Dominic Franco scored two goals and added an assist in his first game back with the Cyclones since November, but the Fort Wayne Komets managed to fend off numerous rally attempts for a 6-4 win Friday night.
The Cyclones are 30-25-3-0 on the season. Fort Wayne improves to 31-20-5-1.
- Fort Wayne jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring two goals 45 seconds apart in the first period. Connor Corcoran got the Komets on the board 14:00 in with a one-timer while on the power play. Less than a minute later, Oliver Cooper angled the puck in off his skate on a drive to the net by Anthony Petruzzelli to get the puck past Michael Houser.
- Seven goals were scored in the middle period, beginning the Dajon Mingo notching a power play goal 47 seconds into the period. Just over a minute later, Jesse Schultz found the puck going in for a breakaway to score his 19th goal of the season and tie the game.
- After a Komet timeout, Shawn Boudrias collected a loose puck 25 seconds after Schultz' goal to regain the lead.
- Dominic Franco, who returned to the Cyclones after nearly four months in the AHL with Rochester, made his presence felt by jamming away at Komets goalie Samuel Harvey to stuff home a 3-3, game tying goal at the 5:58 mark.
- The game settled for roughly five minutes, before Will Graber and Corcoran scored back-to-back goals to give the Komets a 5-3 lead. Franco would again collect a puck at the net front and slam it by Harvey, giving the returning forward a two goal, three point night and get the Cyclones back within a goal, making it 5-4 late in the second period.
- Cincinnati was the aggressor in period three, creating several chances while controlling most of the play, but Oliver Cooper tallied the only goal of the frame, shuffling the puck into an empty net with 47 seconds to play.
- Houser and Harvey each made 31 saves.
The Cyclones wrap up their season series against the Fort Wayne Komets Saturday at 7:30PM.
Stay tuned all season for updates on important events, player signings, promotion and ticketing information and MORE! Call (513) 421-PUCK for tickets and more information, and stay on top of all the latest team updates and information on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
