailers 43-29, including a 26-6 total in the second period. Special teams loomed large for the Bombers in this contest. The Bombers scored two power play goals in ten opportunities and killed six of seven penalties against them.. They also netted a short-handed goal to open the scoring at 14:02 of the first when Chris Thompson converted Fred Slukynsky's pass. Mike Vellinga's power play goal at 11:15 of the second put the Bombers in front by two. After Chris McNamara scored with the man advantage to pull Wheeling to within one at 6:27 of the third, the Bombers put the game away with two tallies in the last minute. Slukynsky hit the back of the net at 19:12 after receiving a perfect, "thread the needle" feed from Andrew Williamson. During a two-man advantage, Torrey DiRoberto notched his second goal in as many games with just six seconds left on the clock.

BOMBER BITES: 20-year old rookie Shane Bendera notched his first professional victory in his first Bombers/pro start on Saturday against the Wheeling Nailers. He stopped 28 of 29 shots, only surrendering a power-play goal to the Nailers' Chris McNamara in the third ‚¬Â¦ Rookie defenseman Tyler Sloan recorded his first two professional points in just his second game with a two-assist performance on Saturday ‚¬Â¦ Rookie forward Mike Renzi provided a helper on Torrey DiRoberto's third period goal against Wheeling on Saturday. The assist was Renzi's first professional point. Including forward Andrew Ianiero (currently on the 30-day IR), the Bombers have six rookies on their roster ‚¬Â¦ W Torrey DiRoberto, who scored goals in the Bombers' first two games this weekend, has now notched a point in all three games he has played with the Bombers in his career. During the 1999-2000 season while in the Anaheim Mighty Ducks' system, DiRoberto had a one-game stint with the Bombers. He recorded one assist ‚¬Â¦ DiRoberto, forward Chris Thompson, and defenseman Mike Vellinga recorded points in each of the Bombers' first two games ‚¬Â¦ The Bombers will begin a "three-games in three nights" scenario this week. The Bombers have 17 such sequences during the 2002-2003 regular season.

SEEING DOUBLE: As a result of a trade with Atlantic City for future considerations on Saturday, the Bombers now have two Chris Thompsons on their roster. Forward Chris Thompson, who wears #36, has been a Bomber for parts of the last three seasons. He scored a short-handed goal and an assist in the Bombers' 4-1 win over Wheeling at the Nutter Center on Saturday. The newcomer is rookie defenseman Chris B. Thompson, who made his professional debut on Saturday against the Nailers. Chris B. Thompson is coming of a collegiate career at Lake Superior State University. He rejoins former college teammates Ryan Vince and Fred Slukynsky, forwards who are currently Dayton Bombers' players.

BOMBERS' TRANSACTIONS FOR WEEK:

10/12/02 D Chris Thompson added to the roster after being acquired from Atlantic City for future considerations

BOMBERS' COMMUNITY APPEARANCE SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK:

Thursday, October 17, 2002- Goalie Andrew Allen, defenseman Scott Heffernan, and Bucky, the Flying Squirrel Mascot, will be appearing at the "Start Your Engines" Gala Auction at the Presidential Banquet Center in Kettering, Ohio at 8:00 p.m. For further info about the event, call 296-2550.

BOMBERS' UPCOMING GAMES THIS WEEK:

Friday, October 18 vs. Cincinnati Cyclones (7:30 p.m.)

(7:15 p.m. broadcast time on www.daytonbombers.com- "Listen Live Section"- in association with www.sportsjuice.com) The Bombers will continue a heated rivalry with their I-75 foes, the Cincinnati Cyclones, with the first of 11 head-to-head clashes set for this season. The Bombers will play six of those 11 games at the Nutter Center. The Bombers went 4-5-3 overall against the Cyclones last season, but went 4-1-1 in the regular season tilts on home ice. During the playoffs, the Bombers swept the Cyclones three games-to-none in a Northwest Division Semifinal series, also dubbed "The 'ICE-75' Series." 2000 Blue Jackets Team Posters will be given away at this game.

Saturday, October 19 @ Toledo Storm (7:30 p.m.)

(7:15 p.m. broadcast time on www.daytonbombers.com- "Listen Live Section"- in association with www.sportsjuice.com) The Bombers went 2-0 in the exhibition season. Both wins came against the Toledo Storm. The Bombers won 5-3 on home ice Wednesday, October 2, then topped the Storm in a shootout, 4-3, on Saturday, October 5. Last season, the Bombers went 6-3-2 in 11 meetings against their intrastate rivals, including a 2-2-1 mark at the Toledo Sports Arena. The Bombers face the Storm ten times this season, five at each team's home site.

Sunday, October 20 vs. Johnstown Chiefs (6:00 p.m.)

(5:45 p.m. broadcast time on www.daytonbombers.com- "Listen Live Section"- in association with www.sportsjuice.com) The Bombers will try to avenge their opening night loss to Johnstown with this rematch. This game will mark the first of 11 "Kids' Club Sundays" at the Nutter Center during the 2002-2003 season. There will also be a free skate before the game. In addition, the Bombers will be having "Columbus Zoo Night" at this game. The Bombers went 7-0-3 against Johnstown during the 2001-2002 regular season, including a 4-0-1 mark on home ice. The Bombers face the Chiefs a total of nine times during the 2002-2003 regular season.

OTHER BOMBERS' OCTOBER GAMES:

Friday, October 25 vs. Lexington (7:30 p.m. game time)/ Promotions to be announced
Saturday, October 26 @ Lexington (7:30 p.m. game time)
Sunday, October 27 vs. Toledo (6:00 p.m. game time)/ "Kids' Club Sunday"- Pre-Game Skate

Tickets for all Bombers' home games are available through the Bombers' office by calling (937) 775-4747 or by logging onto www.daytonbombers.com, or by visiting the Nutter Center Box Office.

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