Cincinnati slugs it out to the end

CINCINNATI , Ohio – The March road trip ended with a win at Elmira to even up the excursion at three wins against three losses. The losses at Gwinnett and Johnstown stung the Cyclone faithful. This was not how the coaching staff had drawn things up in practice or tried to correct between periods. Poor play in those situations showed the inconsistency early in the campaign had returned.
 

The trade deadline approached and Bakersfield completed the earlier deal by sending fan favorite Mathieu Aubin to the Cyclones. Aubin raises the number to three for Coach Weber to return from the Kelly Cup Champion team for this campaign. No further trade activity before the deadline for the Cyclones this season. Aubin played solidly in his debut at US Bank Arena against Johnstown on the eighteenth.
 
This tilt was a seven goal domination that developed from a 1-1 first period tie. The Cyclones took all opportunities that the lame duck Chiefs were willing to give. Almost as if they were watching “Slap Shot” in a reality show unfold. Sad as that seems as the final regular season Cyclones home game will see Johnstown for the final time just prior to season end.
 
The team rumbled up I-75 to Toledo on the nineteenth for the first game of a two game series. Toledo scored twice in the first period, with no scoring during the middle period.
 
Beginning in the third period the ‘Clones were down a pair and needed a maximum effort to over come the Walleye momentum. Eighteen seconds into the period Toledo scored on a power play making the Cyclones task more Herculean. Brock Sheahan scored his fourth goal to reduce the deficit to two.
 
The Cyclones went on a one minute, thirty-eight second, five-on-three power play. Coach Weber called his time out to set a play, but no success was to be had in spite of the Toledo misfortune. The Cyclones lead the ECHL in shorthanded goals with sixteen. Toledo ended the game up three to one.
 
The Walleye visited US Bank arena on the twentieth of March. While the Cyclones scored first, they found limited success against Toledo goalie Jordan Pearce. Pearce made several point blank saves and had a little assistance from the iron as well. The Cyclones struggled mightily against their oppressors for two and a half periods, but came up short in the end this night.
 
Bright spots for the home team are the return of Doug Krantz, Reid Cashman and Mathieu Aubin. This loss also dropped the Clones to second place.
 
Next up on the agenda, the East division leading Elmira Jackals arrived in Cincinnati on the twenty third. Riding the crest of a long road winning streak of eight games, the visitors hoped to keep intact. The Cyclones desired to end their two game skid at the expense of their rivals from New York. The ‘Clones came out and energized the weeknight crowd with a score by Maxime Lacroix in the first. After several defensive zone turnovers by the Cyclones the Jackals converted a power play opportunity to even the tallies at one. Justin Donati notched his thirty-seventh goal. The home squad regained the lead with four minutes left in the period when Lacroix registered his second goal of the contest.
 
The second stanza was a furiously fought defensive battle by both teams. Hard physical play marked this tussle at the arena tonight. The ‘Clones maintained a one goal lead throughout the second period as no scoring occurred. Both goalies, Robert Mayer and Andy Chiodo for Elmira, made some spectacular saves in net.
 
The Cyclones were congratulating Dustin Sproat, 32 seconds into the third period for his 21 goal and increasing the lead to 3-1 for the Jackals. The Jackals Wes Cunningham reduced the lead within one, but Mayer stoned the visitors the remainder of the game, giving the ‘Clones a 3-2 win.
 
Saturday the twenty-seventh, a rumble with division rival Kalamazoo took place at US Bank Arena. The K-Wings were the hottest team in the division at 12-2-2. The Cyclones are two points behind K-Zoo in the division race needing a win to even things up.
 
The inconsistent energy level and precision of execution plagued the Cyclones again. The Cyclones answered the first three Kalamazoo scores but ran out of gas in the third period when the visitors scored their fourth. Add two empty netters to the mix and you have an embarrassing loss of 6-3. The ‘Clones are currently second in the division and fourth seed in the conference had the playoffs began today.
 
Sunday afternoon, the twenty-eighth, The Cyclones played a matinee in Johnstown. This was a critical game after last nights’ loss. The visitors from the buckeye state opened the scoring in the first with a goal by Matt Pierce, a power play tally.
 
Johnstown answered early in the second with an even strength marker. At the end of two it was tied at two apiece. Almost midway through the third it seemed as though the Cyclones sensed a win, as Mark VanGuilder beat goalie Kris Mayotte for the game winner. The 3-2 win coupled with the K-wings loss at Toledo set up a showdown at Wings Stadium on the thirty first. The ‘Clones controlled their own destiny at this point, with three games left to play in the regular season.
     
Scott Reynolds of the Cyclones opened the scoring at 1:36 seconds into the game. With eight and a half minutes left in the first, Dustin Sproat scored his 22 goal of the season for a two goal lead.
 
K-Wing goalie Ryan Nie seemed confused in the opening stanza trying to control rebounds which is unusual for him to be sure. Jason Jozsa scored on the power play, his fourth, to advance the lead to three. The K-Wings answered with a goal by Dean Strong on their next power play, cutting the lead back to two. Sam Ftorek buried a marker before the end of the period to cut the lead to one. Kalamazoo charging back as expected, the Cyclones changed defenses to keep the K-Wings off balance, this first period was happening as billed.
 
The second began with a string of power plays for Kalamazoo, Jon Landry evened the score three minutes into the period. Midway through the period, Jimmy Kilpatrick   returned the lead to the Cyclones with a power play tally, two for four on the man advantage thus far. Kalamazoo returned the favor with another score by Strong, tying it up again. Eighteen seconds later, the Cyclones regained the lead, on a goal by Dustin Sproat, his second of the game.
 
The third period began with Cincinnati up 5-4. Then with 2:42 seconds left in regulation Rick Cleaver returned the game to a tie for Kalamazoo. Overtime came and went with the score tied. The Cyclones won the shootout 2-1 for a 6-5 final score.
 
The Johnstown Chiefs visited for the last regular season home game. This would be the last time the Chiefs would grace US Bank Arena and would indeed mark a memorable moment for the Johnstown fans in attendance.
 
The Cyclones did their part in this pugilistic goal scoring exercise to keep pace in the playoff race. The Cyclones drew first blood on a laser shot by Jason Jozsa midway into the period. By the end of the first, the home squad held a three goal edge. This was old time hockey with a side of animosity served piping hot. The crowd of ten thousand plus, enjoyed every crunch, every punch and all except one goal. That one goal by the visitors spoiled the shutout in the second at 4:35 seconds, on a goal by Jim McKenzie.
 
The final game of the season at Wesbanco Arena Jeremy Smith was left out to dry by the lack of Cyclones defense. Of course the offense was only one goal by recently returned to action Matt Pierce. The taking of too many untimely penalties doomed the Cyclones to another loss at the hands of the Nailers. The 4-1 score at the end of regulation, results in the ‘Clones dropping to a fifth seed in the first round of the playoffs. The Cyclones will face off against the South Carolina Stingrays beginning April sixth at US Bank Arena.  
 
 
Contact the writer and photographer at: Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com