For Immediate Release: November 25, 2017
Game 16 (Road Game 10)
Vs. Ft. Wayne Komets (8-5-2-0, 18 PTS)
Saturday, November 25, 2017 - 7:30pm ET
War Memorial Coliseum - Ft. Wayne, IN
Overview: Cincinnati wraps up their busy week in Ft. Wayne on Saturday against the Komets. The Cyclones have won two in a row, and are coming off a 3-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers. Cincinnati is 8-3-0-0 in their last 11 games.
Yesterday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones earned a 3-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers on Friday afternoon. Forwards Shawn O’Donnell, Rob De Fulviis, and Justin Danforth lit the lamp for the Cyclones, while goaltender Jonas Johansson stopped 32-of-33 shots in his Cyclones debut. Cincinnati was outshot, 33-26 on the night, while the power play converted on 25% of it’s chances.
Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (8-5-1-0) edged out the Toledo Walleye, 1-0 on Wednesday night, in front of 7,917. Forward Justin Danforth netted the lone goal of the game, while Cyclones goaltender Anthony Peters stopped all 18 shots for his first shutout of the season. The Cyclones were outshot, 18-17 on the night, with both teams going scoreless on the power play.
Last Saturday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (7-5-1-0) fell to the Toledo Walleye, 3-2, on Saturday evening. Defenseman Geoff Fortman and forward Jesse Schultz scored the goals for Cincinnati. The Walleye outshot Cincinnati, 34-18 on the night, with goaltender Anthony Peters stopping 31 in defeat.
Previewing Ft. Wayne: The Komets have won three straight following a three-game skid, and are coming off a 4-2 win over the Indy Fuel on Friday night. They enter Saturday night with the League’s third best offense, averaging 3.93 goals per game, and are allowing an ECHL-low 27.40 shots per 60 minutes. They are led by forward Shawn Szydlowski who has accounted for 16 points (6g, 10a) through his first 13 games. He is followed by forward Garrett Thompson (6g, 8a) and former Cyclones defenseman Jason Binkley (2g, 12a) who round out the top three. In goal, former Cyclone Michael Houser has shouldered the bulk of the load, skating in 11 games with a 5-4-2-0 record along with a 3.34 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage.
Inside the Series: The Cyclones took the first game of the eight-game season series back on October 27 with a 3-2 overtime win in Ft. Wayne. The Komets had the upper hand in last season’s series, accumulating a 5-1-1-1 record against the Cyclones.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones return home for a meeting with the Reading Royals on Wednesday, in the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Wednesday also marks the return of former Cyclones defenseman Saverio Posa and Assistant Coach Patrick Wellar who were lured to Reading this offseason.
NEED-TO-KNOW
Filling the Net: The line of Justin Danforth, Shawn O’Donnell, and Jesse Schultz have led the Cyclones offensively this season, accounting for 41 points (17g, 24a) through the first 14 games this season. O’Donnell leads the team in scoring with 16 points (6g, 10a), and has four goals and nine assists in his last 10 games. Danforth is having a stellar first full pro season, currently ranking fourth in League rookie scoring with 15 points (8g, 7a). Both he and O’Donnell had a goal and an assist in yesterday’s 3-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers. He has 10 points over his last eight games (6g, 4a), including his first pro hat trick in a 4-1 win over the Florida Everblades back on November 8. Schultz’s 12 points (4g, 8a) ties him for third on the team in scoring, and he is also tied for the team lead with a plus-5 on-ice rating.
Squeaky Clean: Cyclones goaltender Anthony Peters stopped all 18 shots he faced in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over the Toledo Walleye, earning his first shutout of the season, and the seventh clean sheet of his career. He currently ranks seventh in the League with a 2.38 goals-against average, and has faced 25 or more shots in six of his last seven outings.
Cyclones Add Trecapelli: The Cyclones have claimed defenseman Nick Trecapelli off waivers from the Indy Fuel, and have signed him to a Standard Player Contract (SPC). A native of Guelph, ON, Trecapelli has appeared in seven games this season between the Fuel and Adirondack Thunder. He split last season between he Atlanta Gladiators and Wichita Thunder, appearing in 41 games and accounting for four goals and 10 assists. He turned pro late in the 2015-16 season, skating in nine games between the Evansville IceMen and AHL’s Binghamton Senators, recording a goal. He played collegiately at the University of Guelph from 2012-2016 amassing 65 points (3g, 18a) in 101 career games.
Movin’ On Up: Last Thursday, defensemen Arvin Atwal and Eric Knodel have each signed Professional Tryout agreements (PTO) with Cincinnati’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Atwal has skated in all 11 of Cincinnati’s games this season, accounting for a goal and three assists along with 23 minutes in penalties in that time. The Delta, BC, native appeared in 39 games last season and accounted for a pair of goals and 15 assists. Despite being sidelined for the final 33 games of the season, Atwal posted a team-high plus-11 on-ice rating, and ranked third on the team with 98 minutes in penalties. Knodel is coming off his first career hat trick in Tuesday morning’s 5-2 win over the Quad City Mallards, and currently ranks second on the Cyclones in scoring with 12 points (5g, 7a). This season’s team captain skated in 58 games with the Cyclones in 2016-17 and led the team in defenseman scoring with eight goals and 20 assists, and was tied for third with a plus-seven on-ice rating. He was one of the ECHL’s top defensemen at the midway point of the season, and for his efforts he was awarded a spot in the 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic in Glens Falls, NY. He also took part in the All-Star Hardest Shot competition, where he finished in second place with a shot of 96mph.
Hats Off: Cyclones captain Eric Knodel scored his first career hat trick last Tuesday morning, making him the second Cyclone in three games to accomplish that feat. Forward Justin Danforth scored his first pro hat trick in a 4-1 win over the Florida Everblades on November 8. Knodel is now second on the team in scoring with five goals and seven assists, while Danforth is right behind him in third with six goals and five helpers.
New Affiliation: This offseason, the Cyclones, in conjunction with the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Buffalo Sabres, announced a new affiliation agreement. For Cincinnati, the move comes following a 10-year partnership with the Nashville Predators, while the Sabres recently concluded a two-year relationship with the now-defunct Elmira Jackals. This affiliation will be a reunion of sorts for the cities of Cincinnati and Buffalo, as the Sabres’ American Hockey League (AHL) Affiliate from 1971-1974 was the Cincinnati Swords. The Rochester Americans will serve as Cincinnati’s new AHL affiliate, and have been the AHL affiliate of the Sabres since 2011. This is not the first time Cincinnati and Rochester have been affiliated, as the two clubs teamed up in 2010-11 when the Americans were affiliated with the Florida Panthers.
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