WHEELING, W.V.- Training Camps opened last Sunday to begin the 30th Season of the ECHL. This is also the 10th Anniversary of the Cincinnati Cyclones’ first Kelly Cup Championship season.
This year the Cyclones embark on a season with new afilliations in the AHL and the NHL . There are familiar faces to be sure, but the excitement is for the new players assigned by the parent clubs to integrate into Coach Matt McDonald’s systems.
Recent acquisitions and veteran players showed up to camp in good hockey shape, ready to attack the work ahead. With 29 players in camp, soon to be cut down to 22, the players know time is not on their side to show the coaching staff what they can do to
contribute to another Kelly Cup run. The off season was put to good use bolstering the blue line and right now the defensive pairings are fluid and will be for a bit yet according to the coach.
Team chemistry and team speed will be improved on offense once line combinations get the right feel for each other. Another factor is giving every player ice time over the two pre-season contests with rival Wheeling. Coach Mac was cautiously optimistic
before the first game that the team would face enough different situations in game to get a good evaluation going of strengths and things to work on going forward.
The netminder match up started with Anthony Peters for the visiting Cyclones (0-0- 0). Peters , a former Florida Everblade, led the ECHL in games played (52) last season and was third in wins (31), and GAA (3.11), with a save percentage of .895. Colin Stevens backstopped the Nailers (0-0- 0). The third year pro played last season in Tulsa, with a previous campaign with the Manchester Monarchs.
Wheeling and Cincinnati have a long regional rivalry, even though no longer
in the same division or conference, just a short three hour bus ride separates the two. Fans also make the short road trip to each arena in support of their favorite players.
Game one of the pre-season got underway with a âClones penalty to Antony DeFulvis and sent the home team to the power play. Wheeling looked organized with the man advantage but Peters held firm in net. With 5:30 left in the first ,Wheeling broke the Cyclones defense down and Nick Sorkin tallied his first goal of 2017-18. Shortly thereafter, the visitors from the Queen City went a man up for their first power play opportunity. Colin Stevens dodged a sure score with a bit âo help from the iron. 5-on-5 play resumed, and Sorkin potted his second of the period, , giving the Nailers double the advantage.
Shortly before the end of the period, Cincinnati halved the deficit when the Nailers turned the puck over and Jessie Shultz passed to Justin Danforth, who
went wide around Stevens’ left side and slid the biscuit into the basket to open the Cyclones scoring.
The ECHL is trying out instant replay, a la the NHL, during pre- season in selected cities as reported by Joe Ernst of the League office. Also, rules and penalties are becoming more in line with the AHL/NHL models. Goalie pads are not going to be as strictly
monitored like the NHL due to the number of EBUG and weekend or short loan netminders that transition through the league each season. Slashing will include the present and more prevalent âstick checkingâ being used rather than body checking.
While the âClones spent 70-percent of the first in their own zone , not allowing the contest to get out of hand before the end of the stanza gave the Cyclones coaches a bit to build on going into the middle frame.
Cincinnati got itâs second power play opportunity due to a slashing call against
Wheeling. Jessie Shultz of the âClones got off two shots but Stevens kept both out of harms way. A rebound to Anthony Florentino was pushed wide. Then before the power play could end, Winston Day Chief corralled a deflection and tied the score at two apiece.
The first extracurriculars of the season erupted next with four combatants squaring off. 10-minute misconducts were meted out and the âClones were the recipients of the extra two minutes, served by Brandon McNally. With 7:16 left in the second , the Cyclones changed Goalies and Jason Kasdorf entered the tilt. An assignee from the Rochester
Americans, Kasdorf spent last season with the now defunct Elmira Jackals. Kasdorf was tested early and denied the first three shots on goal he faced. Barely over two minutes remained in the period when things got a bit crazy and special teams came into
situational play.
Into the next period would be 5-on-4, 5-on-3, and 4-on-4 play for the coaches on both sides to evaluate. The third period saw the Cyclones on the power play and Colin
Stevens stayed solid in net.3:02 into the period Cincinnatiâs Brandon McNally was given a 10-minute misconduct for jawing at the Referee. Wheeling again tipped the contest in their favor when Riley Bourbonais jammed the puck past Kasdorf for a 3-2 lead.
Thirteen and a half minutes remaining found the âClones again on the power play and Anthony Florentino brought the score even at 3-3 with a shot from the top of the circle
past Stevens. The Cyclones Rob DeFulvis was sent to the sin bin for two minutes and the Nailers took advantage of the miscue to score on the power play to again go up by one goal. This time Kasdorf gave up one through the five hole. A delayed Wheeling penalty provided Anthony Florentino his second power play tally of the period to knot the score at 4-4.
The score stayed even at the end of regulation. A 3-on-3 overtime period ensued with neither squad able to dent the twine, so off to a shootout it went. Wheeling gained the win by virtue of two goals to one in the penalty shots to make it a 5-4 final score.
Contact the writer: Rob.Huelsman@prohockeynews.com
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