ESTERO, Florida – Rookie goaltender Marc Cheverie stood on his head several times to hold the ECHL’s best offensive team, the Florida Everblades (21-15-0-1), to just one goal as the Cincinnati Cyclones (12-13-5-2) took home a 3-1 victory at Germain Arena on Wednesday night.
Cincinnati found the net just 18 seconds into the contest as Dustin Sproat potted his eighth goal of the season after finding a loose puck in the slot. However, Florida’s Francis Lemieux snuck into the Cyclones end during a line change and banged home a shot past Marc Cheverie (W, 27 saves 11,-7-2-2) to knot score at one after 20 minutes of play.
In the second period Cheverie wasn’t quite as busy, only facing four shots; however, all four were outstanding scoring chances that Cincinnati’s netminder turned aside with relative ease. Meanwhile, at the 12:02 mark, Matt Pierce tucked home a rebound left by Florida goalie Jaroslav Janus (L, 24 saves, 8-7-0-0) for his sixth goal of the year and a 2-1 Cyclones lead.
The third period was nothing short of a shooting gallery in the Cyclones zone; Florida peppered Cheverie with 12 shots in the final frame of regulation, but once again he stood tall on all of them. Then, at 17:24, Scott Reynolds back-handed home a big rebound to give the Cyclones a 3-1 cushion – one they would not relinquish.
The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
1. Dustin Sproat (1 goal, 1assist for Cincinnati)
2. Marc Cheverie (Winning goalie, 27 saves)
3. Francis Lemieux (1 goal for Florida)
After an off-day Thursday, the same two teams will do battle in the second game of this three game set on Friday night at 7:30pm. Hear all the action of the tilt on MAX-FM (99.5) and CyclonesHockey.com starting at 6:45pm.
The defending Kelly Cup Champions will return to U.S. Bank Arena on Wednesday, January 12 when they welcome in the Kalamazoo Wings for a 7:30pm face-off. It will be another Wet Wednesday, where fans can purchase $1 PBR and Miller High Life all night long. 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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