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ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Can Clinch Division Tonight

March 16, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


COMING UP: The Cincinnati Cyclones play four games this week, needing only to get a game into overtime to secure their first-ever North Division title. The Cyclones (47-10-4), start the week with 98 points, a 21-point edge over second place Elmira. The first two games of the week are at U.S. Bank Arena as Johnstown is in for a St. Patrick's Day game at 7:30pm, tonight. The teams meet again on Wednesday morning at 10am and then the Cyclones head to Johnstown for a 7pm game on Friday night (carried on 96 Rock). Saturday (March 22), the club heads to Wheeling for a 7:30pm showdown with the Nailers (also carried on 96 Rock).

ABOUT LAST NIGHT...: Down 3-0 in the third period, the Cyclones rallied for three goals in a two and a half minute span to tie the game--before losing in a shootout, 4-3, at Dayton. Jason Deitsch and Matt Syroczynski each had a goal and an assist to pace the attack. It was the 26th time this season that Cincinnati had rallied in a game to pick up points in the standings (22 of them wins).

ABOUT FRIDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones rallied six times to claim a 7-6 shootout win at Wheeling on Friday night. Thomas Beauregard scored three goals, chipped in an assist and netted one of the shootout goals in the triumph. David Desharnais turned in three assists and T.J. McElroy send everyone home with an eighth round shootout score. Cincinnati scored three third period goals and Olivier Latendresse's goal with 1:09 remaining forced the extra sessions.

ABOUT THURSDAY NIGHT...: Trenton goaltender Jason Smith withstood 35 shots and the Devils scored three goals in the second and three more in the third for a 6-0 win over the Cyclones. Trevor Kell netted a goal and three assists in the triumph, which ended Cincinnati 14 game home winning streak and 22 game (20-0-2) unbeaten stretch in regulation time at U.S. Bank Arena.

ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones threw three goals on the scoreboard in the second period and never looked back in a 6-0 blanking of Wheeling. David Desharnais had two goals and two assists, while Thomas Beauregard had two goals and an assist. Cody Rudkowsky made his Cyclones debut by stopping all 22 shots he faced.

PLAYOFFS, HERE WE COME: The win on February 22, gave Cincinnati a berth into the Kelly Cup playoffs. It is the first time in team history that the squad has secured a postseason appearance in the month of February. With a win over Reading on March 7, the Cyclones secured at least third in the North Division standings, giving Cincinnati a bye into the second round of the playoffs. With Cincinnati's win on Friday night (March 14) and Elmira's triumph over Reading, the Cyclones secured second place in the North and home ice advantage in the North Division semifinals.

PRELUDE TO A TITLE: Mathematically, the Cyclones could clinch the North Division regular season title tonight with a win versus Johnstown. Should that not happen, the club could secure it with Wheeling defeating Elmira. If neither happens, it could occur on Wednesday morning with a triumph over Johnstown at U.S. Bank Arena.

EDUCATION IN HOCKEY DAY GAME WEDNESDAY!: Wednesday morning (March 19), more than 4100 students from 36 schools in the Tri-State will participate in the second 'Education In Hockey Day' game. Nearly 7000 students will have attended the two events this season, which teaches students math, science, geography and physcial education from nine of the Cyclones college graduates. The students from grades three through ten, will see the lessons on the arena's JumboTron during the game's intermissions.

STREAK TO REMEMBER: The loss on Thursday night (March 13) against Trenton ended a 14-game home winning streak for the Cyclones, who outscored the opposition, 64-36, during that run. The winning streak started on Jan. 5. The loss also ended a 20-0-2 run for Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena. Starting with a win over Elmira on Mov. 28, the club more than 15 weeks (106 days) without a regulation time loss at the facility. The team outscored the opponent, 103-52 during that span of time.

THEY ARE CATCHING ON: The Cyclones drew 5178 for the February 23 game against Elmira, the fifth time this season that the club has exceeded 5000 in attendance for a game-four of these have happened since the start of the new calendar year. U.S. Bank Arena has had an average of 2280 check out the Cyclones through 32 home dates, an increase of 30.9 percent in attendance through an equal number of dates from a year ago. The last time the Cyclones had six or more crowds of 5000 in a season was back during 2002-03, when the club had it happen eight times. In the 16 games at U.S. Bank Arena since January 1, the Cyclones are averaging 2731 fans per contest.

DESHARNAIS SHINES: Cyclones rookie forward David Desharnais has enjoyed his first pro season. After signing with the Cyclones prior to the season, Desharnais was invited to Hamilton's training camp. He was later signed by the Bulldogs and re-assigned to Cincinnati. David presently leads the ECHL in scoring with 85 points (22-63-85). He represented Cincinnati at the 2008 Rbk ECHL All-Star Game and had an assist in the contest. On March 13, Desharnais had a 27-game point scoring streak snapped, after netting 48 points during that span (11-37-48). David had an ECHL record twenty-game assist streak broken on March 1 (3-28-31). Desharnais' 27-game point streak is the longest in the ECHL this season and the fourth-longest in ECHL history. David has established the Cyclones team record with 63 assists on the season. On Wednesday (March 5), he was selected as the ECHL's Rookie of the Month for the second time this season.

SYROCZYNSKI SETS CLUB RECORD: Forward Matt Syroczynski netted Cincinnati's fifth goal in the win over Reading on March 7--his ninth game-winning goal of the season. That breaks the club record for game-winners in a season held by Sheldon Gorski who established the record during the 1997-98 season in Louisville.

HOME, SWEET HOME: The Cyclones have a 25-4-3 (.828) record at U.S. Bank Arena this season. That is the most wins on home ice the club has ever posted on home ice.

THIRTY-SEVEN OVER!: With the win Friday night, the Cyclones were 37 games above .500 for the second time in team history. Prior to this season, the last time a Cincinnati pro hockey team was 30 games above break even was March 3, 1996 when the IHL Cyclones were 42-12-9 (.738). No professional hockey team called the Cincinnati Cyclones has EVER been 37 games above the break even mark. The last time any Cincinnati pro team was more than 33 games above .500 was October 3, 1976 after the Cincinnati Reds finished the regular season at 102-60-42 games above the mark. Right now, the Cyclones are 37 games above break even, at 47-10-4.

WE ARE QUITE OFFENSIVE: The Cyclones have scored an ECHL-high 252 goals. Cincinnati averages 4.11 goals per game, the most in the ECHL. The club has posted five games in which it has netted eight goals-which sets a team-record for most games with eight or more in a season. Cincinnati was the first team in the league to reach the 100 goal and 200 goal plateaus this season, reaching the double century mark February 22. The squad is on pace to net 297 goals. The last time an ECHL team hit 300 goals was the 2005-06 Gwinnett club with 304. The club record for goals is 266, set by the 1995-96 edition of the Louisville River Frogs.

GUNNING FOR 48 WINS!: The Cyclones picked up their 47th win of the season Friday night versus Wheeling-setting a club record for earliest, and fastest, to the plateau. Including the postseason in 2006-07, Cincinnati won 43 games. The 47 wins are the sixth-most ever by a professional hockey team in Cincinnati. The 1972-73 Cincinnati Swords (AHL) won 54 games, while the 1995-96 IHL Cyclones posted 51. The 1956-57 Cincinnati Mohawks (IHL) collected 50 wins, as the only teams to reach the half century mark in triumphs.

CYCLONES COACHES SHOW: The Cyclones Coaches Show airs every Monday from Jefferson Hall at Newport on the Levee from 7-8pm. The show, features Head Coach Chuck Weber and two players.

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