INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – It was the first game back after the All-Star Break for the top two teams in the Central Division as the Cincinnati Cyclones visited the Indy Fuel inside the Indiana Farmers Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Fuel looked like they did not miss a step as they picked up the 6-0 win, thanks partly to a Chris Van Os-Shaw hat trick. The Cyclones only had five defensemen dressed, as Arvin Atwal announced this week that he has signed to play with the Bietigheim Steelers of the DEL in Germany.
The only goal in the first period came when Chad Yetman would saucer a pass from the right side boards through the goal mouth onto the stick of Kale Howarth, who had snuck past the defense to put the puck past the pads of Cyclones goaltender Beck Warm to put Fuel up 1-0. With the assist, Yetman extended his point streak to 13-games, with a total of nine goals and seven assists. It was Howarth’s second goal in the last 12-games and his eighth of the year.
After killing off a penalty with five minutes left in the second period, the Indy would strike again. Nate Pionk took a shot from the slot that Warm got a glove on but wasn’t able to save cleanly, leading to a rebound that fell right in front of a wide-open Seamus Malone on the right side of the net. Malone capitalized and put the puck into the open net for his 15th goal of the season. Patrick Gazich was credited with the second assist.
With just two seconds left on a power play for the Fuel, Van Os-Shaw scored on a rebound to make it 3-0 Fuel. Andrew Perrott had the original slapshot from the point, that Warm made a pad save on. After a scramble in front, Warm looked like he thought he had the puck frozen. However, it’d squeak out right to the stick of a patiently waiting Van Os-Shaw for his first goal of the night.
The Indy Fuel would add three more for good measure in the third period, starting at 7:43 of the period. Cameron Hillis dumped the puck into the Cyclones’ zone, the puck would take a weird bounce off the stanchion and Hillis would pick the puck back up. Hillis quickly moved the puck over to Spencer Watson who was speeding into the high slot and let loose a one-timer. It was goal number 10 on the season for the Indy Fuel All-Time leading goal scorer and gave the Fuel the 4-0 lead.
The Cyclones would be short-handed again at 11:37 of the third period after an interference minor to Zach Berzolla. Howarth split the Cyclones defense to break in for a shot that Warm poked away, however, the puck bounced right to a trailing Van Os-Shaw for his second goal of the game to give the Fuel the 5-0 lead.
The Fuel would put the game away for good with 60-seconds left. Andrew Bellant streaked down the left boards to beat the Cyclones defense and led Van Os-Shaw with a pass to the front of the net for his third goal of the game.
Zach Driscoll stopped all 34 shots he faced and moved to 15-7-0-0 on the season. Warm had won three straight starts heading into the night. He allowed six goals on 37-shots, moving him to 14-6-2-0 on the season.
The Fuel move to 26-10-1-0 on the year while Cyclones fall to 20-9-4-2. It was the first time the Cyclones have been shut out since March 30, 2022. It was also the second time this season Cyclones lost back-to-back games in regulation.
Indy travels to Fort Wayne to take on the Komets on Saturday, while the Cyclones will have Saturday off to re-group for a road game against the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday.
Contact the writer: Jeffrey.Everroad@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.