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ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Game Notes: Vs. Indy

December 31, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


Game 30 (Home Game 18)

Vs. Indy Fuel (9-18-1-2, 21pts)

Saturday - 6:05pm ET

U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH

Full Game Notes

Overview: The Cyclones close out 2016 at home against the Indy Fuel on Saturday night. Cincinnati is coming off of a 3-2 loss to the Fuel on Friday night in Indy, and Saturday's game spells the end of a stretch of four games in five days for Cincinnati, including three over the last three days.

Last Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-13-4-0) fell to the Indy Fuel, 3-2, on Friday night. Forwards Peter LeBlanc and Shane Walsh tallied the goals for Cincinnati.The Cyclones outshot Indy, 37-23 on the evening, including 18-1 in the third period, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 20 in the loss.

Thursday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-12-4-0) fell to the Ft. Wayne Komets, 4-3, on Thursday night. Forwards Seth Ambroz, Shane Walsh, and Shawn O'Donnell tallied the goals for the Cyclones. Thursday's game was a particularly chippy affair as well, with the two sides combining for 92 minutes in penalties. The Cyclones outshot Ft. Wayne, 32-30, with goaltender Mark Visentin stopping 26 in the loss.

Tuesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (12-11-4-0) earned a 4-1 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Tuesday night. Forward Brandon McNally potted a pair of goals, while forwards Dominic Zombo, and Andrew Yogan added lone tallies for Cincinnati. Goaltender Michael Houser put together another impeccable performance, turning aside 35 of the 36 shots he faced in the win.

Previewing Indy: The Fuel snapped their 14-game losing streak on Friday night with a 3-2 win over the Cyclones and are now 1-14-0-2 over their last 15 games. Despite the recent struggles, Indy has picked up the offense as of late, accounting for 12 goals in the last three games, and 18 over their last six games played, including six against the Ft. Wayne Komets on Tuesday (L, 8-6). They are led by forward Alex Wideman who has accounted for 24 points (12g, 13a) through the first 29 games of the season. He is followed by recently-acquired Josh Shalla who has accounted for 23 points (15g, 8a) in 29 games between the Fuel and Wheeling Nailers, including a four-goal performance in Tuesday's 8-6 loss to Ft. Wayne. In goal, Jake Hildebrand has shouldered the bulk of the load this season, posting an 8-6-1-2 record along with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Inside the Series: Saturday will be the seventh of 12 meetings this season between the Cyclones and Fuel, and the final of five meetings in the month of December alone. Each team has taken three games in the series thus far, with the Cyclones outscoring Indy 16-1 this season.

Next Game Preview: The Cyclones hit the road to begin 2017 when they travel to Wichita on Wednesday night. The Cyclones took the first all-time meeting last season, 6-0.

News and Notes:

He's a Brick...HOUSE!: Goaltender Michael Houser has been stellar over his last seven starts, allowing one goal and making 25 or more saves in five of those contests. He is currently fifth amongst ECHL goaltenders with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

The Road Ahead: The Cyclones will be spending a lot of time on the road in the coming weeks, with 11 of the next 13 games coming away from U.S. Bank Arena, including 11-of-12 in the month of January.

Scoresheet Staple: Forward Andrew Yogan has been a near-constant on the score sheet this season, leading the team with 30 points and scoring in all but seven games played this season. He dished out a pair of assists in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Indy Fuel, and has accounted for a pair of goals and six assists in his last seven games.

Immediate Impact: Forward Shawn O'Donnell wasted little time making his presence felt in his return to the lineup on Thursday night, after having been sidelined for over a month. He recorded a "Gordie Howe Hat-Trick" (Goal, Assist, Fight) in Cincinnati's 4-3 loss to Ft. Wayne, and also finished the game with a plus-1 on-ice rating and four shots on goal.

Special Play: The Cyclones' special teams have played a crucial role in recent games. Cincinnati's power play has converted on six of their last 29 chances (20%), while the penalty kill has held the opposition scoreless on their last 38 of their last 42 power plays, including an perfect 7-for-7 in Tuesday's 4-1 win over Kalamazoo.

"O" from the "D": The Cyclones have been getting major offensive contributions from the blue line in recent games, as Cyclones defensemen have accounted for 27 points (6g, 21a) in the last 13 games. Arvin Atwal (1g, 8a) and Eric Knodel (2g, 7a) are tied with nine points over that span.

Megan Debuts in The Show: Former Cincinnati Cyclones forward Wade Megan made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut last Thursday night with the St. Louis Blues in a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 26-year-old wasted little time making an impact with his new team, tallying his first NHL goal in the opening period of the game, and finishing with a plus-2 on-ice rating and a 56% face-off percentage in 9:40 of ice-time. Megan spent parts of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons with the Cyclones, accounting for 27 points (17g, 10a) in 21 regular season games played. In 2013-14, he was named ECHL Player of the Week for the week of October 28-November 3 after netting six goals and dishing out three assists over a three-game span. A native of Canton, NY, Megan made his presence felt in the postseason for the Cyclones as well, leading Cincinnati to Game 6 of the 2014 Kelly Cup Finals where they ultimately fell to the Alaska Aces, 4 games to 2. In 22 playoff games that postseason, Megan ranked second in the League with 10 playoff goals, and added three assists for 13 total points.

Upcoming Promotions: Cincinnati closes out the 2016 calendar year on December 31 when the Indy Fuel come town. The Cyclones will be hosting a New Year's Eve Fireworks spectacular on following that night's contest, and that night will also be a $1 hot dog night, sponsored by John Morrell. Call (513) 421-PUCK (7825), visit us online at www.cycloneshockey.com, or stop by the U.S. Bank Arena box office for tickets and more information.

Stay Connected!: Follow the latest news on Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and more! Also, for all of the latest news and notes, head over to www.cycloneshockey.com.

The 2016-17 season is underway, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want you along for the ride as they march towards another Kelly Cup Championship! 2016-17 single game tickets and packages along with group and Season Ticket Packages are available NOW! Call (513) 421-PUCK to reserve your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com !

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