CINCINNATI, Ohio – Evansville forward Dan Gendur blasted in the game-winning goal with just 1:11 left to play in regulation to lift the Evansville IceMen (4-9-0-1) to a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones (8-2-2-0) in front of 2,237 at U.S. Bank Arena on Thursday night.
Evansville got the scoring started early in the first period on a power play goal after Garrett Wilson was charged with a penalty for interference just 46 seconds into the game. Defensemen Aaron Gens was able to tap a rebound past Cyclones goalie Zoltan Hetenyi (L, 24 saves, 1-2-0) at the 1:34 mark to give the Icemen the 1-0 advantage. Cincinnati answered back at 6:04 when Wilson found Josh Shalla in front of the Evansville goal; Shalla was able to spin and put a backhand shot between the pipes to tie the game at two goals apiece. Evansville regained the lead on a Dan Mahovsky shot that found its way into the net 7:54 into the first. The score would remain 2-1 for the remainder of the opening period.
For the second time in as many games Shalla had a two-goal effort. From in front of the Evansville net, Taylor Aronson hit Shalla with a well-placed pass as he was streaking down the right side. He fired a wrist shot past IceMen goalie Rob Madore (W, 34 saves, 3-5-0) to even the game again at 2-2 with 9:48 gone in the middle frame. The IceMen again broke the deadlock as Patrick Kennedy redirected Daniel Tetrault’s point shot past Hetenyi to pull ahead by a goal as the teams skated to the second intermission.
Like they had done twice before, the Cyclones were able to tie the game again 6:53 into the final frame when Andrew Hotham cannoned in his second goal of the season from just inside the Evansville blue line. Unfortunately, with 2:31 left in regulation, Hotham took a tripping penalty – sending Evansville to its fifth power play of the game. After skating the puck into the Cincinnati end, Dan Gendur sent a wrist shot over Hetenyi’s right pad and into the net for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal with just 1:11 remaining. Despite pulling Hetenyi for an extra skater in the final minute, Cincinnati was unable to tie and fell by a 4-3 final score.
The Cyclones Radio Network Stars of the Game are as follows:
First Star: Dan Gendur (Game Winning Goal for Evansville)
Second Star: Josh Shalla (2 goals for Cincinnati)
Third Star: Andrew Hotham (1 goal for Cincinnati)
The Cyclones will return to the ice at U.S. Bank Arena TOMORROW night when they play host to the Reading Royals at 7:30pm. It will be the 2012 Military Appreciation Night – when the Cyclones will wear special military-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game! Plus, the first 5,000 fans through the gates will receive a Cyclones Car Magnet! Fans can also get the latest team updates throughout the season on Facebook and Twitter (@CincyCyclones).
Click here for tonight's box score.
IceMen Edge Cyclones, 4-3
