After a 6-0-2-1 start on the road, Cincinnati suffered its first regulation loss away from home, dropping a 5-2 game to the Komets in Fort Wayne Saturday night.
The Cyclones are 13-3-2-2 through the opening 20 games of the 2022-23 ECHL season. At 30, they have 13 more points than Fort Wayne, who sit 6-8-3-2.
- An early start propelled the Komets to a 2-0 lead through the first period of play, beginning with Tye Felhaber beating Mark Sinclair 3:19 into the first. That was followed up later in the frame by Komets captain, Anthony Petruzzelli, who worked a puck out from behind the net and tucked it between the legs of Sinclair for the 2-0 advantage. Sinclair made 16 saves in the first alone.
- Physicality was prevalent throughout the opening 20 minutes and was highlighted at the 12:03 mark when Sean Allen dropped the gloves with fellow heavyweight, Joe Masonius.
- Zack Andrusiak (2) broke through 13:13 into the second, ending the shutout bid of Rylan Parenteau after collecting a cross-ice pass from Matej Pekar for a one-time blast. Andrusiak has 13 points in as many games this season, and five against Fort Wayne.
- Josh Winquist put the Komets back up by two just over a minute into the third, but Chays Ruddy made it a one goal game again, scoring his first as a Cyclone and his first professional goal on a shot from the left point that trickled through the five hole of Parenteau 7:43 into the third.
- Shortly after Ruddy's goal, the 'Clones were given another power play chance, but were unable to score the game-tying goal with Petruzzelli in the box for a second time. Later in the third, Winquist carried a puck around the goal and fed Alex Peters for the insurance tally, before a last minute empty net goal was scored by Felhaber, giving the Komets a 5-2 final.
- Sinclair lost in regulation for the first time this season, making 33 saves. He is 5-1-1-1 on the year.
- Cincinnati returns home, where they'll host the Komets next Friday at Heritage Bank Center.
