CINCINNATI, Ohio – Royals rookie forward Mikhail Stefanovich recorded his first-career hat trick including the game-winning goal to give the Reading Royals (10-6-0-0) a 4-3 overtime victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones (7-5-4-1) at the Sovereign Center on Wednesday night.
Cincinnati found the net first as Scott Reynolds tipped home a Brian O’Hanley blast for his fourth goal of the season and a 1-0 Cyclones lead at the 6:41 mark. However, just 11 seconds later, Mikhail Stefanovich skated through the Cyclones end and wristed one past Cincinnati netminder Chet Pickard (L, 33 saves, 1-3-2-0) to knot the score at 1.
In the middle frame, the Royals took a 2-1 lead in the strangest of fashions; at the 7:55 mark, Ryan Cruthers attempted a harmless centering feed that deflected off of a Cyclones skate and through the legs of Pickard. Luckily, Cincinnati was able to net the equalizer at 12:46 when Mathieu Aubin collected a rebound left by Royals goalie Matt Dalton (W, 27, saves, 6-3-0-0) and stashed it for his fifth goal of the season. The teams skated into the second intermission tied at two.
The Royals jumped back out front just 5:05 into the third period as Stefanovich picked up a loose puck at center ice and angled the puck past Pickard for a 3-2 advantage. However, just as they did in the second period, the Cyclones answered back; Christiaan Minella snapped a laser of a shot past Dalton for the game-tying goal and a 3-3 score at the 11:47 mark. For an ECHL-high eighth time, the Cyclones went into overtime.
Unfortunately in the extra session, Stefanovich capped off his first-career hat trick by sending a low wrist shot past Pickard’s right pad for the game-winning tally at the 2:02 mark.
The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
1. Mikhail Stefanovich (3 goals, including GWG)
2. Eric Castonguay (2 assists for Reading)
3. T.J. Fast (2 assists for Cincinnati)
The Cyclones will enjoy Thanksgiving as a team tomorrow before wrapping up their stay in Reading on Friday night with the second of two meetings this week against the Royals. Friday’s contest gets underway at 7:05pm with Cyclones Warmup on the air on CyclonesHockey.com starting at 6:50.
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.
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