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jevers
Administrator
USA
1367 Posts |
 Posted - 04/21/2010 : 11:09:59 PM
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CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Cincinnati Cyclones exploded for five special teams goals, utilized a four goal eruption in 2:49 and set a club playoff record for scoring with nine goals in a 9-5 win over the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday night at U.S. Bank Arena. Maxime Lacroix had a pair of goals and an assist, while Jimmy Kilpatrick had a goal and two assists in the triumph.
The nine goals eclipses the record of eight set in the opening game of the North Division Finals against Elmira last season on April 24. The Cyclones won the game, 8-3 and swept the Jackals in four games to advance for the second straight season to the American Conference Finals.
With the victory, the Cyclones grab a two games to one lead in the best of seven American Conference Semifinals series against the conference champion Checkers.
Game four is scheduled for Friday night (April 23) at 7:30pm at U.S. Bank Arena. Saturday (April 24) is the fifth game of the series, also in Cincinnati.
The teams each scored a pair of first period goals. For the third time in the playoffs, the Cyclones scored the first goaljust 2:11 into the contest. Maxime Lacroix slapped home his second score as Brett Motherwell and Jimmy Kilpatrick had the assists on the power play score. Charlotte would answer a bit more than a minute later. Aaron Slattengren's first lamplighter came at 3:15, as Randy Rowe and Trevor Hendrikx had the assists on that man-advantage goal. A hustling Barret Ehgoetz was rewarded with his fifth goal at 7:35. With Dustin Sproat trying to fake goaltender Ryan Munce in the high slotthe puck squirted loose and Ehgoetz slipped it past. A second power play goal by the Checkers at 8:59 from Tyler Doig evened things up. Andrew Carroll and Julien Brouillette had the helpers. The shots were even at eleven each.
For the second time in the playoffs, the Cyclones exploded for three goals. Charlotte grabbed its first lead of the night at 1:35 as Matt Stefanishion netted his first playoff goal from Doig and Andrew Carroll. Cincinnati would answer back when defenseman Doug Krantz lit the lamp for the first time in the postseason on a scramble in the slot at 3:05. Mathieu Aubin and Brian O'Hanley had the assists. The Checkers second lead of the night came at 5:11 when Carroll notched his third of the playoffs from David Marshall. A two-on-one break later in the period between Ryan Del Monte and Hans Benson allowed Del Monte to rip a shot from the right circle at 18:21 knotted the game at four each. But 37 seconds later, shorthanded, at 18:58Lacroix got his second of the night and third of the playoffs. Lacroix came streaking up the left wing side and tipped an Ehgoetz pass home. The shots favored Charlotte, 15-6, in the frame.
Lacroix set the team career playoff record for shorthanded goals scored in just his third game. He now has two of them in these playoffs. He also leads the ECHL in the category and the Cyclones are tops in the ECHL with three shorthanded goals.
A four goal explosion in the third period blew the game open.
The Cyclones notched a pair of goals in the first 70 seconds to put the game away. Ian McKenzie slipped a shot between the glove of Munce and the right side goal post at 50 second to make it 6-4, as Motherwell had the assist. Kilpatrick had an insurance marker just 20 seconds laterhis fifth of playoffs from Matt Pierce. Charlotte goaltender Ryan Munce was yanked after the Kilpatrick goal in favor of Garret Zemlak.
The offensive onslaught continued when Mathieu Aubin collected his first lamplighter at 12:26 on the power play to make it 7-4. Jason Jozsa and Lacroix had the helpers. A shorthanded marker by Brett Robinson at 15:52 extended the lead. Robinson's second marker of the postseason came from Brock Sheahan. Charlotte would get the final goal of the night at 17:55 from Matt Schepkehis second. The shots favored Charlotte again, 16-7, and for the game the Checkers won the shots battle42-24.
Jeremy Smith would collect the win, turning away a career-playoff high 37 shots. Ryan Munce would absorb the loss, stopping twelve shots of the 19 he faced. Zemlak turned away three of the five efforts he faced. The Cyclones went three-for-seven on the power play, while Charlotte was two-for-six with the extra attacker.
Charlotte won the South Division title and American Conference regular season championship by posting a 43-21-8 record. The Checkers were a conference-best 25-8-3 in games at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte is the number one seed in the conference playoffs and knocked out Toledo in the opening round of the postseason in four games. Cincinnati finished as runner-up in the North Division with a 44-25-3 record and upended the fourth-seeded and defending Kelly Cup champion South Carolina Stingrays in five games. The Cyclones are the fifth-seeded team in these American Conference playoffs. Cincinnati is the only team in the ECHL to have advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs in each of the past four seasons.
