Dominic Franco scored the lone shootout goal to help the Cyclones defeat the visiting Indy Fuel, 3-2 Tuesday night inside Heritage Bank Center.
The Cyclones have won three straight games at home, and improve to 5-2 on the season. The Fuel earned a standings point and now sit at 2-3-1.
- Indy took advantage on one of three power plays the team was given in the first period. Seamus Malone struck with a play down low in front of Cyclones' goaltender Mat Robson to convert at the 13:00 mark.
- Justin Vaive engaged in a fight with Indy's Riley McKay in the first period. He later scored his first of the season during the second period on A chance created on the transition, with Wyatt Ege racing down the ice to curl behind the net of Indy's Cale Morris, before feeding Vaive in-between the circles for an emphatic tying goal.
- In the final minute of period two, Kale Howarth took three penalties at once, as he was flagged for roughing, cross-checking, and tripping. Cincinnati's Patrick Polino was also charged with a roughing minor, but the totals resulted in a four minute power play for the 'Clones, with the majority of it being played in the first minutes of period three.
- On the man advantage, Franco stuffed home his second goal of the season, with both coming on the power play for the Cyclones. His goal made things 2-1 with 17:02 to play.
- Cincinnati continued to apply pressure through the first 10 minutes of the third, before a breakout play for Indy led to Chat Yetman crashing the goal to tie the game with 9:56 remaining.
- Both Indy and Cincinnati went to overtime for the first time this season. The 'Clones largely controlled puck possession in overtime, and were even awarded a penalty shot when Jesse Schultz was hooked by a Fuel defender. Schultz missed his attempt, ultimately leading to the game needing a shootout.
- The skills competition portion of the game featured only one goal, as Franco's first round wrist shot leaked underneath the Morris and barely squeaked over the line. Robson stopped all three shooters he faced, and made 22 saves on the evening to remain undefeated in the ECHL, improving to 4-0.
"These are kind of the games that you live for," said Franco. "Right off the start there's scrums happening and it gets you engaged in the game. I love these kind of games and I think it brings the best out of me and out of our team."
Game three of a four game homestand for the Cyclones comes Wednesday night when the Kalamazoo Wings visit Heritage Bank Center for the first time this season.
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