Lutes scores winning goal in overtime for Gems

Published on March 4, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Friday night marked the fourth consecutive time the Dayton Gems and Evansville needed extra time to determine a winner.

After Friday's 5-4 win, the Gems aren't complaining about the extra effort they have to put forth against Evansville. Dayton has been the victor in each of the past three games against Evansville - all of which went into overtime or a shootout.

The last time the Gems lost to Evansville was on Jan. 29. That game was decided in a shootout.

Brett Lutes was the one who brought the game to an end on Friday night. After having a quiet game during regulation, Lutes took just his second shot of the game during overtime and connected for his 16th goal of the season and gave the Gems the win.

At the beginning of the game, it looked as though the Gems were going to have control of the entire night.

Damain Surma, the former IceMen, was the first to score for the Gems in the opening period. Surma scored off a pass from Chris Lipsett to give Dayton a 1-0 lead 4:07 into the game.

Brandon Naurato then gave Dayton a 2-0 advantage with just under five minutes remaining in the first period. The score snapped an 11-game goalless streak for Naurato.

It looked as though Dayton was going to hold Evansville scoreless in the first, but Evansville's Matt Pierce scratched those chances with a goal at the 1:05 mark to put the score at 2-1 after the first.

The Gems didn't waste any time rebuilding their lead in the second period. Jonathan Ornelas started the period off with a goal for the Gems to extend Dayton's lead to 3-1.

After a goal from the IceMen's Jeff Nelson, Nick Canzanello scored in the final 21 seconds of the second period to make the score 4-2 and gave Dayton a two goal lead.

The IceMen took over in the third period. Nicklas Lindberg and Brian Bicek each scored for Evansville and tied the game at 4-4 with 9:24 remaining in regulation. Evansville then tried to end the game in the third period as the IceMen took six of the final eight shots in regulation, but came up empty handed as the game went into overtime.

That's when Lutes made the final goal of the game to give the Gems the 5-4 victory.

Dayton will be on the ice again Sunday, as the Gems take on Missouri at 5 p.m. at Hara Arena in Dayton.

The Kettering Medical Center is proud to be the official title sponsor of the Gems for the 2010-11 season.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2011


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