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Gems Extinguish Blaze 6-1 Saturday Night

March 17, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Dayton, OH - The Dayton Gems relied on stellar goaltending from Larry Sterling and red hot special teams to overpower the Bloomington Blaze 6-1 on Saturday night inside the US Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, Illinois. Scoring for the Gems in the win was Damian Surma (2), Matt Baxter, Tim Hartung, Jon Ornelas and Brandon Naurato.

With each team fired up for their final meeting this season, the Gems and Blaze entertained the central Illinois crowd early with a quick end to end tempo in the first. Dayton counted on some early St. Patrick's day luck, seeing two separate Blaze shots ring off the far post before Dayton cashed in with the game's first goal at the 17:38 mark. Dayton's goal, on the powerplay, was blasted in by Damian Surma on a onetime feed through the slot by Nick Fanto to give the Gems a 1-0 lead headed into the first intermission. Dayton would outshoot the Blaze 14-12 through the opening twenty minutes of play.

Dayton would turn up the volume in the middle frame, led by two quick goals back to back in the first half of the period. Lighting the lamp to take a 2-0 lead at the 5:49 mark, Damian Surma would bury in his second straight goal on the powerplay before Matt Baxter's floating dump-in shot found its way past a stunned Blaze goaltender Zane Kalemba to extend Dayton's lead to 3-0 less than a minute later at 6:43. Bloomington found its stride offensively, as star forward Vladimir Nikiforov sliding in a rebound goal past Gems starter Larry Sterling at 7:50 to cut the Dayton lead back to two. Tim Hartung helped the Gems shake off the advancing Blaze, again reclaiming the tempo and capitalizing with an even strength goal at the 9:38 mark to notch a 4-1 lead. Dayton added two fluke goals in the closing minutes of the second period, first at 17:45, as Jon Ornelas blasted in a lazer from a hard angle in the far corner before Brandon Naurato duplicated nearly the exact same shot moments later to carry their 6-1 lead into the second intermission. Shots in the middle stanza favored the Blaze 16-15, for a forty minute total of 29-28 Gems.

Neither team would light the lamp in what shaped up to be a thrilling end to end third period, with the Gems taking the 6-1 win to snap their three game winless streak, and stay ahead of the Blaze in the Turner Conference standings. Dayton clicked on their special teams play in the game, finishing 3 for 4 on the powerplay and denying the Blaze a single man advantage goal, with Bloomington going 0 for 4.

With the win, the Gems improve their record to 21-27-13 and maintain sole possession of sixth place in the Turner Conference.

Dayton concludes their weekend when they host the Laredo Bucks for an afternoon matinee inside Hara Arena on Sunday at 4pm. Tickets are still available by calling the Gems ticket office at 275-7777 or by visiting the "all new" www.DaytonGems.com .

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