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Cincinnati Cyclones

Cyclones Manhandle Johnstown, 7-1, Advance To Playoffs

March 18, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


CINCINNATI, Ohio - Cincinnati Cyclones forward Jimmy Kilpatrick and Dustin Sproat each scored a pair of goal to lead the club to a 7-1 win over the Johnstown Chiefs. Rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith collected his 20th win of the season- a Cyclones rookie record.

With the victory, the Cyclones advance to the Kelly Cup playoffs for the fourth straight season. Cincinnati is assured of finishing no lower than eighth in the American Conference and with that- has secured a berth into the postseason. With a Cincinnati win over Toledo on Friday or Saturday- seventh place will be secured and if Reading loses on Saturday, sixth place will be locked up as well. Cincinnati has a 'magic number' of 15 to achieving home ice in the first round of the playoffs over Charlotte.

For the ECHL-leading 41st time this season, the Cyclones netted the first goal of the game. Forward Jimmy Kilpatrick slapped home his twelfth goal of the season at 2:20. Dustin Sproat worked the left wing side and slipped the puck into the high slot for Kilpatrick to knock home. Scott Reynolds added the other assist. Johnstown would level the scores at one at 9:45 with a shorthanded goal from Connor Shiels, his 26th of the campaign. The breakaway goal was the eleventh shorthanded goal permitted by Cincinnati this season. The shots favored the Cyclones, 13-7, in the period.

The Cyclones exploded for three second period goals to the game open at 4-1. A power play goal from Dustin Sproat at 1:40, his 19th of the season, from Maxime Lacroix and Kilpatrick gave Cincinnati the lead. At 9:16 of the middle period, Chiefs veteran forward Chanse Fitzpatrick took a roughing penalty in the Cincinnati goal crease. In his frustration over the call, he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for slamming the penalty box door. Johnstown killed thefirst penalty- and then the Cyclones killed the Chiefs. Doug Krantz' first goal since November 29- during the unsportsmanlike power play- put Cincinnati up 3-1. Krantz netted his third score of the season between the faceoff dots, as Mathieu Aubin had the helper. Kilpatrick's second goal of the night and 13th of the season came from Krantz and Lacroix at 14:24.

The Cyclones would extend the lead to 5-1 when Reynolds netted his 21st of the season at 2:16 from Barret Ehgoetz and Aubin. Ryan Del Monte scored a breakaway goal up the right wing side at 11:36 for his ninth goal of the campaign. Then, a shorthanded goal from Sproat- his second of the night and 20th of the year- at 19:38 from Lacroix and Jason Jozsa closed the scoring. The shots favored Johnstown, 10-8, in the final frame- but Cincinnati won the shots battle for the contest at 41-19.

The back-to-back three goal periods marked the 16th and 17th times this season that the club has notched at least three scores in a period.

Cincinnati went two for eight on the power play, while the Chiefs were unable to score in their eight chances. Jeremy Smith collected his 20th victory of the season, turning away 18 shots. John Murray took the loss, stopping 34 shots.

Cincinnati is 40-21-3, while Johnstown is 16-37-11. The game was the first of a three-in-three, as the Cyclones travel to Toledo for a 7pm tilt tomorrow night and return to U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday for a 7:30pm clash against the Walleye on a 'Kids Eat Free' promotion.

Cincinnati leads the North Division with 83 points. Kalamazoo is second with 80, while Toledo is third at 68 and Wheeling rounds out the division with 66 points. The Cyclones have led the North Division for 72 days this season and for 333 days over the past three-plus seasons.

The opening round of the Kelly Cup playoffs will be during the week of April 5 and will be a best-of-five series. The format for games, opponents and dates will be determined as the postseason approaches. The latest information on the team and playoffs can be found at www.cycloneshockey.com.

Tickets for the 2009-10 Cincinnati Cyclones season are now on sale. The Cyclones Sales Department can be reached at 513-421-PUCK, extension 3. Selected Friday night games are carried on 1530-AM Homer, while all 72 regular season games can be heard on the club's website at: www.cycloneshockey.com. The next game on ESPN 1530 will come Friday, April 2, when the Cyclones host Johnstown at 7:30pm.

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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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