|
jevers
Administrator
USA
1367 Posts |
 Posted - 01/04/2010 : 6:23:21 PM
|
COMING UP: The Cincinnati Cyclones, the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, play three important games this week as the club continues to lead the North Division. The Cyclones (20-11-1) host the Trenton Devils on Wednesday night (January 6) for another 'Wet Wednesday' promotion at 7:30pm. Over the weekend, the club plays at Wheeling on Friday night (January 8) at 7:35pm with the game carried on 1530 Homer -- The Sports Animal. Saturday (January 9), the Cyclones are at East Division leader, Reading, at 7pm.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Cincinnati Cyclones have tied a club record with their current seven game road winning streak. It is the third time in team history that the club has won seven consecutive games away from U.S. Bank Arena. Since the start of the 2007-08 season, the Cyclones have won 59 regular season road games, the most in the ECHL (South Carolina is second with 56).
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones crushed Johnstown, 5-0, on Saturday night at the Cambria County War Memorial. Three first period goals for Cincinnati, all in a four and a half minute stretch, put the game out of reach. Jeremy Smith stopped all 33 shots he faced for the second shutout win of the year for the rookie. Brian O'Hanley had a career high three point game (goal and two assists) to pace the offense.
SMITH LIKES JOHNSTOWN: Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender Jeremy Smith has enjoyed his two trips to Johnstown this season. Smith has a 2-0 record with a perfect 0.00 goals against average and a 1.000 save percentage in the facility. He posted a 22 save performance in a 2-0 win in his pro debut on October 17 and stopped all 33 shots in Saturday's 5-0 triumph at the Cambria County War Memorial. The rookie All-Star has moved into fourth place on the club's career shutout list with two. Jeremy has a 9-6-1 record and a 2.49 goals against average, third-best in the ECHL.
ABOUT THURSDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones took over first place in the North Division with a 3-1 win at Kalamazoo. Scott Reynolds re-directed a pass in the first period for the opening score. Matt Pierce collected the game winner--stealing a clearing pass in the high slot and firing it home. Barret Ehgoetz netted a shorthanded empty net goal with 41.9 seconds remaining to end the contest. Robert Mayer flirted with a shutout--stopping 25 shots for his ninth win.
PIERCE AND SMITH ARE ALL-STARS: Cyclones forward Matt Pierce and goaltender Jeremy Smith, both rookies--have been selected to play in the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game at Ontario, CA on January 20. It is the first time in club history that a pair of players will represent the team at the mid-season classic.
WE JUST EXPECT THE NORTH TO BE A BATTLE: The Cyclones are in the middle of a three team race for the North Division lead--as all of these teams are separated by just three points. Last year, the North Division was settled on the final day of the season and Cincinnati and Trenton tied for the top spot (the Cyclones winning the position based on tie-breakers) and Elmira was just two points back. In 2006-07, Dayton claimed the North--two points ahead of Toledo and three in front of Cincinnati. During the Kelly Cup championship season of 2008-09--the Cyclones ran away with the division title, finishing 26 points ahead of runner-up Elmira. At this moment, the Cyclones lead the division with 41 points, while Kalamazoo is second with 40, Toledo is third with 38 and fourth place Wheeling has 36. It is the closest divisional race in the ECHL this season.
THE 2009 PORTION WAS ON SCHEDULE: In the first three years under Head Coach Chuck Weber, the club has a 54-31-9 record (.622 winning percentage) in games played prior prior to January 1. That is a yearly average of an 18-10-3 record. The Cyclones were 19-11-1 at the turn of the year..
SPEAKING OF NEW YEARS RECORDS...: The 19 wins the club had prior to January 1 were the second-most wins prior to the New Year by a Cyclones squad. The 2002-03 unit raced off to an 18-10-2 mark by the holiday and only the 2007-08 championship team (24-6-2) had a better record at that point in the season. Cincinnati has averaged 15.4 wins prior to the 1st of the year in club history.
DECEMBER IS DELIGHTFUL: The Cyclones had a 9-3 record in the month of December. The club has had a winning record in the twelfth month in eight of the eleven seasons of operation. December has been the most successful month for the club, as it has posted a 78-49-15 record (.602 winning percentage) in history.
