For Immediate Release: January 5, 2018
Game 32 (Road Game 17)
Vs. Toledo Walleye (20-9-2-1, 43 pts)
Friday, January 5, 2018 - 7:15pm ET
Huntington Center - Toledo, OH
Overview: The Cyclones rang in the new year with a 2-1 win over the Brampton Beast last Sunday night, and still remain in third place in the ECHL’s Central Division. The Cyclones are winners of seven of their last nine, and are embarking on a stretch of 13-of-14 against Central Division opponents.
Sunday Evening Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (19-11-1-0) closed out 2017 with a 2-1 win over the Brampton Beast. Forwards Justin Danforth and Brandon McNally tallied the goals for Cincinnati. The Cyclones outshot the Beast, 28-24, with goaltender Jason Kasdorf stood stopping 23 of the 24 shots he faced in the win.
Last Saturday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (18-11-1-0) fell to the Indy Fuel, 2-1, on Saturday night. Forward Winston Day Chief netted the lone goal for Cincinnati. The Cyclones outshot the Fuel, 35-20 on the night, with goaltender Jonas Johansson turning aside 18 in a losing effort.
Last Friday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (18-10-1-0) took down the Quad City Mallards, 5-4 in a shootout, on Friday night. Forward Winston Day Chief netted a pair, while forward Alex Kile and defenseman Anthony Florentino each netted a goal in regulation, while forward Justin Danforth scored the only goal in the shootout for the Cyclones. The Cyclones were outshot, 33-30, with goaltenders Jason Kasdorf and Jonas Johansson combining to stop 29 in the win.
Previewing Toledo: The Walleye currently hold down the top spot in the Central Division, sitting four points ahead of the Cyclones who are in third. The Walleye have won three of their last four games, however are coming off a 3-0 shutout loss to the Ft. Wayne Komets on Sunday night. Toledo is one of the top defensive teams in the League, ranking third with 2.72 goals allowed per game, and having allowed three or fewer goals in five of their last seven games. Additionally, the Walleye are the best team on home ice on the power play, converting on 23.1% of their chances (12/52), and they boast second-best penalty kill in the ECHL as well, killing off 88.6% of oppositional power plays. They are led offensively by forward Erik Bradford who has accounted for nine goals and 17 assists through 27 games. He is followed by forward Christian Hilbrich (13g, 12a), and a pair of 23-point scorers in Mike Borkowski (12g, 11a) and Tyler Barnes (7g, 16a) who round out the top three. In goal, Pat Nagle has shouldered the bulk of the load, posting a 16-2-2-0 record, along with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
Inside the Series: Friday will mark the fourth of eight meetings between the Cyclones and Walleye this season, with Cincinnati dropping two of the first three meetings.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones return home their annual Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday night against the Wheeling Nailers. Cincinnati and Wheeling have met three times already this season, with the ‘Clones taking two of the three. They are slated to meet twice more, with both contests coming in Wheeling.
NEED-TO-KNOW
Hey Now, You’re an All-Star!: The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Buffalo Sabres and American Hockey League’s (AHL) Rochester Americans, and in conjunction with the ECHL, have announced that rookie forward Justin Danforth will be the Cyclones representative at the upcoming 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, competing for Team Central. The game is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 15, at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, IN; home of the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. A native of Oshawa, ON, Danforth currently leads all rookies and is third in overall ECHL scoring with 37 points (18g, 19a) along with a plus-18 on-ice rating in 31 games played. He enjoyed an 11-game point streak from November 18-December 13, accounting for seven goals and 10 assists in that span, including five multi-point outings.
Day by Day, Goal by Goal: Forward Winston Day Chief scored the lone goal in last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Indy Fuel, and lit the lamp twice in Friday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Quad City Mallards. He now has eight goals in his last nine games, including his first ECHL hat trick in a 6-1 win over the Mallards on December 15th. He currently ranks fourth on the Cyclones with 12 goals.
First for the Kid: Cyclones defenseman Anthony Florentino netted his first pro goal in last Friday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Quad City Mallards. Florentino has three points in 12 games during his first season as a pro.
Piling up the Points: Forward Jesse Schultz saw his 13-game point streak come to an end in last Friday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Mallards, however he is still tied for fourth in ECHL scoring with 35 points (13g, 22a). He has points in all but seven games played this season, including six multi-point outings.
Early and Often: The Cyclones are outscoring the opposition 34-22 in the first period this season, and are 12-5-0-0 when leading after 20 minutes. Additionally, Cincinnati is 14-4-0-0 when scoring first, and 10-1-0-0 when scoring the first two goals of the game.
Lending a Helping Hand: Forward Shawn O’Donnell dished out a season-high four assists in last Wednesday’s 5-3 win over the Ft. Wayne Komets. Despite seeing his 11-game point streak come to an end in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Indy Fuel, his 31 points (10g, 21) have him tied for eighth in ECHL scoring.
We Are, We Are....The Youth of the Nation: Rookie forward Justin Danforth has accounted for four goals and four assists in his last six games, and sits atop of the ECHL’s rookie leaderboard, and is tied for third in overall scoring with 36 points (17g, 19a). He has amassed 11 goals and 13 assists over his last 18 games.
Second Line Prowess: The line of Brandon McNally, Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, and Winston Day Chief have led the Cyclones offensively over the last 10 games, totaling 11 goals and 19 assists in that span.
Secondary Scoring: Cincinnati’s second and third lines, along with the defensive corps, have made major contributions offensively in recent games, accounting for 30 goals and 45 assists over the last 17 outings.
Limited Opportunity: Cincinnati is seventh in the ECHL, averaging 2.87 goals against per game, and have allowed three or fewer goals in 13 of their last 17 games. Additionally, they have given up more than four goals on just six occasions.
Finishing What They Started: The Cyclones have a 13-1-0-0 record when leading through two periods this season. This is a continuing trend from last season, when the Cyclones were 23-1-3-1 when leading after one, and 26-1-2-0 when leading after 40 minutes.
New Affiliation: This offseason, the Cyclones, in conjunction with the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Buffalo Sabres, announced a new affiliation agreement. For Cincinnati, the move comes following a 10-year partnership with the Nashville Predators, while the Sabres recently concluded a two-year relationship with the now-defunct Elmira Jackals. This affiliation will be a reunion of sorts for the cities of Cincinnati and Buffalo, as the Sabres’ American Hockey League (AHL) Affiliate from 1971-1974 was the Cincinnati Swords. The Rochester Americans will serve as Cincinnati’s new AHL affiliate, and have been the AHL affiliate of the Sabres since 2011. This is not the first time Cincinnati and Rochester have been affiliated, as the two clubs teamed up in 2010-11 when the Americans were affiliated with the Florida Panthers.
Stay Connected!: Follow the latest news on Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more! Also, for all of the latest news and notes, head over to www.cycloneshockey.com.
The 2017-18 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want YOU along for the ride! Call (513) 421-PUCK for information regarding Cyclones single game tickets, ticket packages, and Season and Group Tickets! Also, stay on top of the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
