CYCLONES FIGHT FOR PLAYOFF LIVES IN FINAL WEEK
Cyclones battle Kalamazoo twice to close out regular season
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THIS PAST WEEK:
About Sunday Afternoon vs. Toledo: Rookie forward Cory Conacher had four points in his ECHL debut as he leads the Cyclones to crucial 4-3 win over the Walleye at the Huntington Center on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, Cincinnati extended its cushion in the Eastern Conference standings to four points over Toledo. It was the first time this season that a Cyclones player had a four-point game. Cyclones captain Barret Ehgoetz also earned his 100th goal as a member of the franchise.
About Saturday Night vs. Toledo: Seven different players scored for the Walleye and Thomas McCollum earned an 18-save shutout as they defeated the Cyclones by a 7-0 final score in front of 5,428 at U.S. Bank Arena. It was just the third time this season that Cincinnati had been shutout.
About Friday Night vs. Toledo: Willie Coetzee banged in the game-winning goal midway through the third period to lift the Walleye over the Cyclones by a 3-2 final score in front of 4,756 at U.S. Bank Arena. Cyclones Rookie Garrett Suter blasted in his first-career professional goal in a losing effort. With the victory, Toledo climbed within four points of Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
STORYLINES:
Two For the Show: After picking up two crucial points on Sunday in Toledo, the Cyclones remain in control of their playoff destiny. Wednesday morning, they will look to shrink their magic number to one as they wrap up their regular season road slate in Kalamazoo. Cincinnati’s season record against K-Zoo stands at 5-5-3 after last week’s 1-0 victory at Wings Stadium, however Nick Bootland’s club has taken five of the six meetings in that old barn. Then, on Friday night, Kalamazoo comes to U.S. Bank Arena as the Cyclones will close out the regular season with City Barbeque Fan Appreciation Night featuring $1 John Morrell Hotdogs, $1 Donatos Pizza, $1 Soda, and 50¢ Popcorn.
Scouting the Wings: Kalamazoo has clinched the North Division title for the second year in a row and sits third in the Eastern Conference playoff race. While they have the number three seed officially locked up, they still have an outside chance of climbing into second place. In order to do that, they would have to win each of their remaining three games and have Reading earn no more than one point in its final three. The Wings sport two of the ECHL’s top five scorers; Trent Daavettila ranks third in the league with 78 points (30 goals, 48 assists) in 68 games while Kory Karlander sits right behind him in fourth with 77 points (32 goals, 45 assists) in 68 games. Karlander’s goal totals are fifth-most in “AA” hockey. Despite holding the third-most home wins in the Eastern Conference this season, the Wings are just 3-3 in K-Zoo this month - including a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Cyclones one week ago. Goaltender Ryan Nie has maintained his ECHL lead in wins (29) and also leads the league in saves (1505). In addition, the former Cyclone ranks second among all goalies in minutes-played (3006). Nie has fared well against his old team, posting a 6-2-1 record against the Cyclones this season.
An Eye on the East: As of today, here is a quick snapshot of how the Eastern Conference playoff race shapes up:
x 4 - Wheeling* 76 points
x 5 - South Carolina* 76 points
x 6 - Florida* 76 points
7 - Elmira* 74 points
8 - Cincinnati* 74 points
9 - Toledo 70 points
* Wheeling owns tie breaker with SC and Florida while Elmira has game in hand on Cincinnati
x - clinched a playoff spot
Magic Number Tracker: As it stands now, the Cyclones “Magic Number” to clinch a Kelly Cup playoff spot sits at 3. That number will shrink by two for each Cincinnati win and each Toledo loss.
Instant Impact: Rookie forward Cory Conacher had a four-point game on Sunday afternoon in his Cyclones debut. He registered a pair of goals and a pair of assists (including the game-winning goal). It was the first time this season that a Cincinnati player had registered a four-point night. The last time it happened was April 2, 2010 when Jimmy Kilpatrick posted 4 assists against Johnstown.
100 Point Club: This past Sunday, Cyclones captain Barret Ehgoetz earned his 100th goal as a member of the franchise. He now sits just 20 goals shy of the record, currently held by Sheldon Gorski. Dating back to the 1990 Cyclones, Ehgoetz is one of just four players to earn 100 goals or more in a “Cyclones” career. Don Biggs earned 147, Gilbert Dionne had 134, and Paul Lawless netted 132.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Friday, April 1 - 7:30pm City Barbeque Fan Appreciation Night: $1 John Morrell Hotdogs / $1 Donatos Pizza / $1 Soda / 50¢ Popcorn.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE
(All practices are closed to the public)
Tuesday: 10:00am Practice - U.S. Bank Arena. 12:30pm - Travel to Kalamazoo.
Wednesday: Game vs. Kalamazoo - 10:30am.
Thursday: 10:30am Practice - U.S. Bank Arena.
Friday: 10:15am Morning Skate - Game vs. Kalamazoo 7:30pm.
Saturday: TBD
Sunday: TBD
TICKET INFORMATION
For tickets to all games this season, log onto CyclonesHockey.com, call 513.421.PUCK (7825) or visit the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office.
UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Cincinnati vs. Kalamazoo
Friday, April 1
7:30pm
CITY BARBEQUE FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT
Kelly Cup Playoffs - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
TBD