Down by one, the Cyclones rallied for three unanswered third period goals to pick up a 5-3 comeback win over the Wichita Thunder at Heritage Bank Center.
The Cyclones continue what has become a plethora of impressive stats. The team is riding an eight-game point streak, has points in 12 of its last 13 games, and owns wins in seven of their last eight outings. With a 31-12-5-3 record, Cincinnati sits atop the Central Division standings with 70 points.
- Cincinnati wasted no time getting started Friday night, scoring 1:25 into the first on a goal from Matej Pekar (11). The power forward collected a pass through the neutral zone from Josh Burnside, then skated into the left wing before wiring the puck past Wichita's Eric Dop to get the 'Clones on the board.
- Seconds later, Sean Allen and Mark Liwiski each went to the box for roughing. When they exited, the duo immediately dropped the gloves for a fight at center ice that favored Allen, who played parts of his first three professional seasons with the Thunder.
- Wichita tied the game 8:08 into the frame on a breakaway goal by Timur Ibragimov, who pushed the puck past Beck Warm on his blocker side. The even score lasted only 17 seconds, with Patrick Polino finding Matt Berry (12) crashing the net to get the veteran goals in consecutive games to make it a 2-1 lead.
- Michal Stinil scored his team leading-25th goal of the season late in the first, getting a pass from behind the net and into the slot to make it 2-2. Cam Hough got Wichita its first lead of the game 9:18 into the second period on a neutral zone push that led to a two-on-one. Former Cyclone Brett Van Os gave a cross-ice pass to Hough, who shot between the legs of Warm, making it 3-2.
- Steven MacLean began the 'Clones rally, scoring his first professional goal in a big way, tying the game at three a piece just 48 seconds into the third. The 6-7 defenseman playing in just his second professional game scooted down to the left wing for a shot that was turned away from Dop, only to get his own rebound and even the game.
- Polino (13) had a great outing that was capped-off with the game-winning-goal 8:27 into the third. A Wichita turnover left Polino alone in front of the goal to whack it past Dop. Andrusiak (20) scored his 10th goal in the month of February 14:31 into the period, providing breathing room with a wrist shot that popped in and out of the net to give Cincinnati the 5-3 final.
- Warm picked up his league leading-22nd win of the season making 21 saves for the win.
- The Cyclones will close out the February slate of action looking to tie a season high-four game win streak on the road Saturday night against the Indy Fuel.