The next game of the Cincinnati Cyclones USA Collision Centers postseason will be the fourth game of this best of seven series, played at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday (April 23) at 7:30pm with John Morrell one dollar hot dogs being the specialty item. The game will be carried on the internet at www.cycloneshockey.com. The fifth game of the series will take place on Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm at U.S. Bank Arena at 7:30pm with Donatos pizza slices being sold at one dollar each.
Tickets for the 2010-11 Cincinnati Cyclones season are now on sale, as well as the games in the American Conference Semifinal round. The Cyclones Sales Department can be reached at 513-421-PUCK, extension 3. All road Kelly Cup playoff games will be carried on ESPN 1530 and on the club's website at: www.cycloneshockey.com.
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tamg4393
(The Next Level!)
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 04:48:11 AM
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| Now that is what I call working it "Nine to Five!" |
2008 Kelly cup champs, the best Cyclones team ever! |
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cycfanforever
(The Next Level!)
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 08:03:38 AM
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Quote:
Now that is what I call working it "Nine to Five!"
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The boys looked really good tonight but it scares with the 9 goals. From past experience it seems to me when the Cyclones score big in a game like Wed, their next game is sub-par. (No offense)
Maybe the change of line up is the key?
Heidinger, Ortiz, and Eddy all out. Lets hope for another win Fri.
I don't care if its by one goal or ten, a win is a win.
"LETS GO CYCLONES"
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You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take.
Wayne Gretzky!
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git er done
Larry the Cable Guy
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"LETS GO CYCLONES"
2007-2008
2009-2010
"KELLY CUP CHAMPS"
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cycfanforever
(The Next Level!)
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 08:07:19 AM
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PS
The attendance is getting worse, not better!
2009 people for Play Off hockey?
come on, lets pack um in Fri! |
You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take.
Wayne Gretzky!
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git er done
Larry the Cable Guy
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"LETS GO CYCLONES"
2007-2008
2009-2010
"KELLY CUP CHAMPS"
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cycfanforever
(The Next Level!)
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 08:22:16 AM
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PPS:
Sorry about my remarks on attendance because I was incorrect. 2009 Wed is up, but still way to small.
"LETS GO CYCLONES" |
You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take.
Wayne Gretzky!
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git er done
Larry the Cable Guy
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"LETS GO CYCLONES"
2007-2008
2009-2010
"KELLY CUP CHAMPS"
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ray m
(Rookie)
39 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 09:06:55 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by cycfanforever
Quote:
The boys looked really good tonight but it scares with the 9 goals. From past experience it seems to me when the Cyclones score big in a game like Wed, their next game is sub-par. (No offense)
Maybe the change of line up is the key?
Heidinger, Ortiz, and Eddy all out. Lets hope for another win Fri.
I don't care if its by one goal or ten, a win is a win.
"LETS GO CYCLONES"
I agree...hopefully the day off between last night and Friday's game will dispel that tendency. The flat playing we tended to do all season the next game (after we blew a team out) was usually when the next game was the very next day.
Anyway, we've got to do better as a team to help Smith out more, and he has to lock in again, although I still think he played very well last night. Him getting smoked for 5 goals two games in a row is not going to win us this series. I think, like the SC match-up, this still could go either way. Charlotte has dents and dings in their armor and so do we---same goes for the strengths both teams have. We certainly have the guys it takes to win this series by the end of Saturday night, but we've got to do a lot better in reducing Chalotte's scoring opportunities---they've got a lot of guys that can score and they're so aggressive in how they play. The way the first two periods went last night, I thought that game was going down to the wire---sure didn't expect the Charlotte meltdown but it was fun to watch. Hopefully that gives us the edge we need now. I'm sure Munce isn't looking forward to tomorrow night! |
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cycfanforever
(The Next Level!)
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 09:58:38 AM
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Another fact is the Checkers are great on the PP. If we play smart and stay out of the penalty box, like Chuck would like, we stand a much better chance! Both our special teams really hummed last night, but we need that effort on a regular basis.
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You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take.
Wayne Gretzky!
