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ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones \'Teach' Johnstown A Lesson, 4-3

March 19, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Cyclones netted four power play goals in a 4-3 win over the Johnstown Chiefs, in a Wednesday morning game at U.S. Bank Arena. The contest was an ‘Education In Hockey Day' game, with more than 4100 students from the area attending the game. Mathieu Aubin and Olivier Latendresse each had a pair of goals and a pair of assists in the win. David Desharnais, the ECHL's leading scorer-chipped in with four assists.

Johnstown raced out to a 2-0 lead a bit more than four minutes in the game. Alexandre Imbeault opened the scoring 2:51 into the frame-slamming home a rebound from the top of the top of the goal crease-his tenth goal of the year. Rookie Joel Gasper, in his first pro game, collected the assist. A little more than a minute later, at 4:07, Jason Spence banged home his fifth goal of the campaign from Vincent Zaore and Joey Olson.

Lesson number one was taught here, do not give the ECHL's top power play unit a chance to operate. The Cyclones at 22.3 percent lead the league in conversion rate and went four for six on the day.

A two-man advantage later in the first period allowed Cincinnati to get back in the game. Mathieu Aubin nailed his 22nd goal of the season at 8:22, just nine seconds after the two-man advantage began. Aubin waited at the left post and waited for a pass from David Desharnais, who took it from Olivier Latendresse. Thirty-five seconds later, at 8:57, Aubin picked up his second of the day and 23rd of the year from Desharnais and Latendresse, again. Aubin came down the left wing side and buried a backhanded shot past Ryan Nie. The shots on goal favored Johnstown, 18-6, in the opening period.

In the second period, the Cyclones grabbed the lead when Olivier Latendresse buried his fifth goal of the season-on the power play-at 14:24. Desharnais and Aubin had the assists on the goal. Cincinnati survived high drama late in the frame, as the club killed 28 seconds of five-on-three power play time by the Chiefs. Johnstown again won the shots on goal battle, 10-7, in the period.

Lesson number two came next, when the Cyclones hold a lead entering the third period, they were 32-3-1. After the final frame-they became 33-3-1.

The Cyclones scored on their only shot of the third period, as Latendresse picked up his second of the afternoon and sixth of the season at 4:11. Aubin and Desharnias added the assists. It was the fourth power play goal of the day. Mike Knight rounded out the scoring for Johnstown, notching his eighth goal at 17:41 from Imbeault and Randy Rowe. The shots on goal favored the Chiefs, 6-1, in the period and 34-14 for the game.

Cody Rudkowsky picked up the win, his eleventh of the campaign, stopping 32 shots. Ryan Nie, in his second bid to set Johnstown's career wins record, took the loss to drop to 24-12-4, making ten saves.

The last lesson came with the victory, which assured Cincinnati of no worse than finishing with the ECHL's third-best record at the end of the regular season.

CYCLONES NOTEBOOK:

Prior to Wednesday's game, the Cyclones received defenseman Jon Gleed from the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL). Gleed, a second-year pro, has appeared in 22 games with Hamilton, collecting a pair of assists and 14 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 13 games with the Cyclones, tallying four assists and 30 penalty minutes. The Cyclones also signed forward Chris Ferazzoli, a rookie who played with Indiana (MAHL) and was the circuit's third-leading scorer with 65 points (22-43-65).

On Monday (March 17), for the first time in club history, the Cincinnati Cyclones have captured the ECHL's North Division title. The club, which began in Louisville in 1995-96, is in its ninth season of operation. The IHL's Cincinnati Cyclones won one division title (1995-96). That edition of the Cyclones was the last team to crack the 100-plus point barrier in the standings, registering 111 points.

The Cincinnati Cyclones are 39 games above .500, with a 49-10-4 record and sole possession of first place in the North Division-23 points ahead of second place Elmira. The win gives Cincinnati a 33-4-2 record since December 15. Johnstown is 30-29-5 and in fourth place in the division. The 49 wins are the most ever by the club.

The Cyclones are next in action Friday night (March 21) at Johnstown at 7pm. The game will be carried on the internet at: www.cycloneshockey.com. The game will also be carried on 96 Rock. Saturday's game at Wheeling will be a 7:30pm start on 96 Rock also.

By winning the North Division, the Cyclones have a bye in the play-in round of the ECHL postseason and will host the winner of the fourth seed-fifth seed, best-of-three series at the end of the regular season. The first game of the best-of-seven series that the Cyclones will play, opens at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday, April 11 at 7:30pm.

Currently, the Cyclones sit with the ECHL's second-best record. Assuming the club does not record a point the rest of the season-the Cyclones would be the third-seed overall in the postseason. Only Texas (possible total of 122) and Las Vegas (110) could record more points, than Cincinnati (102ac) currently has.

Tickets for all Cyclones games can be purchased at the U.S. Bank Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets including select Kroger stores, charge by phone at 513-562-4949 or online at ticketmaster.com. The most up-to-date information and broadcast of the games can be found on our website www.cycloneshockey.com.

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