Cincinnati, OH- The Cyclones opened the 2023 preseason with two straight wins against the Fuel on Friday and Saturday night. Cincinnati fell on the road in the final tune up contest in Wheeling on Sunday afternoon.
* Friday night saw preseason hockey return to the Heritage Bank Center with a 5-1 Cyclones win. Cincinnati goaltender Olof Lindbom stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced. Louie Caporusso opened the scoring 8:14 into the first period off an assist from captain Justin Vaive. Just three minutes later, Vaive found the score sheet again, deflecting in a point shot on the power play. The Cincinnati top line continued to roll in the second period when returner Zack Andrusiak put in a rebound, also from Vaive and Caporusso. Indy would score to inch closer at 3-1, but the Cyclones pulled away in the third frame thanks to a pair of goals from Colton Kalezic. The Cincy center connected early in the period, then added a short-handed goal off an odd-man rush.
* The Cyclones took down the Fuel again 3-2 in the Queen City Saturday night just 24 hours later. 20-year-old Talyn Boyko got the call in net for Cincy and made 30 saves on 32 shots. After a scoreless first, Cyclones defenseman Jalen Smereck broke the ice 2:23 into the middle frame when a soft shot from the blue line snuck by Indy goalie Mitchell Weeks. Cincinnati doubled the lead just 23 seconds later when Jake Goldowski finished off a beautiful passing play with Erik Atchison and Colton Kalezic. Fuel defenseman Chris Cameron made it 2-1 at 13:25 of the second period with a blast from the center point. Patrick Polino scored Cincy’s second power play goal in as many days thanks to rocketed one-timer in the third. Santino Centorame would bring Indy back within a goal at 3-2. The Cyclones survived over two minutes with the Fuel net empty to sweep the preseason set.
* Cincinnati hit the road for its final preseason game Sunday afternoon and fell 5-0 in Wheeling. The Cyclones goalie tandem of Stephen Mundinger and Julian Sime each played half of the contest. Nailers’ defenseman Davis Bunz scored twice and forward Peter Laviolette had a three-point game. David Tendeck earned the shutout for Wheeling, answering all 24 Cyclones shots.
After a 2-1 preseason campaign, the Cyclones now turn their attention to this Saturday night’s regular season opener on Saturday October 21st at 7:30pm ET inside the Heritage Bank Center. Jason Payne’s group begins their push to the Kelly Cup against the Central Division foe Wheeling Nailers.
