The Cyclones welcomed their largest crowd of the season to Heritage Bank Center for a Thanksgiving Eve route of the Toledo Walleye, as the ‘Clones downed their interstate rival via a 9-2 victory.  

The Cyclones have won back to back games and are 8-5 on the season, now tied with the 8-5 Walleye, and sitting one point back of Fort Wayne for first in the Central Division.

• Despite allowing the game’s first goal, Cincinnati took a 3-1 lead into intermission with their highest scoring first period of the season. Josh Dickinson gave the visiting Walleye a 1-0 lead early, but Louie Caporusso would jab home the game-tying tally 10:35 into the frame. Yushiroh Hirano came in from the right side to fling one through the five hole of Toledo’s Victor Brattstrom for the 2-1 lead. A power play goal from Lukas Craggs came less than two minutes after Hirano’s goal to put the ‘Clones up by a pair. 
  
  
  
• Toledo would once again score the period’s first goal when Dickinson again beat Robson, this time short handed, 2:27 into the second period. Cincinnati re-established the two goal lead when Jack Van Boekel scored his first professional goal, thanks to a rebound left by Brattstrom that kicked off the leg of Walleye defender Chris Martenet and in. Dominic Franco followed with a goal midway through the second to get the Cyclones up by three.

• Van Boekel’s goal started an onslaught of six unanswered Cyclones tallies, with a four spot being posted in the third period. Patrick Polino would score back to back goals as part of a four-point game for the first year Cyclone. Polino fired home the game’s sixth goal as a result of a power play, then tipped home a right point drive from Dajon Mingo to make it 7-2. 

• Matt McLeod later raced down the right wing side before ripping a shot to the top of the net. Brett Van Os scored for the second time in as many games in the final minute, giving the Cyclones a 9-2 win and their first nine goal game since November 13, 2018, when Cincinnati pitched a 9-0 shutout over Greenville.
  
• The crowd of 10,317 was the second largest weekday (Monday-Thursday) crowd in Cyclones history, and the largest weekday crowd of any evening game in franchise history.

"The fans were insane,” said McLeod. “I’ve never played in front of a crowd that big and that passionate. For us to do that (score 9 goals) on a night like tonight; I mean what a game.” 

Friday will start a home-and-home set with the Kalamazoo Wings. The Cyclones play host first with a 7:30 puck drop on Black Friday.

Stay tuned all season for updates on important events, player signings, promotion and ticketing information and MORE! Call (513) 421-PUCK for tickets and more information, and stay on top of all the latest team updates and information on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!