ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Headed To American Conference Finals!

Published on May 5, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Cyclones advanced to the American Conference Finals with a 6-1 win over Reading Monday night in the seventh game of the best of seven series. Jason Deitsch and Mathieu Aubin each scored a goal and had tow assists to pace the offense. Cedrick Desjardins stopped 30 shots in taking the win.

The five goal margin was the most lopsided victory in a seventh game in the 20 year history of the ECHL.

There was no scoring in the first period, as the teams each ended with 15 shots on goal in the frame.

For the first time in the Kelly Cup playoffs the Cyclones exploded for four goals in a period in opening a 4-0 edge.

Jason Deitsch picked up the first score, his second of the postseason from Mathieu Aubin and T.J. McElroy. At 6:49, Cincinnati ended a zero-for-28 power play draught that lasted twelve periods-when David Desharnais snapped off his third playoff goal from Bryan Schmidt and Matt Macdonald. The lead extended to 3-0, when Aubin buried his third goal in two games from Deitsch at 11:18. The scoring flurry ended at 12:54 when rookie Ryan Russell netted his first pro playoff goal from Aubin and Deitsch. The Cyclones dominated the period, outshooting the Royals, 19-4.

Reading got a third period goal from Kevin Saurette to cut the lead to 4-1. Scott Reynolds re-established the four goal lead at 8:23 with his third goal from Barret Ehgoetz.. The final goal came from Desharnais from Jean-Michel Daoust.

It was the first time that a professional sporting event had gone to a seventh game and been played in the city of Cincinnati since the 1996 IHL Eastern Conference Finals. The IHL Cyclones lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Orlando in that decisive game. Since that game, there had been four seventh games played by local pro teams-all hockey and on the road-with only one winning (2005 AHL West Semifinals at Milwaukee).

This was the third time in club history that the Cyclones have played a seventh game in a playoff series, most in ECHL history. This was the 13th time in league history that seventh game has been played, with the home team winning ten of them (77 percent). It was only the third time in ECHL history that a team never led a best of seven series until the end of the seventh game.

As winners of this series, the Cyclones will host South Carolina in a games one and two of a best of seven series to determine the American Conference champion and one half of the Kelly Cup Finals. Game one of the series will be on Friday (May 9) and game two will be Saturday (May 10) at 7:30pm. South Carolina advanced tonight by winning the fifth, and decisive game, in the best of five series-2-0 over Columbia. A full press release detailing game dates and times in the series will be coming later tonight.

The last time a seventh game of a playoff series was won in the city of Cincinnati was the 1996 IHL Eastern Conference semifinals-when the Cyclones knocked off Michigan in a 3-2 decision in the final game on May 15, 1996. The IHL Cyclones advanced, but then lost in a seventh game to Orlando.

There are two other times since 1920 that a seventh game triumph has occurred in the Queen City by a local club. In the 1955 IHL Turner Cup championship series-the Mohawks claimed a 7-0 win over the Troy Bruins to capture the third of their five straight championships on April 3, 1955. The other was the 1940 World Series, when the Reds defeated the Detroit Tigers, 2-1, in the final game of the series on October 8, 1940.

This was the seventh game of the best-of-seven North Division Finals. It is the third time in team history that the squad has reached this stage of the Kelly Cup playoffs and second straight year that is has occurred. The Cyclones (55-12-5) were the North Division, American Conference and Brabham Cup (best overall ECHL regular season record) champions. Reading (38-26-6), which was seeded third, upended second-seeded Elmira in a six game series that ended more than a week ago to advance to this round.

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.

Check out the Cincinnati Cyclones Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from May 5, 2008


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.

OurSports Central