For Immediate Release: December 16, 2017
Game 25 (Home Game 13)
Vs. Quad City Mallards (8-14-1-0, 17pts)
Saturday, December 16, 2017 - 7:35pm ET
U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH
Overview: Cincinnati earned their second win in a row on Friday night with a 6-1 victory over the Quad City Mallards, marking their second straight six-goal output. Saturday night marks the conclusion of Cincinnati’s six-game home stand, and the second of three straight against the Mallards.
Last Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (14-9-1-0) picked up a 6-1 win over the Quad City Mallards on Friday night. Forward Winston Day Chief led the way with three goals on the night, while forwards Jesse Schultz and Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, along with defenseman Chris Leone each lit the lamp once for Cincinnati Cyclones, who have outscored the opposition 12-4 over the last two games. The Cyclones outshot Quad Mallards, 28-25 on the evening, with goaltender Anthony Peters stopping 24 to collect the win.
Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (13-9-1-0) earned a 6-3 win over the Ft. Wayne Komets on Wednesday night. Forward Justin Vaive netted a pair of goals, while forwards Winston Day Chief, Justin Danforth, Jesse Schultz, and Daniel Muzito-Bagenda added lone tallies for Cincinnati, who snapped their four-game losing streak. The Komets outshot Cincinnati, 42-22 on the night, with Cyclones goaltender Jonas Johansson stopping 38 for the win. Emotions ran high in this one as well, as the two sides combined for 40 minutes in penalties on 17 infractions.
Saturday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-9-1-0) we upended by the Tulsa Oilers, 3-1, on Saturday night. Forward Jesse Schultz scored the lone goal for Cincinnati, while forward Justin Danforth extended his point streak to 10 games. Cincinnati was outshot, 29-25 on the night, with goaltender Jonas Johansson stopping 29 in the loss.
Previewing Quad City: The Mallards enter Saturday night having dropped four in a row and five of the last six games, following their 6-1 loss to the Cyclones on Friday night. They are led offensively by forward Sam Warning who has a team high 11 goals to go along with seven assists. He is followed by rookie defenseman Willie Raskob who has a goal along with a team-high 15 assists, and forward Brayden Low (7g, 7a) who rounds out the top three. In goal, CJ Motte leads all active Quad City netminders with a 3.15 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage in eight games played.
Inside the Series: Saturday concludes the two-game weekend series between Cincinnati and Quad City, and marks the second of three in a row between the two sides. They will meet for the first time in Quad City next Friday.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones and Mallards meet next Friday in Moline to wrap up three straight meetings between the two sides.
NEED-TO-KNOW
Hats Off on Hat Night!: Friday’s Winter Hat Giveaway was made even more special due to a hat trick by forward Winston Day Chief. The Standoff, AB, native now has four goals over his last two games, and is now third on the team with eight goals on the season. He is now the third Cyclone to record a hat trick this season, joining rookie forward Justin Danforth, and defenseman Eric Knodel.
Bagging Up the Points: Forward Daniel Muzito-Bagenda has experienced an offensive surge over the last two games, accounting for a pair of goals and three assists in the time. He currently ranks sixth on the team in scoring with three goals and six assists, and his six helpers tie his professional career high in that category set last season with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Standing on the Top: Cyclones goaltender Anthony Peters leads all ECHL goaltenders with a 2.16 goals-against average, and is second with a .931 save percentage. He stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced in Friday’s 6-1 win over the Quad City Mallards, in his first game since being returned by the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Second Line Prowess: The line of Brandon McNally, Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, and Winston Day Chief have led the Cyclones offensively over the last two games, totalling six goals and 10 assists in that span.
We Are, We Are....The Youth of the Nation: Despite seeing his 11-game point streak snapped in Friday’s 6-1 win over the Quad City Mallards, rookie forward Justin Danforth is still at the top of the ECHL’s rookie leaderboard with 28 points (13g, 15a). He accounted for seven goals and nine assists on his 11-game point streak.
Secondary Scoring: Cincinnati’s second and third lines, along with the defensive corps, have made major contributions offensively in recent games, accounting for 18 goals and 26 assists over the last 11 outings, including five goals and 10 assists in Friday’s 6-1 win over the Quad City Mallards.
Limited Opportunity: Cincinnati is fifth in the ECHL with 2.67 goals against per game. The Cyclones have allowed three or fewer goals in 10 of their last 12 games, and have given up more than three goals on just five occasions.
Arvin Atwal Reassigned to Cincinnati: Defenseman Arvin Atwal has been reassigned to Cincinnati by the Rochester Americans; American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Cyclones. Signed to a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO) on November 16, Atwal skated in a pair of games for the Americans, dishing out an assist and racking up 17 minutes in penalties. He has appeared in 13 games for the Cyclones this season and has accounted for a goal and three assists in that time.
Finishing What They Started: The Cyclones have a 11-1-0-0 record when leading through two periods this season. This is a continuing trend from last season, when the Cyclones were 23-1-3-1 when leading after one, and 26-1-2-0 when leading after 40 minutes.
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.
Stay Connected!: Follow the latest news on Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more! Also, for all of the latest news and notes, head over to www.cycloneshockey.com
The 2017-18 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want YOU along for the ride! Call (513) 421-PUCK for information regarding Cyclones single game tickets, ticket packages, and Season and Group Tickets! Also, stay on top of the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
