Gems Fall 3-2 to IceMen on Home Ice

November 11, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Dayton, OH - Despite outshooting and out-chancing the visiting Evansville IceMen, the Dayton Gems would be unable to get the best of their foe, falling in a hard fought effort 3-2 on Friday night on Cassano's Italian Ice at Hara Arena.Scoring for the Gems was Charlie Townsend in the first period and Matt Larke in the second.

Looking to kick off the long weekend series against the IceMen with intensity, Dayton would fire out the gates early with several chances on net before Charlie Townsend picked up a pass from linemate Kyle Bochek to bury the game's first goal 5:05 into the opening period. Remaining focused, the Gems would ward off shots from the high charged IceMen offense, but wouldn't be able to control a controversial goal at the 14:25 mark to tie the game at one. Still dazed from the unexpected IceMen lamplighter, the Gems would be forced to watch Evansville's Ben Bicek split the defense for his second short handed breakaway goal of the night only :17 later to give the IceMen the 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Dayton would outshoot the IceMen 16 to 13 after twenty minutes.

The middle stanza would feature both teams trading powerplay opportunities, including a penalty shot for Dayton's Nick Fanto just past the midway mark, ultimately denied by IceMen netminder Pier-Olivier Pelletier to keep the Evansville lead. Shorthanded and with time ticking off the clock above center ice, Dayton forward Matt Larke drove to the net alone, lighting the lamp and tying the game 2-2 with less than two minutes remaining in the period. Larke's unassisted goal was his first of the season, and came at 18:39. The Gems rolled into the second intermission even with the IceMen, after decimating Evansville on the shot clock 18-7 for a forty minute total of 34-20.

Showing off their powerplay prowess in front of the Dayton crowd, Evansville would burst to their second lead of the night off a quick extra attacker goal at 3:28, and held on with excellent goaltending and a little hockey luck, to secure the 3-2 final score after a full sixty minutes of regulation. Dayton's best chance came on their rare second penalty shot attempt, and despite a great release from Brandon Naurato on Pelletier, the puck deflected off two posts and out, with the hometown crowd left breathless and the score unchanged. Shots on goal in the third were even 7-7, with Dayton ultimately outshooting the IceMen 41-27, but falling by a final score of 2-1.

With the loss, the Gems drop their record to 2-3-2, 6pts, while Evansville remains unbeaten in regulation with a 4-0-1 record headed into Saturday.

Both teams get set to return to battle on Cassano's Italian Ice inside Hara Arena tomorrow night at 7pm. Tickets are available by calling the Gems ticket office at 275-7777 or by visiting www.DaytonGems.com. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more, and the first 300 fans through the gates on Saturday will receive aviator sunglasses as the Gems celebrate Top Gun Night.



Central Hockey League Stories from November 11, 2011


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