CINCINNATI, Ohio – Ethan Graham netted a pair of goals, including the game winner, to lift his Florida Everblades (28-22-0-3) to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones (19-20-6-2) on Wednesday night at U.S. Bank Arena. So far in the six-game season series, the visiting team has won each of the games.
Both clubs traded some great scoring chances in the opening frame, none better than a two-man advantage for the Everblades late in the period. However, Cincinnati’s penalty kill unit stood tall and Cyclones goalie Chet Pickard (L, 19 saves, 6-11-2-0) made a couple great stops to keep the game scoreless after one.
In the second period, Florida drew first blood when Matt Beca found himself open in the slot and buried his 12th goal of the season to give his Everblades a 1-0 lead at the 8:10 mark. Luckily, just a couple of minutes later Christiaan Minella crashed the net and tipped home his 10th goal of the year to knot the score heading into the second intermission.
Both teams exchanged a pair of goals midway through the third period; Florida took a brief one-goal lead at the 7:19 mark when Ethan Graham blasted home a point shot, making it 2-1. However, Cincinnati followed suit as T.J. Fast also let loose a cannon from the blue line that eluded Everblades goalie Jaroslav Janus (W, 38 saves, 9-10-0) to tie the score at two. Unfortunately, during a Florida power play, Ethan Graham snuck into the right circle and buried his second tally of the night at the 13:40 mark to give the Everblades a 3-2 lead – which turned out to be the game winner. In the final minutes, Florida took a charging penalty and the Cyclones pulled the goalie for a two-man advantage. Despite the five-on-three situation, Janus and the Everblades bent but didn’t break and Francis Lemieux slid home an empty netter from within his own zone to seal a 4-2 victory.
The Cyclones Radio Network Three Stars of the Game are as follows:
1. Ethan Graham (2 goals, including game-winner for Florida)
2. Francis Lemieux (1 goal, 2 assists for Florida)
3. Brady Calla (2 assists for Cincinnati)
The defending Kelly Cup Champions will return to U.S. Bank Arena this Friday night, February 11, at 7:30pm when they continue their three game series with the Everblades. It will be Pink in the Rink Night presented by Pure Romance. The Cyclones will skate on pink ice and wear specialty jerseys which will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the Patty Brisben Foundation. 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.
Florida Holds Off Cyclones, 4-2
