The Cyclones erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period Friday night, before Louie Caporusso struck in overtime to lift the 'Clones to an improbable, 4-3 comeback win in game one against Fort Wayne in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Cincinnati took a 1-0 series lead after winning in front of nearly 4,000 fans inside an electric Heritage Bank Center, and will look to take Saturday's game in front of the hometown crowd.
- An Oliver Cooper goal scored less than three minutes into the first was followed by a pair of late-period tallies from Tye Felhaber, who beat Mark Sinclair at the 16:09 mark and again 19:13 into the period to grab a commanding 3-0 lead for the Komets heading into the second period. For the first time in his pro career, Sinclair was relieved in favor of Beck Warm, who finished the contest with 24 saves.
- "Sinky (Sinclair) has been bailing us out all year," said Warm. "I think no matter if it's me in net or Sinky in net, we're gonna win hockey games. We gotta enjoy the win, but as soon as it hits midnight, we reset, we bring it back, and we've got to keep going."
- The 'Clones mustered up a strong offensive push in the second period, but were unable to solve Fort Wayne's Rylan Parenteau until early in the third. Cincinnati earned a five-on-three power play with Blake Siebenaler and Samuel Dove-McFalls in the box. In the final second of the two-man advantage, Zack Andrusiak collected a puck down low on the right-wing, tucking it between the legs of Parenteau and putting Cincinnati on the board 3:10 into the third. Andrusiak followed-up three minutes later when Jalen Smereck sprung him for a breakaway, where the elite scorer sniped the top left corner of the goal to make it 3-2.
- Matt Berry posted the game-tying goal on a power play at the 13:07 mark. Warm, who played masterfully in net, lobbed a puck ahead to Berry, who crossed the Fort Wayne blue line and fired a puck from the high slot that eluded Parenteau to make it 3-3. The goal came on the power play, which the Cyclones went two-for-seven on, while holding the Komets without a man advantage goal despite giving Fort Wayne six power plays. Their most threatening chance came with under four seconds remaining in regulation. Matt Cairns had been sent to the box and Fort Wayne's Darien Kielb broke through Cincinnati's defense and was alone in front of Warm, but the Cyclones net minder turned aside the scoring chance to force overtime.
- Just 2:42 into overtime, Caporusso won a face-off in the attacking end, then flicked a puck around the zone until it came back to him in the high slot on a feed from Andrusiak. From there, Caporusso sent a dagger toward the goal, beating Parenteau low to send the fans, and Cyclones bench, into a frenzy.
- Andrew Nielsen made his Cyclones debut and impressed, recording three assists, including a helper on Caporusso's game-winning-goal. Andrusiak piled up three points with his two goal, one assist effort.
- Game two of the opening round series comes Saturday evening on home ice.
