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Dayton Gems End Season After 6-2 Loss to Komets Sunday

March 25, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The Dayton Gems would skate into their final game of the 2011-2012 season looking for a win against first place Fort Wayne Komets, but would be unable to stop a second half offensive attack to fall 6-2 inside the War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Sunday afternoon. Scoring for the Gems was Damian Surma and David Nimmo.

In their fourteenth and final meeting this season, Turner Conference rivals Fort Wayne Komets and Dayton Gems would conclude both the regular season schedule and their weekend triple header with a Sunday afternoon matinee in Fort Wayne. Coming into Sunday's game after suffering two losses to the first place Komets, including a thrilling 2-1 overtime loss last night in Dayton's home finale, the Gems fired out of the gates to battle to end the season in the win column. Fort Wayne, preparing for their second straight CHL playoff run, had other plans as they jumped out to an early lead off the stick of captain Colin Chalk just 6:16 into the opening frame. Dayton bounced back while shorthanded however, with Matt Larke sliding a faked shot to Damian Surma, who buried his team leading 31st goal of the season to tie the game at one at 8:35. Fort Wayne finished the scoring in the period with a powerplay goal of their own at 12:55, with Bobby Chaumont netting the go-ahead goal to lead his Komets into the first intermission 2-1. Shots through the first twenty minutes favored Fort Wayne 15-14.

The Gems would kick off the second period with a bang, thanks to a blistering slapshot from David Nimmo at the 6:25 mark to tie the game 2-2, with Tim Hartung earning an assist on the lamplighter. As the period progressed, the Komets beefed up their offensive attack towards the Gems, and would reclaim the lead at the 10:44 mark off a shot from Fort Wayne native Kaleigh Schrock in a rebound attack before the Komets would sneak a quick point blank shot past Gems netminder Larry Sterling with less than a minute remaining in the stanza to skate a 4-2 Komets lead into the second intermission. Shots on goal in the middle period again favored the Komets, outshooting Dayton 21-9 in the frame.

Fort Wayne utilized key offensive chances in the third period to extend their lead with goals coming less than a minute apart to secure the 6-2 final score. Fort Wayne's fifth goal, coming at the 4:02 mark of the third was Chaumont's second goal of the night; followed up by a Tom Mele lamplighter to seal the Komets win at 5:01. Despite the Gems replacing Sterling for Dan Dunn after the Komets last goal, Dayton would be unable to find their way onto the scoresheet before the conclusion of regulation. Shots in the third were even 10-10, with the Komets taking a 46-33 final tally.

With the loss, the Dayton Gems end their 2011-2012 season with an overall record of 23-29-14, while the Komets win the Turner Conference and lock in home ice advantage for the first round of the CHL playoffs.

The Players and staff of the Dayton Gems would like to thank all of the fans, sponsors and media partners for their support in 2011-2012.

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