For Immediate Release: December 26, 2015
Game 26 (Road Game 13)
Vs. Evansville IceMen (10-14-2-0)
Saturday, December 26, 2015 - 8:15 pm ET
Ford Center- Evansville, IN
Overview: The Cincinnati Cyclones head to Evansville out of the holiday break, wrapping up a four-game road trip on Saturday night against the IceMen. The Cyclones snapped their two-game skid last Saturday with a 6-1 win over the Wichita Thunder.
Sunday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (13-8-2-2) picked up a 6-1 win over the Wichita Thunder on Sunday evening. Forwards Zach Budish and Branden Gracel each had a pair of goals, while forwards Christiaan Minella and Joe Wilson each added lone tallies for the Cyclones, who snap their two-game losing streak. Neil Conway was stellar in net, stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced to collect his first win as a Cyclone. The Cyclones outshot the Thunder, 35-16, while the power play converted on one-of-five chances.
Saturday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-8-2-2) fell to the Missouri Mavericks, 3-2, on Saturday night. Forward Seth Ambroz, and defenseman Cody Carlson scored the goals for the Cyclones, who controlled much of the final 40 minutes of play. The Cyclones were outshot, 34-31, on the night, with goaltender Neil Conway stopping 31 of the shots he faced in the loss. Cincinnati’s power play was held scoreless on all three attempts.
Friday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-7-2-2) fell to the Missouri Mavericks, 5-2, on Friday night. Forwards Andrew Yogan and Jack Downing scored the lone goals for the Cyclones, who fall in the first of three games this weekend. The Cyclones outshot Missouri, 27-26, on the night, while the power play converted on two-of-three chances.
Previewing Evansville: The IceMen are 3-2-1-0 over their last six games, and are coming off of a 3-1 loss to the Indy Fuel back on Saturday. They are led in scoring by forward ECHL goal-scoring leader Tyson Fawcett, who has accounted for 21 points (15g, 6a). He is followed closely by forward Daultan Leveille (14g, 6a), who ranks fourth in the League in goals, and a pair of 17-point scorers in forward Alex Wideman (4g, 13a), and Troy Rutkowski (3g, 14a).
Inside the Series: This is the fourth of nine meetings between the Cyclones and IceMen, with Cincinnati holding a 2-1-0-0 edge in the season series. This series has not been kind to the road team so far, as the home side has won each of the first three matchups. The Cyclones dropped a 7-3 decision in their last game played in Evansville on December 11.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones return home for a meeting with the Indy Fuel on Tuesday night. The two sides have met just once this season, but are scheduled for nine more meetings after Tuesday. Indy took the first meeting back on November 20, by a 2-1 score.
TOP STORYLINES
First NHL Goal for Froese: Cyclones alum Byron Froese notched his first National Hockey League (NHL) goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in Toronto’s 5-0 shutout win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. He made his NHL debut on October 24 for the Maple Leafs. Froese spent parts of the last two seasons with the Cyclones, accounting for 24 points (8g, 16a) in 17 games last season, and 21 points (11g, 10a) in 25 games in 2013-2014. Froese also had a stellar post season in 2013-2014, totaling eight goals and 17 assists in 23 playoff games, helping lead the Cyclones to Game 6 of the 2014 Kelly Cup Finals.
Zach is Back: Forward Zach Budish accounted for a pair of first period goals in Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Wichita Thunder. It was his third game since returning from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals last week. Budish is currently third on the team in scoring with 20 points (9g, 11a).
Big Night for Gracel: Forward Branden Gracel netted a pair of goals and an assist in Sunday’s 6-1 win over Wichita, and now has points in four of his last six games, accounting for three goals and four assists in that span.
Racking Up the Points: Forward Andrew Yogan has been on fire since coming back the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is currently riding a four game point streak, accounting for three goals and five assists in that time. Overall, he has points in seven of his last eight games, and has totaled four goals and eight assists since returning to the Cyclones.
Defensively Offensive: Defenseman Steve Weinstein has been a staple on the scoresheet all season long for the Cyclones. With an assist in Sunday night’s 6-1 win over the Wichita Thunder, he now has points in nine of his last 12 games played (1g, 11a), and leads the Cyclones in defenseman scoring, totaling three goals and 14 assists through 25 games this season.
Power Supply: The Cyclones have risen to second of the League’s power play rankings, converting on 23.1% (21/91) of their man-advantage opportunities. Both goals scored in Friday night’s 5-2 loss to the Missouri Mavericks came via the power play. Forward Nick Huard leads the team with 10 power play points (6g, 4a), while forwards Jack Downing (4g, 4a) and Zach Budish (1g 7a) are tied for second.
The Road Ahead: The Cyclones are getting ready to log a ton of bus miles over the next month, with 10 of the team’s next 17 games on the road, including eight-of-nine in early January. The road hasn’t been too kind to Cincinnati this season, as the Cyclones have compiled a 4-7-1 record away from U.S. Bank Arena. Despite the struggles on the road, the Cyclones are averaging 3.41 goals per game in road contests.
The 2015-2016 season is underway! Your Cyclones are on the march towards another Kelly Cup Championship, and want you along for the ride! Be sure to check out one of our 2015-16 Ticket Packages, available NOW! Call 513.421.PUCK to reserve your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Instagram, and our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
