CINCINNATI, Ohio – This rivalry is twenty-five years in the making and still does not disappoint in it’s intensity. Popular players from both Fort Wayne and Cincinnati have gone on to play for the other, to the chagrin of the fans, respectively. Also, both squads have a fan base that travels well and are vocal. Opening the season at home is a luxury that the Cyclones have rarely enjoyed.
Starting in net for Cincinnati, Jonas Johansson sparkled, as he fought off quality Komet scoring opportunities. The second year ‘Clone worked well with his D-men most of the tilt, only allowing two pucks to get behind him. At the opposite end of the ice, Komets netminder Zach Furcale suffered from problems with rebound control, allowing the Cyclones to net four, plus one short-handed, empty net goal at the end of the night to cap the 5-2 win.
It only took a few minutes for the home team to solve Furcale, when at 6:07 blueliner Arvin Atwal corralled his own rebound at the right circle and slammed it past the Komet netminder.
In short order the visitors from the Hoosier state returned the favor and answered with a goal of their own to knot the score. A scant 25-seconds after the Cyclones took the lead, Anthony Petruzelli slid one past Johansson. The physicality around the crease caused problems for both goalies, but opened scoring chances for everyone else.
Battling up and down the ice, both squads sought dominance over the other. Some crunching open ice hits left the crowd roaring or gasping, depending on sweater colors.
The goal horn next sounded for the Cyclones as forward Jesse Schultz made a nice pass to Justin Vaive to be at the right place at the right time at the 17:41 mark to raise the ante. The Komets potted another equalizer at the 18:57 mark of the first by Jamie Schaafsma.
The middle period saw an increase in the hitting, but a few scrums broke out as opponents took umbrage at perceived wrongs. Most of this was done to protect the goaltenders from the rise in jostling around the crease. Pressure was kept on the netminders throughout the game, though Johansson seemed better prepared for it.
Scoring the game winner at the middle of the frame was Cyclones forward Spencer Dorowicz, who wristed a shot from the left past Furcales’ blocker, and into the back of the net. The goal was the first of Dorowicz’s two tallies for the game. Despite the desperate attempts by the Komets to knot it up again during the period, they fell short as the Cyclones defense handled the situation admirably.
The final period allowed for further opportunity to aggravate each other and several player’s tempers flared more frequently. Less than four minutes into the period, an opportunity again came to Dorowicz, who netted a five-hole tally after a scrum around the crease. The lead, now doubled, put Fort Wayne back on their heels as the Cyclones’ decidedly defensive posture took over the contest. As things came near to a close, Arvin Atwal scored a short-handed, empty net goal to make it a multi-goal game for him as well. Thus, the Cyclones open this season with a 5-2 victory, and the first in the tenure of Coach Matt Thomas behind the bench.
Contact the Writer/Photographer: Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com
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