CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Cyclones (46-10-4-3) claimed the ECHL Central Division Title with a 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers on Wednesday night. It marks the first divisional crown since the 2012-13 North Division title. Defenseman Kurt Gosselin led the way with a pair of goals, while forwards Jesse Schultz and Myles Powell netted lone goals for the Cyclones, who push their winning streak to six games.
Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead midway through the first, when forward Alex Wideman attempted a wrap-around, but the puck slid through the crease to Schultz on the back door, and he tapped it into put the Cyclones on top, 1-0.
Cincinnati took their 1-0 lead into the locker room after the opening period, and in the second tacked on another while on the power play when Gosselin jammed in the rebound following a point shot from defenseman Eric Knodel to give the Cyclones a 2-0 lead.
The Nailers were not deterred and netted their league-leading 19th shorthanded goal of the season when forward Michael Phillps jammed in a shot shorthanded to trip Cincinnati’s deficit back to a lone goal at 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Cincinnati’s power play struck again when Gosselin banked a shot off a defender’s skate and in past Wheeling goaltender Matt O’Connor to lift the Cyclones to a 3-1 advantage, 4:29 into the final frame.
The Cyclones sealed the game with 1:19 left when Powell sent a backhander from the left circle into the empty net to send Cincinnati to a 4-1 win and the ECHL Central Division Championship.
Cincinnati outshot the Nailers, 34-21 on the evening, with goaltender Ty Rimmer stopping 20 in the win. Cincinnati wraps up its five-game homestand on Thursday night against the Toledo Walleye. Face-off is slated for 7:35 p.m. ET.
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