For Immediate Release: April 8, 2017

Game 72 (Road Game 36)

Vs. South Carolina Stingrays (39-28-3-1, 82 pts)

Saturday, April 8, 2017 - 7:05pm ET

North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC

Full Game Notes

Overview: The Cyclones wrap up their 2016-17 campaign on Saturday night on the road against the South Carolina Stingrays. Cincinnati is coming off of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Friday night, officially eliminating them from Kelly Cup Playoff contention. 

Last Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (36-29-5-1) dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Friday night. Defenseman Martin Lefebvre and forward Shane Walsh scored the goals for the Cyclones, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. The Cyclones were outshot, 52-34 on the night, with Cyclones goaltender Michael Houser stopping 49 in the loss.

Sunday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (36-29-4-1) dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Indy Fuel on Sunday afternoon. Forward Brandon McNally and defenseman Craig Dalrymple netted the goals for the Cyclones. The Cyclones outshot Indy, 39-31 on the night, with goaltender Michael Houser turning aside 28 in defeat.

Saturday Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (36-29-4-0) earned a 5-3 win over the Toledo Walleye on Saturday night. Forwards Nick Huard, Justin MacDonald, Seth Ambroz, and Christiaan Minella, along with defenseman Martin Lefebvre scored the goals for the Cyclones. The Cyclones were outshot, 32-19 on the night, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 29 in the win.

Previewing South Carolina: The Stingrays are bound for the Kelly Cup Playoffs following their 3-2 win over the Atlanta Gladiators and the Cyclones 3-2 loss to Greenville on Friday night. South Carolina has won three in a row following a three-game skid, and are still in contention for the third seed in the South Division. Forward Kelly Zajac leads all active players with 51 points (13g 38a) through 58 games this season. He is followed by forwards Derek Arnold (15g, 32a) and Patrick Gaul (11g, 26a) who round out the top three. In goal, Parker Milner leads the way with a 26-4-2-0 record along with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. 

Inside the Series: This is the lone meeting between South Carolina and Cincinnati this season, and the final regular season game for both teams. Tonight’s game is fifth and final divisional game for the Cyclones as well, with Cincinnati  posting a 0-2-1-1 record in the first five games. 

Next Game Preview: The Cyclones return to the ice to begin the 2017-18 season in October. Stay tuned to www.cycloneshockey.com in the coming weeks for the official schedule release. 

NEED-TO-KNOW

Weegar Makes NHL Debut: Former Cincinnati Cyclones defenseman MacKenzie Weegar made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut with the Florida Panthers in Monday night, in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He dished out pair of hits, served a minor penalty, and recorded a shot on goal in 16:45 of ice time. A native of Ottawa, ON, Weegar skated in 21 games for the Cyclones during the 2014-15 season where he totaled a goal and 12 assists in that time. The rest of his pro career has been spent in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he has amassed 22 goals and 44 assists in 120 career games.

Cyclones Claim Elbrecht: The Cincinnati Cyclones have claimed defenseman Tyler Elbrecht off of waivers from the Manchester Monarchs. He has appeared in 63 games this season between the Monarchs and Missouri Mavericks, accounting for six goals and 13 assists along with 154 penalty minutes. A native of Edwardsville, IL, Elbrecht has spent the entirety of his four-year pro career in the ECHL, suiting up for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Idaho Steelheads, and Toledo Walleye, in addition to the Mavericks and Monarchs. In 260 career ECHL games, Elbrecht has accounted for 11 goals and 41 assists, along with 591 penalty minutes.

Crowded at the Top: Three Cyclones are within three points of the team point lead. Forward Nick Huard extended his Cyclones scoring lead to 47 points (17g, 30a) with an assist in last Sunday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Indy Fuel. He is followed by Shane Walsh who moved into second with a goal in last night’s 3-2 overtime loss to Greenville. He now has 45 points(18g, 27a) through 70 games played. Jordan Sims (15g, 29a) rounds out the top three. 

Leading By Example: Forward Shawn O’Donnell had an assist in last night’s 3-2 overtime loss to Greenville and now has points in 11 of his last 16 games (6g, 14a). 

Welcome back: Defenseman Eric Knodel dished out an assist in last night’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, and had a pair of assists in last Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Toledo Walleye. He has points in six of his last nine games (3g, 5a), and has accounted for three goals and seven assists since returning from injury on February 28 (13 games). 

Milestone for Mac: Cincinnati Cyclones Head Coach Matt Macdonald collected his one-hundredth career victory, following a 2-1 win over the Alaska Aces on March 15. The third-year head coach has compiled a career record of 100-83-11-13. After narrowly missing the playoffs in his first season behind the bench, Macdonald’s second season saw a 36-27-5-4 record that featured an amazing run down the stretch to help Cincinnati capture the seventh seed. The Cyclones ultimately fell to the Ft. Wayne Komets in a thrilling first round series 4 games to 3. The Niagara Falls, ON, native also served as an assistant coach for the Cyclones for two seasons upon his retirement from playing in 2012. He helped lead the Cyclones to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and a trip to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2014 where the ‘Clones fell to the Alaska Aces 4 games to 2.

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!