GAME NOTES: 1/20 vs. Ft. Wayne
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2017
Game 37 (Road Game 18)
Vs. Ft. Wayne Komets (21-11-4-0, 46pts)
Friday, January 20, 2017 - 8:00pm ET
War Memorial Coliseum - Ft. Wayne, IN
Overview: The Cyclones head to Ft. Wayne to battle the Komets in the first game of a three-game weekend. Cincinnati is in the midst of a season-long eight-game road trip, and are coming off of a 3-2 loss to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (17-15-4-0) dropped a 3-2 decision to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Sunday afternoon. Forwards Colin Mulvey and Nick Huard tallied the goals for the Cyclones, who fall to a divisional opponent for the second straight game. The Cyclones outshot Greenville, 29-22 on the afternoon, with goaltender Mark Visentin stopping 19 in a losing effort.
Saturday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (17-14-4-0) fell to the Atlanta Gladiators, 6-2, on Saturday night. Forwards Seth Ambroz and Peter LeBlanc tallied the lone goals for Cincinnati, who see their five-game winning streak come to an end. Both teams registered 34 shots on the night, with Cyclones netminder Mark Visentin stopping 28 in the loss.
Last Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (17-13-4-0) earned a 3-2 win over the Quad City Mallards on Wednesday night. Forwards Nick Huard and Seth Ambroz along with defenseman Craig Dalrymple scored the goals for the Cyclones, who see their winning streak pushed to five games. The Cyclones outshot Quad City, 31-20 on the night, with goaltenders Michael Houser and Mark Visentin combining to stop 18 in the win.
Previewing Ft. Wayne: The Komets enter Friday night having dropped three of their last four games, however they are coming off of a 6-2 win over the Quad City Mallards on Sunday afternoon. Special teams has been a strong point for the Komets this season, as they rank fourth in overall power play percentage (21.6%), and they have the second best penalty kill at home (89.4%). The Komets have the third-highest offense in the ECHL, accounting for 3.86 goals per game, and are led by forward Shawn Szydlowski who has accounted for 21 goals and 28 assists through 31 games this season. He is followed by forward Kyle Thomas (20g, 27a), and rookie sensation Mike Cazzola, who leads all ECHL rookies with 44 points (16g, 28a).
Inside the Series: Friday’s game will be the fourth of eight meetings between Cincinnati and Ft. Wayne this season, with the Komets taking two of the first three.
Next Game Preview: Cincinnati heads to Indianapolis to take on the Indy Fuel on Saturday, in the first of a back-to-back. Saturday will be the eighth of 12 matchups this season between Cincinnati and Indy, with the Cyclones holding a 4-3 edge in the series thus far.
News and Notes:
Cyclones Acquire Johnston: Cincinnati Cyclones Head Coach Matt Macdonald has announced that the team has acquired defenseman Daniel Johnston from the Alaska Aces in exchange for cash considerations. A native of Calgary, AB, Johnston has not appeared in a game this season, however he split the 2015-16 campaign with the Aces, Idaho Steelheads, and Wichita Thunder. In 32 games last year, Johnston accounted for three goals and 10 assists. Standing at 6’2” and weighing in at 212 pounds, Johnston turned pro in 2013, and spent the first two years of his pro career with the Colorado Eagles and Evansville IceMen. In 124 games from 2013-15, he totaled 10 goals and dished out 31 assists along with 161 minutes in penalties. He also skated in six playoff games with the Eagles in 2014 where he dished out an assist. Prior to turning pro, Johnston enjoyed a successful junior hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) that spanned parts of six seasons from 2007-2013. In 253 WHL games, Johnston accounted for 17 goals and 88 assists, along with 251 penalty minutes.
Loaded Pistol: Forward Peter LeBlanc has been on fire lately, recording points in eight of his last nine games (3g, 7a) along with plus-4 on-ice rating. LeBlanc has been one of Cincinnati’s top offensive leaders since late November, recording points in 14 of his last 20 games (9g, 9a).
He Can Do It All: Defenseman Jaynen Rissling was moved up to forward for Cincinnati’s last six games and has made an immediate impact, accounting for two goals and six assists in that time. Both of his goals came in last Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Wheeling Nailers, and he is enjoying career highs in goals (4), assists (11), and points (15).
Stingy Defense: Cincinnati currently ranks sixth in the ECHL in both goals allowed per game with 2.89, and shots allowed with 28.89.
Power Surge: The Cyclones have scored a power play goal in six of their last nine games overall, converting on five of 29 chances (17.7%) in that span.
The Road Ahead: The Cyclones will be spending a lot of time on the road in the coming weeks, as they are in the middle of a season long eight-game road trip. The Cyclones are 7-10-0-0 on the road this season while averaging 2.70 goals per game.
Get Ahead, Stay Ahead: The Cyclones are 13-1-3 record when leading after one period and a 14-1-2 mark when leading after 40 minutes.
Stay Connected!: Follow the latest news on Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and more! Also, for all of the latest news and notes, head over to www.cycloneshockey.com.
The 2016-17 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want you along for the ride as they march towards another Kelly Cup Championship! 2016-17 single game tickets and packages along with group and Season Ticket Packages are available NOW! Call (513) 421-PUCK to reserve your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
