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ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati Vs. Chicago

December 22, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


CINCINNATI CYCLONES (10-9-0-3)

vs.

CHICAGO EXPRESS (14-10-2-1)

DATE: Thursday, December 22, 2011

TIME: 7:30pm ET

SITE: U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati, OH

RADIO: None

WEBCAST: CyclonesHockey.com (America One)

NHL AFFILIATES

Cincinnati Cyclones: Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators

Chicago Express: Columbus Blue Jackets

NEXT HOME GAME

Tuesday, December 27 - 7:30pm vs. Kalamazoo Wings

KIDS EAT FREE NIGHT - Fans ages 2-12 will receive a FREE meal courtesy of John Morrell!

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: Tonight the Cyclones will look to give themselves an early Christmas gift as they bid for three consecutive victories and another "W" against the Chicago Express. This past Saturday, Brian Foster and the Cyclones earned a 3-0 decision over Chicago, creeping ever-closer to their North Division foes. With another triumph tonight, the Clones could find themselves just six points back of second place with five games in hand as they head into the holiday break.

TONIGHT'S PROMOTION: Thirsty Thursday / Ugly Sweater Party - Fans 21+ can enjoy $1 PBR and Miller High Life! Fans are also encouraged to wear their best Ugly Sweaters!

SCOUTING THE EXPRESS: Despite dropping two straight games, Steve Martinson's club sits eight points ahead of Cincinnati in the North Division standings with a record of 14-10-2-1. Chicago's Achilles heel has been their penalty kill unit, which ranks dead last in the ECHL (75.6%). Not surprisingly, they have been whistled for 499 penalty minutes, which also ranks atop the Eastern Conference leader board in that category. Newly-acquired forward Chad Painchaud is the Express' top offensive weapon, notching 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in 27 games overall. Tyler Donati is in a close second with 21 points in 20 games. Rob Nolan has been Chicago's primary goaltender this season, posting a 6-6-1 record and a 2.80 goals-against average (which is tied for 10th best in the ECHL).

About Last Night vs Kalamazoo: A.J. Jenks scored twice while Justin Vaive and Anthony Luciani each added a pair of assists as the Cyclones cruised past the Wings by a 5-1 final score in front of 3,366 at U.S. Bank Arena on Wednesday night. It was Cincinnati's largest margin of victory this season and tied the highest-shot output of the year (46).

Wonderful Willy: Rookie forward Garrett Wilson hasn't missed a beat since returning from his stint in San Antonio. He has posted points in five of his first six games back and six of his last nine overall. His game-winning goal on Saturday pulls him into a tie for the team lead in that category. He and Evan Trupp both have two game-winning goals this season. The Clones are 6-2-0 when he lights the lamp.

Strike Early, Strike Often: Like many teams across pro hockey, the Cyclones are tough to beat when they get an early lead. This season, they're 8-4-0-1 when scoring first and 5-1-0-1 when scoring the first two goals of the game. In addition, the Cyclones are 5-1-0 at home when leading after 20 minutes of play.

Everyday I'm Shuffling: Similar to a year ago, the Cyclones have had a revolving door when it comes to their roster. Already this season, 16 players have been called up to the AHL and have appeared in 105 "Triple-A" games. Collectively, there have been 22 call-ups this season from Cincinnati, resulting in 118 Cyclones games missed.

Shoot to Thrill: The Cyclones still remain among the ECHL's elite in the shots-on-goal department. Their 33.73 average per game ranks third-best in the league while their 27.14 ranks second fewest.

SEASON SERIES (16 Meetings - 11 Remaining)

Nov. 4 Cincinnati 3 at Chicago 4 Final SO

Nov. 5 Chicago 2 at Cincinnati 3 Final SO

Nov. 11 Cincinnati 3 at Chicago 5 Final

Nov. 19 Cincinnati 1 at Chicago 2 Final

Dec. 17 Chicago 0 at Cincinnati 3 Final

Dec. 22 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EST

Jan. 20 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EST

Jan. 21 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EST

Jan. 25 Cincinnati at Chicago 7:00 pm CST

Jan. 28 Cincinnati at Chicago 7:30 pm CST

Jan. 29 Cincinnati at Chicago 4:00 pm CST

Feb. 18 Cincinnati at Chicago 7:30 pm CST

Mar. 1 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EST

Mar. 21 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EDT

Mar. 28 Cincinnati at Chicago 7:00 pm CDT

Mar. 31 Chicago at Cincinnati 7:35 pm EDT

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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