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Gems Fall to Sundogs in Shootout 4-3 in Arizona Friday Night

March 2, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Prescott Valley, AZ - The Dayton Gems would battle evenly with the Arizona Sundogs through a full sixty minutes and then some, but would ultimately fall in a shootout 4-3 on Friday night inside Tim's Toyota Center in northern Arizona. Scoring for the Gems were Robin Richards, Kyle Bochek, Brandon Naurato and Nick Schneider (SOG).

Battling evenly and physically right from the opening draw, the Gems and Sundogs began their first of a two game weekend series in the desert picking up right where they left off last weekend in Dayton. The Sundogs would be first to ink their names on the scoresheet, with a hard angle shot from the near corner beating Dayton netminder Larry Sterling top shelf just 4:41 into the first period. Arizona's go ahead goal, scored by Corey Toy, would be the difference maker in the first stanza, as despite outshooting the Sundogs 12-9, the Gems would skate into the first intermission trailing the hosts 1-0.

The Gems would battle back in the early moments of the second period, with Dustin DeGagne blasting in a shot from the nearside point which was deflected into the net by Robin Richards (his first as a Gem) to tie the game 1-1 only 2:19 in. As the period inched closer to the midway mark, the Sundogs would capitalize on a defensive scramble in front of the Gems net to reclaim the lead at the 10:30 mark. Arizona's second goal, scored by former Dayton Bomber Olivier Proulx, led the hometown Sundogs into the second intermission again leading by one through forty minutes. Shots on goal would favor Arizona 19-9 in the middle period, and they would maintain a 23-21 edge after two frames.

The action would intensify in the third period, starting as the Sundogs extended their lead to two goals less than four minutes into the frame. Arizona's third goal, scored by Criag McDonald, put the home team ahead 3-1 at the 3:57 mark. With time ticking off the clock in regulation, Dayton's offensive machinery again came alive at the 15:32 mark thanks to the hard work of Kyle Bochek to knock in his 7th goal of the season to cut the deficit back down to one. Just over two minutes later, the Gems would again strike to tie the game 3-3 with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. Dayton's third goal at 17:33, a dense slapshot by Branon Naurato, put the game into extra frames by the final horn to end regulation deadlocked at three. Shots in the third again favored the Gems 12-10.

Taking the Sundogs into sudden death overtime for the second consecutive time this season, neither team would be able to penetrate the solid netminding on either end of the ice, forcing the shootout. Arizona's Craig MacDonald and Proulx each scored in the showdown, while Dayton only mustered one goal by Nick Schneider to secure the 4-3 Sundogs victory.

With the shootout loss, the Gems record slips to 18-25-12 while they earn one point in the Turner Conference standings to remain in sixth place. Arizona improves to 17-30-9.

Both teams hit the ice again on Saturday night for the rematch and series conclusion inside Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Faceoff is set for 9:05pm eastern.

The Kettering Medical Center is the official presenting sponsor of the Dayton Gems.

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