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Booras Hat Trick Leads Blaze Past IceMen

March 4, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


EVANSVILLE, Indiana - The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, tied their season-high single-game goal total as Jon Booras celebrated his 400th professional game with a hat trick in a 6-2 win over the first-place Evansville IceMen at Ford Center on Sunday.

Jon Booras opened the scoring just 2:34 into the game when he wristed the puck from the top of the left circle straight off a face-off win by Brandon Richardson. The Blaze made it 2-0 just under five minutes later with 12:46 remaining in the first period when Doug Krantz found the net from the left circle with assists by Brandon Richardson and Jordy Trottier. Jon Booras registered his second goal of the game, his team-leading 21st tally, with another wrister from the left circle that clanged in off the right post with 9:44 left in the opening frame to give the Blaze a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.

The IceMen entered the scoring column with 13:21 left in the second period when Matt Pierce got a piece of a loose puck in traffic in the deep slot. The Blaze answered with a shorthanded goal with 11:09 left in the second chapter when Jordy Trottier threaded the needed inside the left post, assisted by Luke Popko. Booras collected goal number three with 9:45 left in the middle frame when Trottier poked the puck at the top of the crease to Booras, who tapped it inside the left post, which gave the Blaze a 5-1 lead and ended the night for starting Evansville goalie Bryan Gillis in favor of Pier-Olivier Pelletier.

Evansville lit the lamp quickly in the final period, when Nicklas Lindberg wristed a goal top shelf from the bottom of the right circle just 59 seconds into the period. Kyle Laughlin extended the Blaze lead to 6-2 when he rattled a drive from the right point that Pelletier had trouble handling with 8:22 remaining in regulation. The Blaze held the IceMen off the board for the remainder of the contest, which included a variety of physical altercations resulting in three misconduct penalties against the IceMen.

Zane Kalemba took the win for the Blaze in goal with 32 saves. The Blaze were 1-for-5 on the power play while the IceMen were scoreless in two chances. The six Blaze goals matched their season high for a single game, which also occurred in a 6-2 win over Evansville on December 1 in Bloomington.

The Blaze are off until Friday and Saturday when they visit Dayton for a two-game set with the Gems. Games begin at 6 p.m. Central each night and can be heard on WJBC.com and CHL-TV, and viewed at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 Gill Street in Bloomington. The Blaze return home the following week for the final three contests of the season at U.S. Cellular Coliseum, beginning on Wednesday, March 14 against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees on Ladies Night with half-price tickets for all ladies. The final two home games are set for Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17 with many activities planned to celebrate the inaugural season of Bloomington Blaze hockey. A complete schedule, list of promotions and team information can be found at www.bloomingtonblaze.com, as well as via Facebook and Twitter (BLMBlaze) or by calling 309-434-2980.

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