Cyclones endure and continue the fight

CINCINNATI, OHIO – The Cyclones continue to play up-and-down hockey through the month of March. By reversing course following a four game losing streak against division rivals, an upswing took place against the South Carolina Stingrays. The three game set against the ‘Rays gave the Cyclones six sorely needed points, as the team chases the final eastern conference playoff position.
The opening game gave the ‘Clones momentum in a tight contest, in which both teams fought hard to bring home a winner. The second tilt was a one-goal contest into the late stages and Cyclones Dustin Sproat scored the game winner.
Then the ‘Clones added an empty net tally to seal the win.
Game three was an exciting come from behind win. The Stingrays opened the scoring with a two-goal lead. The Cyclones battled back to narrow the gap to one, only to have the home team extend the lead once again to 3-1. In the third stanza, the visitors from the north division again tried to narrow the deficit from 4-2 and succeeded in tying the score 4-4 with less than one minute remaining in regulation. Then, a scoreless overtime led to the shootout. Cyclones netminder Brian Foster kept the biscuit out of the basket, as South Carolina was unable to score. The Cyclones Mathieu Aubin scored the game winner leading to a 5-4 win.
The next game, on the road, led to the Cyclones defeat of the Gwinnett Gladiators to run the win streak to four games. Then on to Greenville to take on Dean Storks team.
The Road Warriors won the first game in a shootout, but at least the ‘Clones gained a point for their efforts. Then in the second game of the series, the wheels fell off and Greenville buried the Cyclones 5-0, in an ugly loss, to say the least.
The third game the Cyclones rebounded back to claim a 3-1 win in exciting fashion, as team Captain Barret Ehgoetz scored the game winner in the third period. He also recorded his first multi-goal game of the season by scoring the insurance tally to seal the win. Coupled with a loss to Florida by the Gwinnett Gladiators this lowers the Cyclones magic number to seven to clinch a spot in the Kelly Cup playoffs.
The Cyclones tallied eleven, of a possible fourteen points, during this latest road trip through the south.
 
Contact the author/photographer at Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com