Cyclones take early lead in Kelly Cup Finals

BOISE, Idaho – The Cincinnati Cyclones take the first game of the Kelly Cup Finals against the Idaho Steelheads with a final score of 3-2 at Qwest Arena.
 
Cyclones Mark Van Guilder opened the scoring just 53 seconds into the match, with an assist on the goal by Maxime Lacroix.   The Steelheads Evan Barlow scored at 5:38 to even the score. Then at 9:05, Mark McCutcheon’s goal would send the teams to the break with Idaho leading 2-1.   McCutcheon scored his eighth goal of the post season.
 
In the second period, the Cyclones took over, out shooting the Steelheads two for one in shots on goal.   Robert Mayer in the net for Cincinnati stopped everything the Steelheads could throw at him for the duration of the game.   Idaho’s netminder Rejean Beauchemin allowed only one goal during the period; a power play goal by Reid Cashman at 12:08.   The score at the end of the second period was tied up at two-apiece.
 
With 1:04 remaining in the game, Mathieu Tousignant was sent to the box for a tripping call.    Van Guilder with his second goal of the night came only fifteen seconds later, on a feed from Jimmy Kilpatrick.   The goal put the Cyclones up 3-2 before a crowd of 4,217.
 
Mayer had 28 saves in the win, while Beauchemin had 19.
 
Game two will be Saturday evening in Boise.
 
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com