Josh Passolt tallied a pair of third period goals, and the crowd of nearly 10,000 fans in downtown Cincinnati helped lift the Cyclones to a 5-2 win over the Toledo Walleye on Thanksgiving Eve.
Cincinnati is now 9-1-0-1, controlling the Central Division with 19 points. Toledo's loss drops them to a 4-6-0-1 start.
- The 'Clones jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the game, starting with Zack Andrusiak finding the back of the net 2:22 into the first on a power play for his first goal of the season. Less than two minutes later, Arvin Atwal sent a puck toward the net that Louie Caporusso redirected, squeaking through Toledo net minder Sebastian Cossa.
- Toledo evened the game with Ryan Lowney scoring in the first, then a game-tying goal from Thomas Ebbing, but the Cyclones bounced back to regain the lead, courtesy of Lincoln Griffin. The team's leading goal scorer intercepted a pass on a Toledo power play, then streaked down the ice to beat Cossa on a breakaway with less than two minutes to play in the second, giving Cincinnati the 3-2 lead.
- Griffin now has seven goals over the course of his career best-five game goal streak. He leads the Cyclones with nine on the season.
- Josh Passolt scored a pair of insurance goals during the third period, making it the rookie's second career two goal game, with both coming against Cossa and the Walleye. Passolt drove the net on a breakaway five minutes into the third, cutting through Cossa, before solving the Toledo net minder again with 2:15 to play on another breakaway.
- Mitchell Heard scored the last Walleye goal with 18 seconds left, but Mark Sinclair stood tall throughout the contest, making a career high-36 saves, including 15 in the third period alone.
- Wednesday night's game began a week where the Cyclones play four games over a five day span. The team hits the road for three straight, starting Thanksgiving night in Fort Wayne against thee Komets.
