Cyclones Drop Another OT Decision to Reading, 4-3

READING, Pennsylvania – For the second consecutive night, the Reading Royals (11-6-0-0) got past the Cincinnati Cyclones (7-5-5-1) in overtime by a 4-3 final score.  Todd Perry sent home the game-winner at the 1:14 mark of the extra session in front of 4,417 at Sovereign Center on Friday night.

The Royals were able to dent the scoreboard first, as Ben Gordon scored a goal eerily similar to a Reading tally last night; at the 5:13 mark, he unintentionally banked a centering feed off the skate of a Cyclones defenseman and into the net for a 1-0 lead.  However, Cincinnati was able to respond during a penalty-kill when Scott Reynolds picked up a loose puck at center ice and went in for a shorthanded breakaway goal, his fifth goal of the year, tying the score at one through 20 minutes.

Cincinnati exploded for a pair of goals midway through the second, both off the stick of Dustin Sproat.  The first came at 10:16 when Brett Robinson fed Sproat for an easy one-timer goal past Reading netminder Matt Dalton (W, 22 saves, 7-3-0) and a 2-1 Cyclones lead.  Sproat added another tally just a couple of minutes later, at 12:54, when he wristed home his second of the night – giving the Cyclones a 3-1 cushion through two periods.

Reading stormed back right out of the gate in the third period, netting a pair of goals in the first 1:24 of the frame.  The first, just 0:08 in, came when Ryan Cruthers lifted the puck past Cincinnati goaltender Marc Cheverie (L, 24 saves, 6-2-2-1) making it 3-2.  And at the 1:24 mark, Eric Castonguay buried the equalizer after a nice toe-drag through the Cincinnati defense.  While both teams exchanged several more chances in the final period, for the second consecutive game both teams skated into overtime.

With just 1:14 gone in the extra session, Todd Perry gingerly pushed a puck towards the Cincinnati net that somehow snuck underneath Cheverie’s pad and into the net for the game-winning tally.  It was Cincinnati’s ninth trip to overtime, this season – they are 3-6.  Despite the overtime loss, though, Cincinnati has now earned a point in an ECHL-high 10 straight games.

The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
1.    Ben Gordon (1 goal, 1 assist for Reading)
2.    Dustin Sproat (2 goals for Cincinnati)
3.    Todd Perry (Game-winning goal)

The Cyclones will continue their three-city tour by traveling to Elmira, New York in preparation for a Saturday night meeting against the Jackals at 7:35pm.  Hear tomorrow night’s game beginning at 7:20pm on CyclonesHockey.com.

The defending Kelly Cup Champions return to U.S. Bank Arena on Friday, December 3 for the opener of a two-game set with the Florida Everblades at 7:30pm.  In addition to $1 John Morrell Hot Dogs, the first 3,000 fans through the gates will receive a Cyclones poster.  It’s also Weiner Dog race night, with an intermission race featuring some local Tri-State canines.  Discounted ticket packages and single game tickets for the 2010-2011 season are available now.  For more information, call 513.421.PUCK (7825) or visit CyclonesHockey.com.

Click here for tonight's box score.