The Bloomington Blaze used a second-period offensive surge to win their first-ever game in the CHL, 5-4 in overtime over the Dayton Gems on Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington before 3,375 energetic fans. Jason Dale scored the game-winner on a rebound with 1:32 left in the extra session. Dayton scored first with just 2:15 gone in the game when Damien Surma took a centering pass from behind the net from Nick Fanto and buried it on the glove side of Blaze goalie Marco Emond.
Game Box Score: Bloomington 0 4 0 1 – 5 Dayton 1 1 2 0 – 4
First Period – Dayton, Surma (Fanto), 2:15 (pp).
Second Period – Bloomington, Laughlin (Krantz, Fournier), 4:53 (pp); Dayton, Naurato (Duff, Lutes), 6:27; Bloomington, Sheahan (Krantz, Dale), 8:52 (pp); Bloomington, Sheahan (Booras, Dale), 11:15 (pp); Bloomington, Znutas (Zbriger), 15:04.
Third Period – Dayton, Ornelas (Duff, Townsend) 10:58; Dayton, Fanto (unassisted), 16:16 (sh).
Overtime – Bloomington, Dale (Sheahan, Krantz) 3:28 Shots on goal – Dayton 8-5-10-3-26; Bloomington 7-14-6-4-31. Penalties-minutes – Dayton 7-25; Bloomington 4-8.
Goalies – Dayton – Westblom (26 shots, 31 saves, 63:28); Bloomington – Emond (20 shots, 24 saves, 62:14), DelBuono (2 shots, 2 saves, 1;14).
Power play opportunities – Dayton 1 of 4; Bloomington 3 of 6;
-Bob
