ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati Vs. Toledo

March 26, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


DATE: Saturday, March 26, 2011

TIME: 7:30pm

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

RADIO: None

WEBCAST: CyclonesHockey.com (American One)

NHL AFFILIATES

Cincinnati Cyclones: Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators

Toledo Walleye: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks

NEXT HOME GAME

Friday, April 1 vs. Kalamazoo Wings - 7:30pm

City Barbeque Fan Appreciation Night - $1 John Morrell Hotdogs / $1 Donatos Pizza / $1 Soda / $.50 Popcorn

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: After dropping last night's series opener to the Walleye, the Cyclones magic number to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff spot remains at seven. But with only four games remaining in the regular season, each one becomes that much more important. That is certainly the case tonight in the second of three between Cincinnati and Toledo. The Walleye have taken four of the six meetings at U.S. Bank Arena this year and lead the season series 8-4-1-0. Out of the 13 contests between the two clubs in 2010-11, all but four of them have been decided by two goals or less.

TONIGHT'S PROMOTION: Child Abuse Awareness Night - The first 2,500 fans receive a Reminderband. The Cyclones will wear specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the Northern Kentucky Children's Advocacy Center.

SCOUTING THE WALLEYE: Nick Vitucci's club has pulled within just four points of Cincinnati for the eighth and final playoff spot - and they have a game in hand. The Walleye are unbeaten in regulation over their last three games, going 2-0-1 in that stretch. They're finding ways to put the puck on the net with authority, averaging an ECHL second-most 34.2 shots per game. Andy Bombach once again proved to be a Cyclones killer last night, picking up a goal and two assists. It total against Cincinnati this year, Bombach has amassed 12 points in 11 meetings. His 61 total tallies pace all ECHL rookies and place him eighth overall. Goaltender Thomas McCollum has started in 16 consecutive contests for the Walleye and has yet to lose against the 'Clones - going 4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average.

An Eye on the East: As of today, here is a quick snapshot of how the Eastern Conference playoff race shapes up:

5 - South Carolina 75 points

6 - Wheeling 74 points

7 - Elmira 73 points

8 - Cincinnati 72 points

9 - Toledo 68 points

10 - Gwinnett 67 points

Magic Number Tracker: As it stands now, the Cyclones "Magic Number" to clinch a Kelly Cup playoff spot sits at 7. That number will shrink by two for each Cincinnati win and each Toledo loss.

No Shots For You: The Cyclones have been consistently keeping their opponents from racking up many offensive chances. In fact, this year Cincinnati has allowed an ECHL third-fewest shots on net (29.12) per game. Over the last 13 games, a Cyclones opponent has only broken the 30-shot plateau four times.

Get the Lead: Scoring first has been crucial to most teams' success this season. Cincinnati is no exception; they have gone 22-6-5 in such situations, which is fourth-best in the Eastern Conference. They have accomplished that feat in five of their last nine games.

SEASON SERIES (15 Meetings - 2 Remaining)

Oct. 29 Cincinnati 2 at Toledo 3 Final

Nov. 10 Toledo 1 at Cincinnati 2 Final OT

Nov. 12 Cincinnati 2 at Toledo 0 Final

Nov. 14 Cincinnati 2 at Toledo 1 Final

Dec. 5 Cincinnati 3 at Toledo 2 Final

Dec. 10 Toledo 5 at Cincinnati 2 Final

Dec. 28 Toledo 2 at Cincinnati 0 Final

Jan. 1 Cincinnati 2 at Toledo 6 Final

Jan. 23 Cincinnati 2 at Toledo 4 Final

Feb. 16 Toledo 3 at Cincinnati 2 Final SOL OT

Feb. 18 Toledo 1 at Cincinnati 5 Final

Mar. 5 Toledo 5 at Cincinnati 2 Final

Mar. 25 Toledo 3 at Cincinnati 2 Final

Mar. 26 Toledo at Cincinnati 7:30 pm EDT

Mar. 27 Cincinnati at Toledo 4:00 pm EDT

Check out the Cincinnati Cyclones Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 26, 2011


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