For Immediate Release: February 20, 2017
Game 53 (Road Game 26)
Vs. Kalamazoo Wings (24-23-1-3, 52pts)
Monday, February 20, 2017 - 10:30am ET
Wings Events Center - Kalamazoo, MI
Overview: Cincinnati heads to Kalamazoo for a Monday morning affair against the Wings. The Cyclones are coming off of a 5-4 shootout win over the Ft. Wayne Komets, and currently sit seven points back of the Orlando Solar Bears for the fourth and final playoff spot in the ECHL’s South Division.
Yesterday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (25-23-4-0) defeated the Ft. Wayne Komets, 5-4 in a shootout, on Sunday afternoon. Forwards Shane Walsh, Justin MacDonald, and Brandon McNally, along with defenseman Jonathan Diaby netted the goals for the Cyclones. Cincinnati was outshot, 34-21, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 30 in the win.
Friday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (24-23-4-0) earned a 2-1 win over the Quad City Mallards on Friday night. Forwards Seth Ambroz and Nick Huard scored the goals for the Cyclones, who snap their two-game skid. The Cyclones were outshot, 36-28 on the night, with Cyclones goaltender Michael Houser stopping 35 to collect the win.
Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (23-23-4-0) fell to the Quad City Mallards, 3-2, on Wednesday night. Forward Tommy Mele recorded both goals for the Cyclones, while goaltender Michael Houser stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced in the loss.
Previewing Kalamazoo: The Wings enter Monday having dropped four of their last six games, including a 5-4 decision to the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday night. The Wings are one of the top teams in the ECHL when scoring first, possessing a 15-2-1-2 record when tallying the game’s first goal. They are led offensively by forward Justin Taylor who has accounted for 49 points (22g, 22a) through 49 games played this season. He is followed by forward Lane Scheidl (20g, 15a) and defenseman Blake Kessel (10g, 22a) who round out the top three. In goal, Joel Martin has shouldered the bulk of the load this season, recording a mark of 14-14-1 along with a 3.19 goals-against average, and a .905 save percentage.
Inside the Series: Monday will mark the fourth of five meetings between the Cyclones and Wings this season, with Cincinnati taking two of the first three matchups, including a 3-0 win in Kalamazoo back on November 11. The season-series finale will be next Sunday afternoon in Kalamazoo.
Next Game Preview: Cincinnati returns to home ice on Wednesday night to take on the Wichita Thunder, in the third game of a six game in eight day stretch. The Cyclones took the first game of the three-game season series back in January 4 in Wichita by a score of 4-3. Cincinnati and Wichita conclude their season series on Friday night.
HEADLINES
In the Nick of Time: Forward Nick Huard scored the game winning goal with 1:24 left in regulations in Friday’s 2-1 win over the Quad City Mallards. He followed up that performance with a two-assist performance in Sunday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Ft. Wayne Komets. He has accounted for six goals and six assists in his last 13 games.
Power Surge: The Cyclones went 2-for-6 on the power play in Sunday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Ft. Wayne Komets, and have converted on 13 of their last 42 man-advantage opportunities over the last seven games (30%).
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.
Tommy Two-Tone: Forward Tommy Mele recorded his first two-goal game of the season in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to Quad City. He now has 12 points (6g, 6a) through 21 games this season, and Wednesday marked Mele’s first points since returning from an injury that sidelined him for over a month.
That’s Offensive!: Forward Jordan Sims has been a man on a mission in recent games, accounting for four goals and 10 assists in his last 11 games. . He dished out four assists in last Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Ft. Wayne Komets, which followed his first pro hat trick in last Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Elmira Jackals.
Putting Up the Points: Forward Brandon McNally has points in seven of his last nine games, totaling four goals and three assists in that time.
The Puck Stops Here: Goaltender Michael Houser has put together some stellar play as of late, posting a 7-1-0-0 record along with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .928 save-percentage in his last nine games. He’s been busy in recent games as well, making 27 or more saves in seven of his last seven starts. He recently had a five-game winning streak where he posted a 1.97 GAA and a .943 SV%.
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 16-7-4-0 at home this season, averaging 3.11 goals per game on in their first 27 home games. Cincinnati also boasts the League’s third- best penalty kill at home, having killed of 69/79 oppositional power plays (87.3%).
Defensive Front: The Cyclones currently boast one of the top defenses in the ECHL, as they currently rank third in goals allowed per game with 2.90 and fifth in shots allowed with 29.71 allowed per 60 minutes.
Holding the Lead: The Cyclones have made a habit of holding onto leads this season, as they are 17-1-3-0 when leading after 20 minutes, and 20-1-2-0 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!
