ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones

Howe, Cyclones Blank Jackals 5-0

December 20, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones News Release


CINCINNATI, Ohio - Goaltender Joe Howe (W, 27 saves, 1-0-1-0) recorded three firsts on Friday night as the Cincinnati Cyclones (15-8-1-1) defeated the Elmira Jackals (9-12-0-2) by a 5-0 final score in front of 3,418 at U.S. Bank Arena. After an impressive debut on Tuesday against Kalamazoo, the rookie netminder earned not only his first win in a Cyclones sweater, but also his first ECHL shutout and point. The Colorado College alum turned aside all 27 shots he faced while five different Cyclones found the back of the net, running their point-streak to four consecutive games.

The Cyclones set the pace in the opening frame, firing early and often on netminder Maxime Clermont (L, 26 saves, 4-6-0-1). It wasn't long before the offensive pressure paid off. Jack Combs and Jonathan Hazen each made careful passes through traffic to set up Dan Eves, who potted his second goal of the season at 5:30. Although the Jackals responded to the tally with a little offensive life of their own, the Cyclones entered the first intermission outshooting the visitors 10-7 and protected a one-goal advantage.

The home team carried momentum into the second stanza and wasted little time before padding their lead. After receiving a perfect centering pass from Anthony Luciani in the far corner, Paul Crowder fired his sixth tally of the season past Clermont at 1:23. Less than ten minutes later, Logan Shaw streaked down the left side and went top-shelf to give his team a 3-0 edge at 11:11. Howe and defenseman Chris Reed recorded assists on the goal.

Howe and the Cyclones defense stood strong in the final frame, making several key blocks and preserving the shutout. But the home team wasn't finished scoring as Anthony Luciani recorded his fifth goal of the season on a tough-angle shot that bounced off Clermont and into the net at 12:47. With less than a minute remaining in the tilt, Adam Brace capped the scoring for the night when he buried a Tony Turgeon rebound.

"Tonight, the guys made it really easy on me," said Howe. "I saw just about everything. There were three or four blocks there with two minutes left in the period and that shows the character in the locker room. It's 4-0, the game is basically out of hand. It's 5-0 and they're still blocking shots for me."

"They were awesome," he added about the warm reception he received earlier in the week. "They welcomed me in right away when I got here on Monday night. It's been great. "

The Cyclones will return to the ice at U.S. Bank Arena tomorrow night as they once again battle the Jackals at 7:30pm! Fans will be treated to "Sing for Santa" Night - featuring Christmas Carols being sung throughout the night! In addition, the Stanley Cup will be in the house for fans to see. Tickets are on sale now! Call 513.421.PUCK or visit CyclonesHockey.com to secure your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates throughout the season on Facebook and Twitter (@CincyCyclones).

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ECHL Stories from December 20, 2013


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