CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones (21-18-3-2) defeated the Indy Fuel, 4-3, on Friday night. ForwardAndrew Yogan tallied a pair of goals, while forwards Jack Downing and Peter Quenneville each added lone markers.
Cincinnati drew first blood in this one, as 11:23 into the opening period, Yogan took a feed from defenseman Brett Wysopal and blew by the defender coming over the left wing blue line, and fired a shot that squeaked past Fuel netminder Shane Owen, putting the Cyclones ahead, 1-0.
That lead became 2-0 just over a minute later, when forward Branden Gracel sent a pass from behind the net to Downing who was trailing up the play, and he tucked the puck five-hole on Owen, for his 22nd goal of the season.
The Fuel found their way onto the board in the final minute of the period, when a point shot was tipped in by forward Matt White, cutting Cincinnati’s lead to 2-1 after 20 minutes.
The Fuel carried their momentum into the second period and tied the game 23 seconds into the period, when defenseman Ben Marshall lit the lamp, pulling Indy even with Cincinnati, 2-2.
The Cyclones were not deterred, and regained lead late in the frame, when defenseman Garrett Noonanskated in on goal and sent a back pass to Yogan who rifled a shot past Owen for his second of the night, giving Cincinnati the lead back, 3-2, after two periods.
As was the case in the second, Indy found the back of the net early in the third period, when forward Rhett Bly scored, tying the game, 3-3, 1:37 into the frame.
Cincinnati wasted little time retaking the lead, as roughly five minutes later, a cross-ice feed from Noonan found Quenneville who blasted home a one-timer, sending the Cyclones back up, 4-3.
The Cyclones withstood a late Fuel charge, and goaltender Andy Iles came up with a big goal line save with less than five seconds left to preserve the 4-3 Cyclones win.
Cincinnati was outshot, 35-17 on the night, with Iles stopping 32 to collect the win. The Cyclones wrap up the home-and-home series with the Fuel on Saturday night in Indianapolis. Faceoff is slated for 7:35pm ET.
With Cincinnati Cyclones release
Contact the photographer: Shawn.Conkle@prohockeynews.com
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