For Immediate Release: March 18, 2017
Game 65 (Road Game 32)
Vs. Alaska Aces (30-23-3-6, 69pts)
Saturday, March 18, 2017 - 11:15pm ET
Sullivan Arena - Anchorage, AK
Overview: The Cyclones are coming off of their second-straight 2-1 decision over the Alaska Aces on Friday night. Cincinnati has win 11 of their last 14 games and have moved to within three points of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for second place in the ECHL’s South Division.
Last Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (34-26-4-0) earned a 2-1 win over the Alaska Aces on Friday night. Forward Shane Walsh and defenseman Martin Lefebvre netted the goals for Cincinnati, who are 11-3-0-0 in their last 14 games. Cincinnati was outshot, 32-20 on the night, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 29 in the win.
Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (33-26-4-0) earned a 2-1 win over the Alaska Aces on Wednesday night. Forward Seth Ambroz and defenseman Eric Knodel tallied the goals for the Cyclones, who secure the 100th ECHL coaching victory for Head Coach Matt Macdonald. The Cyclones outshot the Aces, 29-28, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 27 in the win.
Saturday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (32-26-4-0) fell to the Idaho Steelheads, 5-3, on Saturday night. Forwards Shawn O’Donnell, Nick Huard, and Jordan Sims tallied the goals for the Cyclones. Idaho outshot the Cyclones, 37-35 on the night, with goaltender Joel Rumpel stopping 32 in the loss.
Previewing Alaska: The Aces have dropped two in a row to the Cyclones, and have dropped four of their last five overall. Alaska is currently in a battle for playoff positioning in the Mountain Division, just four points ahead of Utah and eight back of Idaho for third. They are led offensively by forward Stephen Perfetto who has accounted for 64 points (27g, 37a) in 48 games played. He is followed by forwards Peter Sivak (32g, 27a), and Tim Coffman (26g, 32a) who round out the top three. In goal, Kevin Carr leads the way with a 16-17-2-2 record, along with a 3.05 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 39 games played.
Inside the Series: Saturday marks the finale of a three-game season series between the Cyclones and Aces, with Cincinnati taking the first two games on the trip. The two sides met once last season in Cincinnati, with the Cyclones taking a 3-1 decision on November 17.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones will enjoy some time off as they don’t take the ice again until next Saturday in Ft. Wayne against the Komets. This will be the second-to-last meeting of the season between Cincinnati and Ft. Wayne, with each side winning three of the first six games in the season series.
NEED-TO-KNOW
Milestone for Mac: Cincinnati Cyclones Head Coach Matt Macdonald collected his one-hundredth career victory, following a 2-1 win over the Alaska Aces on Wednesday night. The third-year head coach has compiled a career record of 100-83-11-13. After narrowly missing the playoffs in his first season behind the bench, Macdonald’s second season saw a 36-27-5-4 record that featured an amazing run down the stretch to help Cincinnati capture the seventh seed. The Cyclones ultimately fell to the Ft. Wayne Komets in a thrilling first round series 4 games to 3. The Niagara Falls, ON, native also served as an assistant coach for the Cyclones for two seasons upon his retirement from playing in 2012. He helped lead the Cyclones to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and a trip to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2014 where the ‘Clones fell to the Alaska Aces 4 games to 2.
Climbing the Ladder: The Cyclones have won 11 of their last 14 games, and are 16-5-0-0 in their last 21 games overall. Cincinnati currently holds the third position in the ECHL’s South Division, and are only three points back of third. The offense has been on display for Cincinnati over the last 20 games, totaling 60 goals and outscoring the opposition 52-27 in their 16 wins.
From Simmer to a Full Boil!: Forward Jordan Sims has points in eight of his last nine games, totaling three goals and seven assists in that time. Overall, Sims has seven goals and 21 assists in his last 22 games, and has the team scoring lead with 14 goals and 29 assists.
Leading By Example: Forward Shawn O’Donnell has tallied five goals and nine assists over his last eight games, with four goals and six assists in the last six contests.
Holding the Lead: The Cyclones enter Saturday with a 22-1-3-0 record when leading after one period, and a 26-1-2-0 mark when ahead after 40 minutes.
Defensive Front: The Cyclones currently boast one of the top defenses in the ECHL, as they currently rank second in goals allowed per game with 2.86.
Power Surge: The Cyclones power play has played a major role recently, having converted on 18 of their last 73 man-advantage opportunities over the last 11 games (24.7%).
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!
