SALT LAKE SWEEP! CYCLONES WIN 6-3, EARN POINTS IN 21 STRAIGHT
The Cyclones earned a 6-3 win Sunday afternoon, completing a three-game season series sweep over Utah and remaining one of the hottest hockey teams on the planet.
Cincinnati continues to chase a pair of league records. Their 43-12-6-3 (95 points) record holds them atop the Central Division with a four-point gap on second place-Toledo. Cincinnati became the fourth team in the 35-year history of the ECHL to record points in 21 straight games, tying them with the Richmond Renegades, who did so during the 1995-96 season. The 'Clones are two games back of both South Carolina (2015) and Texas (2007-08) for the all-time consecutive games point streak.
Additionally, the Cyclones have won nine games in a row and 11 straight on the road. They are the third team in league history to win 11 straight away games, sitting two wins back of South Carolina's league best-13 away game win streak set in 2015.
- Matt Berry (16) opened the scoring for Cincinnati 13:32 into the first on a misplay by Utah goaltender Trent Miner. A loose puck started drifting down into the Grizzlies' defensive zone, and with Berry leading the race to it, Miner elected to chase it down from well out his net. Miner got to the puck right before Berry on the right-wing side, but cleared it directly onto the forward, who pivoted from there and skated down to slide the puck into the empty goal, giving the Cyclones a 1-0 lead. Cincinnati has scored the first goal in 15 of the team's last 17 games.
- 62 combined penalty minutes were called in the second period, beginning with a Cody Caron delay of game penalty. Recently down from the AHL, forward Brandon Cutler got Utah its first power play goal against Cincinnati in the season series, tying the game. Jordan Martel would score 11 seconds later, chasing down a rebound left from Keaton Jameson to get Utah a 2-1 lead before a pair of costly penalties would cost them.
- Dylan Fitze picked up 16 penalty minutes in an altercation behind the play with Lee Lapid. That earned the 'Clones a four-minute power play before Brycen Martin took a five-minute major penalty for slashing and a game misconduct. On a five-on-three, Zach Berzolla (5) wired a shot past Miner, tying the game at two.
- Sean Allen would put Cincinnati back up 3-2 with his first goal of the season and first in 64 games. The rugged defenseman tossed a shot from the right point that caught a piece of Miner's blocker before rolling over top his shoulder and back into the net.
- The Cyclones earned another power play when Cameron Wright was called for slashing at the end of the second period. Utah flipped the script on the 'Clones, scoring a shorthanded goal after Cincinnati scored three in the previous two games. Zach Tsekos broke free down the right-wing to steal a puck and score a breakaway on Beck Warm early into the third, making it 3-3.
- Luka Burzan (8) had a big night against his former team, scoring a goal and two assists for a three-point performance. Burzan stole a puck and entered the zone, cutting past Miner in-tight to score and put Cincinnati ahead with 10:31 to play. Patrick Polino (23) and Louie Caporusso (22) added to the lead with empty-net goals late to help pull away from the Grizzlies with a 6-3 final.
- Warm registered 31 saves to continue to lead the ECHL in wins with 26.
- The Cyclones return home for a three-game homestand Friday-Sunday, beginning with a showdown against the South Division's South Carolina Stingrays.
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