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git er done
Larry the Cable Guy
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"LETS GO CYCLONES"
2007-2008
2009-2010
"KELLY CUP CHAMPS"
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bags
(Person With Nothing Better To Do!)
USA
2224 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 11:50:20 AM
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On the attendance:
Keep in mind a Red's game,party in the park and a Wednesday-I call
2000 a good crowd. Charlotte only had 2000 last FRIDAY and 3000 on
Saturday. Add in the fact of little media attention and it wasn't bad.
Turning point of last night's game was with 2 minutes left in the
second.Charlotte roughed up I think Motherwell and the team turned
that hidden switch on and became a monster on the ice. Game three was
the pivotal one for us. We need at least a split of these next two
games. A loss last night and we would have to win both Friday and
Saturday. Now we can go out and skate freely on Friday and not be
pressured. Good news-two short-handed goals. Bad news was weak power
play and penalty kills in first two periods.
On attendance- I bought two seats for last night,Friday and Saturday
each-the cost was $84! Add in the higher Red's related parking and going
to the game is NOT family friendly!
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SCUBA
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
584 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 12:26:35 PM
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| I'm a little surprised about the comments i'm reading today, the Checkers didn't give us anything last night, it's almost as if several of you are contributing "our" win to Charlotte not playing well. I don't think I've quite seen a game like I did last night. Another observation about last nights game, virtually the whole first and second period I was thinking, man they are really setting themselves up for some wicked checks. I think Charlotte could have been called for boarding multiple times. I saw Checkers make 3-4 step runs to some of our guys and then it occured to me that I have seen it before. Maybe it's not really valid, an observation and opinion, but like the 2008 Kelly cup team, we saw Johnstown play a similar game to Charlotte. I like to think that last nights game was kinda like a Rocky movie where we took so much abuse throughout the first and second only to start the third, fresher. The Checkers look tired. The Checkers made runs at some of our players in the third only to get to the boards and the Clone player was gone. Charlotte isn't going to roll over and there is plenty of hockey left to be played. I never worry about giving up goals if they give up more. I have to believe there was alittle stragedy in last nights game. It might not work on Friday but I also have to believe liker Johnstown the Checkers are rethinking their play after last nights game. The Clones had a step in the third. We kept it close early, and added speed late. Charlotte had tanked. The third period at times to me looked like we had 10 or so players on the ice. My Wife works with a Cyclone family member and the Clones are very, very proud of how it went down last night. I'm not certain if they are that worried about giving up 5 goals with the 5th coming very late in the third. I just don't want anyone to down play the Clones work last night and unless i'm getiing the wrong impression it seems as some are thinking the win was more contributed to Charlottes lack of play. That is Bengal mentality. |
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cycfanforever
(The Next Level!)
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 1:00:17 PM
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I don't know if I'm one your referring to,but that's not my take at all.
We were in attendance last, and I'm here to tell you that Charlotte didn't under perform! Our Cyclones just simply outperformed Charlotte!
The Cyclones have every reason to be proud of their effort, because I know I sure as hell was.
I feel if they play like last night, all the time, they could and would beat "ANYBODY".
Still, we must take one game at a time, because nothing is a certainty.
Lets continue that level of play, and the Cyclones will PREVAIL!
Good luck Friday!
"LETS GO CYCLONES"
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You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take.
Wayne Gretzky!
