CINCINNATI CYCLONES (16-14-5-2) vs. WHEELING NAILERS (20-15-0-2)

DATE: Tuesday, January 18, 2011
TIME: 7:30pm
SITE: U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH
RADIO: None
WEBCAST: CyclonesHockey.com (American One)

NHL AFFILIATES
Cincinnati Cyclones: Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators
Wheeling Nailers: Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens

NEXT HOME GAME
Saturday, January 22 vs. Kalamazoo - 7:30pm.
Kids Eat Free Night - Fans ages 2-12 will receive a free meal courtesy of John Morrell and Sunkist.  The first 2,500 fans through the gates receive a Cyclones Team Photo.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP:  In what has felt like a mini-playoff series, the Cyclones tonight will bid for two out of three against the Wheeling Nailers and in the process, pull within just one point of first place in the North Division.  This season, the Cyclones have posted a 3-4 record against Stan Drulia’s club, but took Saturday’s meeting at WesBanco Arena, 3-2.  The road team has won five of the seven games in the season series so far.

TONIGHT’S PROMOTION:  Big Beer Tuesday – For the final time this season, fans can purchase $2 24-ounce Molson and Labatt Blue all night long.  $1 City Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches will also be available.

SCOUTING THE NAILERS: The Nailers hold a slim three-point lead over Cincinnati in the North Division and have posted a 5-3-2-0 record in their last ten games.  Rookie forwards Nick Petersen and Ben Street remain atop the rookie scoring leaderboard with 41 points a piece and rank fifth in the ECHL overall.  The pair has combined for 29 points in seven games against Cincinnati this season.  Petersen is currently riding an ECHL-high four-game assist streak, while Street has scored goals in three straight contests.  In fact, he has a pair of multi-goal games in that span.  Nailers goalie Patrick Killeen has the second most wins in the ECHL (15) while his 2.66 goals-against average is eighth-best in the league.

KEEPING IT CLOSE: Cincinnati has found itself in very tight games this season.  They have played in an ECHL-high 21 one-goal games.  In such situations this year, they have posted a 10-4-7 record.  As a frame of reference, the 2009-10 Cyclones had 28 one-goal games in the entire season.

ON A TEAR:  Forward Mathieu Aubin has continued to stack up the points for Cincinnati.  He now has put his name on the scoresheet in four straight games and has goals in each of his last three - which is good for the fourth-longest active streak in the ECHL.  He had a two-goal night on Saturday at Wheeling, including the game-winner with 58 seconds left in regulation.  Aubin is the team leader in both points (29) and goals (12).

DON'T MESS WITH OLSON: Cyclones heavyweight Benn Olson has established himself as a top enforcer in the ECHL this year.  He leads the league with 12 major-penalties in 2010-10, which accounts for 30-percent of Cincinnati’s major penalty total this season (39).

SEASON SERIES (11 Meetings - 4 Remaining)
Oct. 30 Wheeling 7 at Cincinnati 3 Final
Nov.  6 Cincinnati 2 at Wheeling 0 Final
Dec. 17 Wheeling 1 at Cincinnati 2 Final
Dec. 18 Wheeling 7 at Cincinnati 2 Final
Dec. 26 Cincinnati 4 at Wheeling 5 Final
Jan. 14 Wheeling 6 at Cincinnati 3 Final
Jan. 15 Cincinnati 3 at Wheeling 2 Final
Jan. 18 Wheeling at Cincinnati 7:30 pm EST
Feb.  4 Wheeling at Cincinnati 7:30 pm EST
Feb.  5 Cincinnati at Wheeling 8:05 pm EST
Mar.  4 Cincinnati at Wheeling 7:35 pm EST