CINCINNATI, Ohio – The week began with a morning tilt on Tuesday versus the South Carolina Stingrays. This was the annual Education in Hockey Day game in front of a crowd of school age children. The Children are given workbooks and lessons in geography, science, math, and foreign language at intermission during the game. It combines the fun of hockey with the arts and sciences behind the sport.
The home team opened the scoring on a goal by Josh Shalla and the crowd loved it; every time the Cyclones crunched a Stingray into the boards. The ‘Rays answered with a five-hole goal, beating ‘Clones netminder Zoltan Hetenyi to the dismay of the crowd. The initial stanza ended in a one all tie.
Period two was much the same, as very few penalties were called and the Cyclones delighted the crowd with a 2-1 lead at the second periods end.
The final period saw the Stingrays score again on a wrap around and tie the score once more. With just over three minutes left in regulation the Cyclones Shalla netted his second goal of the contest on a slapper that sailed past a badly out of his crease Ryan Zapolski. Zapolski collapsed onto the ice in frustration as the Cyclones crowd and players celebrated what was to be the game winner. Final score ‘Clones three, ‘Rays two.
Thursday brought the Evansville, Indiana Icemen to the US Bank Arena for the first time. The Icemen are new to the ECHL and are North division as well as regional rivals. The Icemen were on sharp skates and defended their blue line fiercely to defeat the ‘Clones to the dismay of the home crowd.
Next up longtime rivals, the Reading Royals came to town on a seven game win streak. The Cyclones once again could gain no traction and fell to their Pennsylvania nemesis in a heated tussle.
Their third loss in seven days occurred when the Toledo Wallleye arrived at US Bank Arena the following Wednesday. At this point Coach Skalde assessed that the team needed to regroup and play more fundamental hockey.
Two days later the team travelled up I-75 to again face the Walleye. This time the Cyclones played solidly and thrashed their in-state rivals. The losing streak ended and the Cyclones rookie netminder Zoltan Hetenyi came away with his second win of this young season.
Then the Cyclones travelled to Wheeling for a tilt with the Nailers the next evening. This was a critical test as Brian Foster returned to goal after a groin injury and notched a win giving the ‘Clones a second win in as many days. A well-deserved rest for the next several days was in store as the team was to again face Evansville the following Wednesday.
The crowd at US Bank Arena greeted the squad with enthusiasm and played crisply. The squad was fundamentally sharp and soundly defeated the visiting Icemen for their third win in a row to remain in first place in the North Division.
On the final Day of November, the Icemen from E-Ville returned to Cincinnati seeking revenge. At 56 seconds into the game the Cyclones picked up a turnover and buried the puck in the Evansville net. By the end of the first period the Cyclones held a commanding three to zero edge.
The second stanza went as the first and the home team cruised to a 5-0 lead. The ‘Clones played aggressively once again and crushed the Icemen. The final period started in chippy fashion. Fifty seconds into the period fisticuffs ensued after a hard check on Cyclone Mattias Lindstrom. Cyclone John McFarland recorded the first hat trick of the season in raising the lead to six on a power play goal.
Evansville finally broke the scoreless spell at 12:14 in the period and slid the puck into the Cyclones net, ending Magnus Helberg bid for a shutout. The team cruised to their twelfth win this season and remained in first place in the North Division.
Contact the writer/photographer at Rob.Huelsman@Prohockeynews.com
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