LATE-GAME HEROICS NOT ENOUGH AS ‘CLONES FALL IN OVERTIME
For Immediate Release: January 26, 2018
LATE-GAME HEROICS NOT ENOUGH AS ‘CLONES FALL IN OVERTIME
Cincinnati Completes Comeback, Tripped up in Overtime
Cincinnati, OH- The Cincinnati Cyclones (22-15-2-0) dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to the Indy Fuel on Friday night. Forwards Jesse Schultz, Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, and Winston Day Chief, along with defenseman Mitch Nylen, scored the goals for the Cyclones.
Cincinnati struck first at the 13:47 mark of the opening period when Muzito-Bagenda sent a pass from the right corner to Schultz in the high slot, and he rifled a shot in past Indy goaltender Etienne Marcoux to give Cincy a 1-0 lead.
That lead became 2-0 1:10 later while on the power play, when Muzito-Bagenda took a feed from Nylen and launched a shot from the left circle and in for his fifth goal on the season.
Cincinnati took their 2-0 into the locker room after the first and in the second the Fuel came back to tie the game, 2-2, 8:28 into the frame on goals from defenseman Zach Miskovic and forward Darian Dziurzynski on the power play.
The Cyclones answered with a power play tally of their own with six minutes to go in the second, when a shot from forward Alex Kile was tipped in by Day Chief to regain the lead for Cincinnati, 3-2.
The Cincinnati edge was short lived, as just 1:27 later, Fuel captain Michael Neal lit the lamp on the man advantage to tie the game back up, 3-3, through two periods.
In the third, Indy stole the lead with a Matt Rupert goal at the 12:20 mark to take a 4-3 edge, and force Cincinnati to pull the goalie with roughly two minutes left.
With 42 seconds remaining in regulation and with the extra attacker, Muzito-Bagenda took a shot that was kicked out by Marcoux, but Nylen was in the slot to bury the game-tying goal to pull Cincinnati even with the Fuel, 4-4, and force overtime.
In the extra session, the Cyclones could not maintain the momentum, as just 31 seconds in, forward Ryan Rupert slipped the game-winner by Cincinnati goaltender Jonas Johansson to secure Indy’s 5-4 overtime win.
The Cyclones were outshot, 30-24 on the night, with Johansson stopping 25 in the loss. Cincinnati continues their three-in-three on Saturday night against the Ft. Wayne Komets. Face-off is slated for 7:35pm ET.
The 2017-18 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want YOU along for the ride! Call (513) 421-PUCK for information regarding Cyclones single game tickets, ticket packages, and Season and Group Tickets! Also, stay on top of the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!