CYCLONES GAME PREVIEW

Cincinnati Cyclones (1-1-0-0)
vs.
Quad City Mallards (2-1-0-0)

Click here for tonight's game note packet

DATE: Friday, October 31, 2014
TIME: 8:05pm ET
SITE: iWireless Center - Moline, IL
BROADCAST: CyclonesHockey.com, ECHL.TV

NHL AFFILIATES
Cincinnati Cyclones: Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators
Quad City Mallards: Minnesota Wild 

NEXT HOME GAME
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 - 7:30pm vs. INDY
KIDS EAT FREE NIGHT

Tonight's Matchup: Tonight the Cyclones open their first multi-game weekend of the regular season as they visit the Quad City Mallards for the opener of back-to-back match-ups. It’s the first time since 2010 that the Cyclones have faced a Western Conference opponent during the regular year and will mark the first time the Mallards have faced a previously-existing ECHL squad.

Scouting the Mallards: Terry Ruskowski’s club has gone 2-1-0-0 through its first few games in the recently-expanded league. Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel is atop the team in scoring, notching four points (2g, 2a) and six penalty minutes. Rookie forward Pearce Eviston has also been a solid weapon in the early going, collecting a pair of assists in the three contests. Former ECHL MVP Kevin Baker leads the Mallards in shots on goal (9) but has only come up with a single goal. Parker Milner and Evan Mosher have each seen time between the pipes through the first few games this season. Milner is 1-1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA while Mosher is 1-0-0-0 with an 2.77 GAA.

Last Time Out: Curtis Valk’s three-point night led the Wings past the Cyclones by an 8-2 final score in front of 5,855 at U.S. Bank Arena last Saturday. Wade Megan and Andrew Yogan each scored goals in the defeat.

Megan’s Motoring Early: Cyclones forward Wade Megan has started strongly this season; the former Boston University standout has scored goals in each of his first two games. He now has seven career goals against the Kalamazoo Wings.

Like a “Boss”: Rookie forward Joe Basaraba is impressing through a couple of games for the Cyclones. Through two tilts, he leads the team in scoring with three points (1g, 2a).

Squeaky Clean: Albeit early, the Cyclones are the least-penalized team in the ECHL. They have been whistled for just 22 penalty minutes, 10 of those minutes coming on fighting majors. They were the league’s least-penalized teams last year as well, going shorthanded just 225 times.

Season Series at a Glance (2 games - 0 home, 2 away):
Oct 31 Cincinnati at Quad City 8:05pm EDT
Nov 1 Cincinnati at Quad City 8:05pm EDT