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git er done
Larry the Cable Guy
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"LETS GO CYCLONES"
2007-2008
2009-2010
"KELLY CUP CHAMPS"
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SCUBA
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
584 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 1:13:01 PM
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| I'm not certain if it was you, maybe. I certainly didn't get from you that you were bashing. I read a post where someone mentioned that we captialized on Munce having a bad day, but we still had to get through their defense to even get to munce who was having a bad day. Charlotte appears to be a much better team than I had expected, with that I'm certain that no one wants to give up 5 goals to anyone however if we give up 5 and they give up 9? I was very, very concerned after a 5-0 shlacking we took game 2. it was nice to see some offense. I think I get where some of you are coming from now and it was as much me than anyones post. I think you guys are wanting to be cautious and not overly confident, I get it. I walked out last night feeling incredible and I suppose it carried over this am while reading some posts, took it wrong. My bad, lost of hockey left to play |
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SCUBA
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
584 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 1:23:05 PM
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| Hey wanted to drop this question on someone, I actually parked in the arena parking lot last night, we arrived about 10 minutes late or so and walked in to a 2-2 tie. I might be the only one in the world who thinks this but I paid $12.00 to park there and felt that to be reasonable. Usually the US Bank Arena parking is for folks with passes to Reds games. How was I able to park there last night and will it be the same on Friday....or since it was a Wed night with little Reds turn out, party at the park and a Clones game then maybe they assumed folks had to park someplace?.......14-6 crushing by the Dodgers? let the slide begin. and Hey i'm just as happy to see all Cincy teams successful, but last night watching the folks go to the Reds game, dressed in their Reds gear. It was kinda like watching cows go to slaughter. We lwft with about 2 minutes left in the third because we have young children, it was fun hearing the score of the Reds game, then they would ask about our score. Most said they should have gone game. Funny how this major league brainwashing goes in this town. it's the PROs therfore I must pay to watch them lose. |
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ray m
(Rookie)
39 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 2:22:18 PM
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Scuba...responding to your next-to-last post...I was the one that mentioned Munce not looking forward to tomorrow night, as well as Charlotte's meltdown in the 3rd, but I for one didn't take wrong what you initially posted in this thread. In fact, looking back on what I posted, it did kind of sound like I was doing a fair bit of bitching for what was a heck of a game on our part. I agree we really turned it on in the third and became beasts out there, and Charlotte couldn't keep up. There's just a couple things we really need to watch and keep a close check on with Charlotte in order for us to come out on top, which we are absolutely capable of. I don't think we are at all "underdogs" in this series, and Charlotte, if they are destined to lose this series, will not go down easily. At the end of two periods, I didn't know who was going to win, other that whichever team threw the last punch. The Checkers are one heck of a team and, as someone else put in another thread, aren't seeded #1 for nothing. By the same token, we didn't win more games than any other team in the conference for nothing, either. If we just keep playing like we did last night and tighten up our defense a bit, give Smith a little more protection and keep up this offense, we'll be fine.
As for your post on the parking, my wife and I pretty much exclusively park in the arena garage, and we did so last night and the other playoff game against SC where there was also a Reds game going on. We paid the $12 and were let in. Funny thing, last night we probably got to the garage around 6:15, and the parking attendant taking my $$ saw my Cyclones jersey and said something like "Going to watch hockey and not the reds, huh?". I laughed and said, "Yeah, f--- the reds we want to watch a winning team". That garnered a swift poke in the ribs from my wife, but the parking dude got a kick out of it! I don't think they care who pays the $12 to park in there, but we haven't been turned back yet.
It was also funny to see the reds fans mope back to their cars in the parking garage when we were filing out to leave. We could tell the reds lost, and didn't even know until we got home what kind of a beatdown they were handed. |
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cyfa48
(Rookie)
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 3:01:43 PM
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In a vast desert of Reds loses, it's nice to live in the oasis of Cyclones wins.
I wish more people in this town could see that. |
Edited by - cyfa48 on 04/22/2010 3:02:50 PM |
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cycfan
(The Next Level!)
243 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 3:13:05 PM
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My take on the game last night is that I'm glad to see the power play click for once. The Cyclones were running a side triangle power play for the most part and it seemed to to slow down Charlotte's aggressive PK and allowed us to collapse on the net and pick up rebounds.
I was also excited to see us get a little more aggressive on our PK in the second and third period which led to the two shorthanded goals. I think we let them work the puck too much on their first two power plays without putting any pressure on them and allowed them to take the shot they wanted to take. Both goals came from essentially the same spot on the ice.
One thing I noticed was when the Cyclones checking game became more aggressive, it really started to take the wind out of the Checker's lighting fast offense. Charlotte moves the puck up the ice better than us and I think might be a bit faster. The way to defend that is by finishing your checks. That does two things, it causes the guy with the puck to be wondering where the hit is coming from and forces him to make a play faster than he might want, it also disrupts the flow of a high skill puck possesion team like Charlotte. If they can't make crisp accurate passes, their system breaks down.
I think that's what we saw in the second half of the second and all of the third last night. I suspect Coach saw something and made an adjustment, because there was definitely a different energy about the 'Clones late in the game.
Let's take it to 'em Friday too!!!
Go Cyclones!!!! |
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eagleoneoh
(Rookie)
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2010 : 4:40:39 PM
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| Glad we won the only thing that matters now is the Checkers backs are against the boards 2-1 hope the boys can make it a 3-1 advantage friday night go clones |
Lets GO Cyclones |
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