Bombers quiet Storm for win
11/6/2000FAIRBORN, O. - It was a much different game than expected. The teams came out hard, but not dirty, and the wordy confrontations from Friday night did not seem to be in evidence.
Only the outcome was the same. The Toledo Storm, holding strong for 21/2 periods, fell hopelessly out of the East Coast Hockey League game after that and lost to the Dayton Bombers 5-2 in front of 2,892 at the Nutter Center. It was the third loss in three games for the Storm against the Bombers this season, but at least Toledo coach Dennis Holland was a little happier with this game.
“I thought we were the better hockey team,” Holland said as the Storm lost its third straight. “We were a good, gritty team, but we haven't played well the last couple of games and our team doesn't have much confidence right now.”
Friday's game, a 7-3 victory by the Bombers, ended with Toledo forward Jason Norrie and Dayton coach Greg Ireland exchanging words and arm gestures.
The teams played basic, tough hockey for 21/2 periods till some frustration boiled over with Dayton holding a 3-2 lead with 16:16 gone in the final period.
Toledo's Andrew Williamson scored on a breakaway to tie the game at 1-1 at 10:11 of the first period and he scored his second goal at 10:39 of the third period to draw the Storm to within 3-2.
A few minutes later some frustration took over.
Toledo center Shawn Maltby and Dayton right wing Jeff Mitchell began a wrestling match near the Dayton bench, which erupted into a small fight. It was not going to last long, but while that was going on, Toledo defenseman Chris Bogas skated in front of the Dayton bench to talk a bit.
Suddenly Dayton forward Brendan Brooks let go with a left to Bogas's face and the benches appeared ready to charge.
They didn't. Instead Bogas and Brooks were given minors for roughing and Bogas was thrown out with a misconduct.
“Every game is too important to waste it,” Dayton goalie Trevor Pryor said. “You can't go out starting like that (fighting). There was a hockey game to win.”
The Bombers, who already had two power play goals, added two more after the altercations, and now have outscored Toledo 17-7 in the three games.