GAME NOTES: 1/6 vs. Quad City

GAME NOTES: 1/6 vs. Quad City

For Immediate Release: January 6, 2017

 

Game 32 (Road Game 14)

Vs. Quad City Mallards (18-11-0-2, 38pts)

Friday, January 6, 2017 - 8:05pm ET

iWireless Center - Moline, IL

Full Game Notes

Video Preview

 

Overview: The Cyclones continue their three-game road trip on Friday night in Moline against the Quad City Mallards. Cincinnati is coming off of a 4-3 win over the Wichita Thunder on Wednesday night for their second victory in a row. The Cyclones are at the beginning of a busy month, as the will play 10 of their next 11 games on the road. 

Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones collected a 4-3 win over the Wichita Thunder on Wednesday night. Forward Jordan Sims netted a pair of goals, while forwards Peter LeBlanc and Colin Mulvey pitched in lone tallies for Cincinnati. The shots were tied on the night, 28-28, with goaltender Mark Visentin making 25 saves in the win.

Saturday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (13-13-4-0) took down the Indy Fuel, 3-2, on Saturday night. Defenseman Troy Vance, along with forwards Jordan Sims and Brandon McNally tallied the goals for the Cyclones, who snap their two-game skid. The Cyclones outshot Fuel, 43-27 on the night, with goaltender Michael Houser steering aside 25 in the win.

Friday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-13-4-0) fell to the Indy Fuel, 3-2, on Friday night. Forwards Peter LeBlanc and Shane Walsh tallied the goals for Cincinnati.The Cyclones outshot Indy, 37-23 on the evening, including 18-1 in the third period, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 20 in the loss.

Previewing Quad City: The Mallards have dropped two in a row entering Friday’s game, including a 6-2 loss to the Ft. Wayne Komets on Wednesday night. Despite the two-game skid, Quad City is 7-3-0-0 in their last 10 with eight of those contest having been decided by a single goal. Defensively, the Mallards have been one of the stingiest teams in the League, ranking fourth with 2.81 goals allowed per game. They are led offensively by forward Sam Warning who has accounted for 10 goals and 16 assists through 31 games, followed closely by forwards Justin Kovacs (8g, 16a) and Alex Petan (11g, 12a) who round out the top three. In goal, Adam Vay is the Mallards’ active goaltending leader, recording a 7-6-0-2 record along with a 3.16 goals against average and a .884 save percentage. 

Inside the Series: Friday marks the fifth of nine meetings on the season between Cincinnati and Quad City, with the Cyclones posting a 2-2-1 mark .against the Mallards this season. The teams will meet three more times after Friday night. 

Next Game Preview: Cincinnati wraps up their three-game road trip on Sunday night in Wheeling against the Nailers. Wheeling took the last meeting, 2-1 back on December 22 in Wheeling, and Sunday will be the third of four meetings this season between the two sides. 

 

News and Notes:

SimCity: Forward Jordan Sims posted his second straight two-point night on Wednesday, tallying a goal and an assist in Cincinnati’s 4-3 win over the Wichita Thunder. He also scored a goal and dished out an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Indy Fuel, and is now tied for sixth in team scoring with 14 points (6g, 8a).

Consistent Output: Forward Shane Walsh has been a constant on the score sheet as of late, recording three goals and five assists over his last six games. He dished out a pair of assists in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Wichita Thunder, and has accounted for three goals and seven assists in 13 games with Cincinnati. He is also currently second amongst ECHL rookies with 106 shots on goal this season and has registered a shot on goal in eight straight games. He has 21 shots in his last five games played (2g, 2a). 

Knodel Named to ECHL All-Star Team: The ECHL has announced the participants for the upcoming 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by I LOVE NY, and amongst the players named to the team is Cyclones defenseman Eric Knodel. The midseason exhibition will take place on Wednesday, January 18, in Glens Falls, NY, and will feature the host Adirondack Thunder against the ECHL All-Stars. A native of West Chester, PA, Knodel is fifth on the team in scoring with four goals and 11 assists through 30 games this season. He is also tied for the team lead with a plus-8 on-ice rating.  The 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, presented by I LOVE NY, will feature the host Adirondack Thunder taking on the ECHL All-Stars in a non-traditional format featuring 5-on-5, 4-on-4, and 3-on-3 play, as well as a Skills Competition (Puck Relay, Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater) to highlight the talents of both teams. The game will also air LIVE exclusively on NHL Network.

O’Donnell Signs PTO with Milwaukee:  The Milwaukee Admirals, American Hockey League Affiliate (AHL) of the Cincinnati Cyclones have signed Cyclones forward Shawn O’Donnell to a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO). O’Donnell has appeared in 17 games this season with the Cyclones and has accounted for six goals and eight assists in that time.

Cyclones Sign Nowakowski: Cincinnati Cyclones Head Coach Matt Macdonald has announced that the team has signed forward Dylan Nowakowski to a Standard Player Contract (SPC). Nowakowski returns to Cincinnati after spending the 2016 Training Camp with the Cyclones. He has appeared in 23 games this season with Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) where he ranks second in the League in scoring with 25 points (14g, 11a). He turned pro late in the 2015-16 season, appearing in eight games with the Havoc and accounting for a pair of goals and four assists. Prior to turning pro, The Calgary, AB native spent four season at St. Scholastica College where he skated in 110 games and totaled 40 goals and 79 assists in that span. 

He’s a Brick...HOUSE!: Goaltender Michael Houser had a stellar month of December, posting a 6-2-0-0 record along with a 1.61 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. He was charged with making 25 or more saves on six separate occasions, and allowed one goal in five of his eight games played. Currently, Houser ranks fourth in the ECHL with a 2.31 GAA and fifth with a .925 save percentage. 

The Road Ahead: The Cyclones will be spending a lot of time on the road in the coming weeks, with 10 of the next 11 games coming away from U.S. Bank Arena. The Cyclones are 5-8-0-0 on the road this season, and have been outscored 40-35 in road games. 

Get Ahead, Stay Ahead: The Cyclones enter the week with an 11-1-3 record when leading after one period and a 12-1-2 mark when leading after 40 minutes. 

 

The 2016-17 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want you along for the ride as they march towards another Kelly Cup Championship! 2016-17 single game tickets and packages along with group and Season Ticket Packages are available NOW! Call (513) 421-PUCK to reserve your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!