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Gems continue to create losing streaks

Fourth straight setback comes at hands of CHL’s worst road team.

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By David DiCenzo, Contributing Writer 1:16 AM Friday, February 10, 2012

TROTWOOD — The “L” column continues to fill up for the Dayton Gems, whose losing streak climbed to four Thursday as they fell 4-2 to the Bloomington Blaze at Hara Arena.

Dayton (15-22-8) has made a habit of losing in bunches and this latest skid marks the team’s fifth of at least four straight (including three five-game streaks).

“When the bounces don’t go our way, it’s almost like ‘here we go again,’ ” said head coach Brian Gratz, who was proud of his team’s effort. “The guys show up to work every day. But it’s been tough.”

Brandon Naurato made it interesting with his 10th power-play goal at 15:15 of the third period but Brodie Sheahan iced it with a late wraparound.

Down 3-0 in the second, David Nimmo got Dayton on the board with a short-handed effort at 16:02. Nimmo buried a feed from Jonathan Ornelas on a two-on-one rush.

The winning goal came earlier in the period when Brandon Richardson beat goaltender Mark Sibbald, who was making his second appearance for Dayton. Sibbald then got the hook for Larry Sterling and the veteran had to make a big save immediately just to keep Dayton alive. It didn’t matter as Bloomington won away from home for just the fourth time this season, improving its league-worst 4-14-2 road record.

“It wasn’t Sibby’s fault,” Sterling said of the early Bloomington lead. “Sometimes you need to change it up. We seemed to get a spark but we just ran out of gas.”

Luke Popko opened the scoring, and with 19.6 seconds left in the first, Ryan Palmer doubled his season goal total and the Blaze lead. The Gems have been victimized either early or late in periods often this season.

“To have that happen at the end of the period,” Gratz said, “the locker room was quiet.”

• Defenseman Nick Schneider, acquired in a trade with Evansville, picked up an assist on Nimmo’s goal in his debut. Popko’s opener took a deflection off the newcomer. ... Bloomington, the last-place team in the CHL’s Turner Conference, is two points behind the Gems with a game in hand. ... Bloomington’s backup goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson is the grandson of Larry Wilson, a Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings in 1950 and a former coach of the original Gems. Wilson took over from Warren Back in 1969 and led Dayton to two consecutive Turner Cups. Ron Wilson, the current coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is the Blaze goaltender’s uncle.

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