Cyclones finally clinch playoffs

 

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The long March road trip ended with a 1-0 shutout win over the K-Wings at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo. The ‘Clones returned home to US Bank Arena for a series with their Interstate-75 rival Toledo.
 
 
Friday night the team fell behind 2-0 before giving netminder Brian Foster any offensive support. The team came out flat and the first period was ugly as the Walleye stormed into the lead. The team is in dire need of points to hang on to their faint playoff hopes and the walleye weren’t helping.
 
In the second period the Cyclones roared back and eventually evened the score at 2-2. But Toledo scored again in the third for a one-goal lead and the Cyclones never recovered.
 
The loss left the home team deflated and in the end needed a win on Saturday night. If things could not get worse, they did on Saturday night, as Toledo again scored first early in the opening period. The ‘Clones were unable to solve Walleye netminder Thomas McCollum and went down in flames 7-0.
 
The power play was again absent as the home team looked to be running around in the offensive end without purpose or shots on net. Cyclones coach Jarrod Skalde pulled starting goalie Brian Foster in the second period after Toledo scored the third goal. Replacement Chet Pickard fared no better as the Walleye tallied three more by the end of the second stanza.
 
Playoff hopes were sinking fast as the score mounted. It was hard to believe that the season has come down to this, but the Cyclones haven’t lived up to their potential this year. The combination of losing both coaches and a change of affiliation, has led to an average season of up and down swings where the team has not overcome eficits in games. The penalty kill has been less than stellar and the power play anemic to say the least.
 
With only three games remaining, it seems a miracle is needed to reach the playoffs and those appear in short supply right about now.
 
The Sunday matinee saw the Cyclones score first in the opener and again in the second for a 2-1 score early in the middle period. Then, Captain Barret Ehgoetz scored his one hundredth professional goal with 36 seconds left in the period.
 
The final stanza a furious onslaught from Toledo, almost resulted in a tie, but the Cyclones managed to pull out a 4-3 win, to reach the post season. Rookie Cory Conacher had four points in the contest.
 
On a sad note, one of the Cyclones most fanatical fans, Kevin “Heckler from Hell” Gadker, passed away March 29, after suffering a massive stroke, which had left him paralyzed on his Left side. Kevin wore sweater number 666 and was a fixture in the opposing team end zone for many years. Kevin was serving in the Army when the stroke felled him and will be remembered fondly by Cyclones fans. He will be missed by those of us fortunate enough to have known him.
 
Former assistant coach Dean Stork may have said it best in his requiem, “Kevin was truly one of the most enthusiastic Cyclone fans I had ever met. I will never forget looking at him from the bench and him banging his fists hard on the glass. I thought for sure the glass was going to tumble down on the opposing goalie. Our players would thrive from his energy at each and every game. It gave us all that added spark heading into third periods by just watching him cheer us on.”
 
The second to last contest of the regular season was held at Kalamazoo in Wings stadium at 10:30 a.m. on March 30. The Cyclones picked up Sam D’Agostino off of waivers the day prior for his second stint with the club.
 
In the first period the Cyclones scored first on a tap in by defenseman Carl Hudson, his second tally of the season. The second period saw the Wings tie the game on a shorthanded score 1-1. The ‘Clones returned the favor and retook the lead 2-1. This tally was followed by a Cincinnati power play goal to increase the lead to 3-1. Cory Conacher scored a highlight reel goal and his third tally in two games, to give the Cyclones a 4-1 lead prior to the end of the second.
 
The final stanza in this chippy tilt found the Cyclones pushing the offensive chances from the start. Cory Conacher added to the lead with his second goal to stretch the lead to 5-1. Conacher scored another goal for his first professional hat trick on a two-on-one shorthanded sprint against Ryan Nie for a 6-1 total.
 
The win puts the pressure on Toledo and gives the Cyclones a magic number of one to clinch the final playoff spot. Thursday night the Wheeling Nailers solved the issue by defeating the Toledo Walleye and propelling the Cyclones into the Kelly Cup Playoffs once again.
 
Friday, April 1, the Cyclones faced the K-Wings at US Bank Arena on Fan Appreciation Night. The Kalamazoo squad blanked the Cyclones in a 5-0 tilt that saw the Cyclones unable to penetrate K-Wings netminder Riley Gill. The 9,317 fans in the stands left the barn dejected over the ‘Clones inability to win the final home game of the regular season.
 
The final seeding for the playoffs will depend on the final day of the season and the results of the nine games remaining on the schedule.
 
This has been an up-and-down season for the club, with the highlights being mostly in the personnel area, because of some truly magnificent acquisitions over the course of the year. Coaches Skalde and Fankhouser have had a rough go of it, following in the championship traditions of the past three campaigns and expectations of the Cyclones faithful. Making the playoffs has helped to ease the transition and now the club must make the most of the opportunity given them in the post season.
 
Contact the writer and photographer Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com