A pair of power play goals in the second period led the way to a 3-1 Cyclones win over Indy in front of 5,263 fans at Heritage Bank Center Friday night.
Cincinnati gets closer to closing the gap on first place, improving to 20-6-4-2 with 44 points. They sit three points back of Indy who are 23-10-1-0.
- A fast and physical first period came to a close with Seamus Malone scoring the game's first goal, grabbing Indy the 1-0 advantage. At the 17:57 mark, Indy worked the puck behind the goal of Beck Warm, before Luc Brown carried it out in front, sliding a pass to Malone who beat the glove side of a sprawling Warm.
- Entering Friday, Cincinnati's power play had been struggling, but the 'Clones managed to right the ship with a pair of power play goals in the second by Louie Caporusso (14) and Arvin Atwal (2). Caporusso was dished a cross-ice pass from Zack Andrusiak during a four-on-three 9:10 into the second. Indy's Zach Driscoll bit on the move, looking to Andrusiak on the right, giving Caporusso a wide open net to tie the game.
- Atwal put Cincinnati ahead with less than eight minutes to play during a five-minute power play. Indy's Kirill Chayka boarded Bray Crowder, forcing Chayka out of the game on a major penalty and game misconduct. While on the advantage, Atwal collected a puck from Josh Passolt and blasted it from atop the blue line to give the Cyclones a 2-1 lead.
- The 'Clones remained in front by two, before a late third period goal was tipped in by Justin Vaive (14) with 2:34 remaining. Jalen Smereck threw a puck toward the net for the captain to angle in-between the legs of Driscoll, capping off a 3-1 win.
- Warm picked up his 13th win with a 25-save performance.
- Cincinnati begins a four game road trip Saturday night in Wheeling. The trip takes them through Wheeling, Toledo, then Indy and Kalamazoo following the all-star break.
