DAYTON, OHIO- The Dayton Demolition played a strong game of hockey and some jumping of the standings with a 5-2 win over the Danville Dashers. It was Kid’s Weekend at Hara Arena, and the puck was dropped by Mason and Layla Haynes – son and daughter of PHN photographer Chuck Haynes. Dayton came out strong in the opening frame, continuously fought back when the Dashers scored, and held a powerful offense at bay throughout most of the competition with Jo St. Pierre anchoring the pipes.
In the 1st period Scott Kozlak and Robert Vanwynsberghe brought the offense home against Dashers’ starter Matt Anthony. At the 10:40 mark Kozlak found the bouncing puck from Martin Uhnak’s first shot, angling his 16th goal of the year. Brett Wall found Uhnak near the crease, and Dayton took a 1-0 lead. Shortly after Kozlak’s score it was Vanwynsberghe’s turn to find the back of the net. Michael Dolman led the puck down to the attacking zone, finding Vanwynsberghe in the slot to give the Wrecking Crew a 2-0 lead and his sixth Dayton goal of the season (his 12th overall in 29 games.)
Danville answered with two goals in the 2nd period, with Dayton answering back shortly after each strike. The first Dashers score came at the 3:58 mark, when Justin Levac dragged the puck to the far face-off circle blasting his 12th goal of the season. Dayton had an answer thirty seconds after, with Adam McKenzie scoring his first of the year on some solid rotation from the far point. Uhnak connected on his second assist of the night, finding McKenzie at the right time and place to put the lead back up to two at 3-1.
At the 12:41 mark of the 2nd, it was Justin Brausen recreating the previous Dasher goal with his setup in the far faceoff circle. Brausen’s 38th tally of the year was connected with Ryan Stouffer and Ray Tremblay. Just over two minutes gone from what turned out to be the Dashers’ last score, it was Cory Giroux lighting the lamp. At the 14:54, Brian Marks found Martin Uhnak close to the net of Anthony, when the puck slipped away to Giroux unmarked in the near faceoff circle. Giroux’s 5th Dayton goal of the year gave Dayton a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Both teams flew quickly down the ice in the 3rd period, with each team getting respectable chances and both goalies showing their game. The Demolition got their chance for their fifth goal of the night on Danville’s 6-on-4 extra attacker. It was Uhnak angling a straight-shot into the empty net for the icing on the 5-2 win, with Jo St. Pierre picking up his third assist and Myles McCauley with his 16th. The Demolition won 5-2, but not before a scrap between Chris Affinati of Danville and Dayton’s Jay Kenney. Dayton outshot the Dashers 36-34 on the contest.
Dayton improved to 17-25-5 on the season and jumped to 4th place in the FHL, the last playoff spot. Danville fell to 30-14-5 with the loss, dropping six of the last seven with Dayton and five of the last six overall.
Game recap courtesy of Lee W. Mowen
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