For Immediate Release: February 15, 2017
Game 50 (Home Game 25)
Vs. Quad City Mallards (28-18-0-2, 58pts)
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 - 7:35pm ET
U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH
Overview: The Cyclones got tripped up on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 9-1 decision to the Toledo Walleye. Despite the loss, Cincinnati has won five of their last six games, and sit just five points back of the Orlando Solar Bears for the fourth and final spot in the ECHL’s South Division.
Sunday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (23-22-4-0) fell the Toledo Walleye, 9-1, on Sunday afternoon. Forward Brandon McNally scored the lone goal for the Cyclones, who see their five-game winning streak come to an end. Cincinnati was outshot, 35-16 on the night, with goaltenders Joel Rumpel and Michael Houser combining to stop 26 in the loss.
Last Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (23-21-4-0) earned a 5-4 overtime win over the Ft. Wayne Komets on Saturday night. Forward Nick Huard tallied a pair of power play goals, while forwards Shane Walsh, Dylan Nowakowski, and Shawn O’Donnell each netted lone markers for the Cyclones.The Cyclones were outshot, 32-28 on the night, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 28 in the win.
Friday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (22-21-4-0) earned a 2-0 victory over the Elmira Jackals on Friday night, completing the two-game sweep. Forwards Christiaan Minella and Brandon McNally potted the goals for Cincinnati, while goaltender Michael Houser was impenetrable on the night, stopping all 28 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season.
Previewing Quad City: The Mallards enter Wednesday on a seven-game winning streak, and winners of eight of their last nine overall. The Mallards’ offense has been on display as of late, accounting for 47 goals in their last 11 games (4.30 goals/game), and jumping out to a 2-0 lead in each of their last nine. Quad City has also dominated the first period, outscoring the opposition 9-1 in the their last four games. They are led by recently-acquired forward Josh MacDonald who has accounted for 42 points (18g, 24a) in 48 games between the Mallards and Rapid City Rush. He is followed by forwards Chris Francis (18g, 21a) and Sam Warning (16g, 21a) who round out the top three. In goal, CJ Motte leads the way with a 14-9-0-0 record along with 2.54 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.
Inside the Series: Wednesday will be the eighth of nine meetings between Cincinnati and Quad City this season. The Cyclones have had the Mallards’ number, posting a 4-1-2-0 record in the first seven games.
Next Game Preview: Cincinnati heads to Quad City on Friday night to wrap up their eight-game season series. Face-off is slated for 8:05pm ET.
HEADLINES:
Smith Makes NHL Debut: After spending eight seasons in the minor leagues, former Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender Jeremy Smith made his NHL debut on Tuesday night for the Colorado Avalanche, stopping 37 of the 40 shots he faced in Colorado’s 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Despite the loss, Smith’s efforts earned him second star of the game honors. Smith made his pro debut with the Cyclones back in 2009-10, posting a 23-15-2 record along with a 2.63 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage in 42 regular season games. A native of Dearborn, MI, Smith was an instrumental piece to Cincinnati’s run to the Kelly Cup Championship that season, recording a mark of 9-7-1 to go along with a 2.67 GAA and a .907 SV%. He also earned Kelly Cup Playoff co-MVP honors. The 28-year-old has spent the majority of his pro career in the American Hockey League (AHL), appearing in 265 games between the Iowa Wild, Milwaukee Admirals, Providence Bruins, San Antonio Rampage, and Springfield Falcons. He has a career AHL record of 132-90-19 record along with a 2.43 GAA and a .917 SV%. He was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, and joins Wade Megan (St. Louis Blues), and Mike Liambas and Frederick Gaudreau (Nashville Predators) as former Cyclones to make their NHL debuts this season, and is the 22nd former Cyclone along with the 615th former ECHLer to skate in an NHL game.
That’s Offensive!: Forward Jordan Sims has been a man on a mission in the last eight games, accounting for four goals and nine assists in that time. He dished out four assists in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Ft. Wayne Komets, which followed his first pro hat trick in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Elmira Jackals.
Putting Up the Points: Forward Brandon McNally netted the lone Cyclones goal in Sunday’s 9-1 loss to the Toledo walleye, and is now currently riding a six-game point streak where he has totaled three goals and three assists in that time, along with a plus-4 on-ice rating.
It’s Been a Good Month: February has been good to forward Shawn O’Donnell, as he has accounted for a goal and seven assists in nine games this month, with his lone goal and four helpers coming in his last three games.
The Puck Stops Here: Goaltender Michael Houser collected his fifth-straight win in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime decision over Ft. Wayne. He’s been a busy man over that time as well, stopping 24 or more shots in each one of those contests. He earned his second shutout of the season in Friday’s 2-0 over the Elmira Jackals, and posted a 1.97 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage during his winning streak. Overall, Houser came in in relief in Sunday’s 9-1 loss to Toledo, and has 2.67 GAA and 9.23 SV% in his last six games.
They Grow Up So Fast: Rookie forward Dylan Nowakowski potted his fourth goal in five games in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Ft. Wayne Komets. The rookie forward has appeared in 18 games for the Cyclones this season, and has totaled four goals and an assist, along with a plus-6 on-ice rating.
Power Surge: The Cyclones went 2-for-5 on the power play in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Ft. Wayne Komets, and have converted on 10 of their last 33 man-advantage opportunities over the last seven games (30.3%).
Lighting it Up: Forward Nick Huard had both Cyclone power play goals in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime victory against Ft. Wayne. He has been enjoying some offensive success as of late accounting for five goals and six assists in his last 11 games, and he has points in 12 of his first 16 games in the new year (8g, 8a).
It’s Good to be Home: After playing 11-of-12 games on the road in January, the Cyclones play 12-of-16 at home in February. The Cyclones are 15-6-4-0 at home this season, averaging 3.12 goals per game on in their first 25 home games. Cincinnati also boasts the League’s third- best penalty kill at home, having killed of 65/74 oppositional power plays (87.8%).
Defensive Front: The Cyclones currently boast one of the top defenses in the ECHL, as they currently rank sixth in goals allowed per game with 3.00 and fifth in shots allowed with 29.57 allowed per 60 minutes.
Holding the Lead: The Cyclones have made a habit of holding onto leads this season, as they are 16-1-3-0 when leading after 20 minutes, and 19-1-2-0 when leading after two periods of play.
Stay Connected!: Follow the latest news on Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and more! Also, for all of the latest news and notes, head over to www.cycloneshockey.com.
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!
