CINCINNATI, OH – Saturday March 4th was Pucks and Pups Night at US Bank Arena with the Adirondack Thunder opposing the host Cincinnati Cyclones for the second straight contest. Pucks and Pups is an annual event and a doggone crowd favorite among Cyclones fans both two-legged and four-legged alike. The ceremonial puck drop included K-9 units despite the pawed officers difficulty staying upright on the ice.
In Thursday’s set opener, the Cyclones and goalie Joel Rumpel shut down the Thunder as the netminder withstood a 46-shot barrage. With every game and point crucial for the Cincinnati squad in its battle for a playoff spot, the two points earned on Thursday were much needed.
The short series was also a reminder to long time Cyclones fans of the history of the franchise and hockey in Cincinnati. The original Cyclones franchise currently resides in New York as do all of its records. Adirondack is a reminder of those old Cyclones squads and their heroes as well as the history of pro hockey in the Queen City.
Saturday’s tilt began with the Cyclones putting heat on Thunder goalie Drew Fielding and his blue liners. As early flurry produced the game’s first goal when Jordan Sims put the Cyclones ahead at the 3:14 mark off an assist from Jaynen Rissling. It was the lone score of the opening period.
The middle stanza featured another quick tally by the home team, this time at 1:20 of the period when Seth Ambroz fired the biscuit past Fielding to double the margin. Assists on the play went to Justin MacDonald and Christiaan Minella.
The eventual game winning goal came at the 3:01 mark on a power play when a blast by Jonathan Diaby caught Fielding by surprise. The score continued a recent trend of the Cyclones finding success with the man advantage.
Adirondack answered back with a pair of power play goals by Dennis Kravchenko at the 6:21 mark and James Henry at 18:24 but the Cyclones defense and Rumpel shut the Thunder out the rest of the way for a 3-2 win. For the night, Rumpel finished with 51 saves.
Over the two games, Rumpel stopped 97 of the 99 shots he faced to earn himself ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors. The victory was also Cincinnati’s eighth in eleven games, keeping the team in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Contact the photojournalist at rob.huelsman@prohockeynews.com
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