IT HAS TO BE THE TURKEY: In the four seasons since Chuck Weber has been the Cyclones coach, the club has enjoyed the holiday seasons. From the week of Thanksgiving through the New Year, the club has a 46-17-5 (.715 winning percentage). This season, the club went 12-4 (.750).
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS STRONG: The Cyclones are averaging 3844 per game through the first 14 contests at U.S. Bank Arena, which ranks 13th in the ECHL. The club has already drawn the second-largest (10,920 for Throwback Night on November 6) and fourth-largest (8944 for Education In Hockey Day on November 17) regular season crowds in team history. Attendance at Cyclones games is up 23.8 percent over last year's season average and is up 72.5 percent over the first 14 home games of a year ago. The club has drawn 53,827 through the turnstiles in a bit more than the first third of the home schedule. Last season, the club did not draw that many people through the first 20 games.
CLIMBING HIGH...: When the Cyclones returned to hockey in 2006-07, they finished 25th of 25 teams in attendance at 1844 per game. During the 2007-08 Kelly Cup march, the squad attracted 2523 per game--an increase of 36.8 percent. That percentage was the greatest of any team playing minor pro hockey. Last year, the team attracted 3104 per game--an increase of 23 percent, second-best in all of minor pro hockey. There are 78 North American minor pro hockey teams playing this season and the Cyclones rank 38th on that list.
GET SHORTY: The Cyclones have nine shorthanded goals, tied for most in the ECHL. In each of the three seasons that Chuck Weber has been the coach in Cincinnati--the club has hit double digits in shorthanded goals. In 2006-07, the squad netted ten and in each of the last two campaigns the club has tallied eleven. The team record for SHGs is 14 set in 1998-99.
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES...: The Cyclones have employed 24 different lineups this season in the first 32 games. Cincinnati has lost players for 78 games through call ups and 112 games due to injury. The club is averaging six players out per game due to injury and call ups. Last season, the Cyclones used 45 different lineups and in the four seasons Chuck Weber has been coach, the squad has utilized 166 different lineups (in 248 games).
RETURN OF THE NO GOAL PATROL!: The Cyclones penalty killing unit which has killed the last 16 power plays recorded by opponents over the last five games--has improved to second in the ECHL in the statistic at 85.5 percent. In the month of December, Cincinnati killed 47 of 53 shorthanded situations--an 88.7 penalty kill percentage.
WE LOVE HOME COOKING!: The Cyclones have won nine games at U.S. Bank Arena this season, tied with three other teams for ninth-most in the ECHL. Since April 1 of last season, the Cyclones are 12-4 at home (.750 winning percentage) and since January 10, the squad is 22-9 at U.S. Bank Arena (.710). The 14 games at home played by the Cyclones are third-fewest in the ECHL.
BUT WE'RE ONLY AT HOME WHEN WE ARE ON THE ROAD: The Cyclones have played 17 road games (seventh-most) in 2009-2010. Cincinnati has won 71 road games between the regular season and playoffs since the start of the 2007-08 season--most of any team in the league.
SUPERLATIVES: Forward Scott Reynolds leads all ECHL players with five shorthanded points...Reynolds is tied for the league lead with three shorthanded goals...Dustin Sproat is tied for the ECHL lead with three shootout goals...Two of Sproat's bonus frame markers have been game winning scores...Jeremy Smith's two shutouts are tied for the ECHL lead...Matt Pierce has 25 points, eleventh-best among rookies...Pierce's 16 goals are third-most among first-year players...Chris Morehouse has 64 penalty minutes, fifth-highest total among rookies...Brett Robinson is tied for the rookie lead in minor penalities with 21...The Cyclones have scored the first goal in 22 of their 32 games, most in the ECHL (Idaho has scored first 20 times)...Cincinnati's 428 penalty minutes are the fewest in the league...The Cyclones have allowed 145 power play chances--fewest in the ECHL as well.
COACHES SHOW: The Coors Light Cyclones Coaches Show originates each Monday night from Jefferson Hall at Newport on the Levee. Head Coach Chuck Weber joins Nick Brunker each week from 7-8pm. This week the guests are Chris Morehouse and Mark Voakes.
http://tinyurl.com/yg2w3gk
|
Stay connected with The CycWard!
Join/Follow/Friend us at:FACEBOOK PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-CycWard-Section-60/14471144997
FACEBOOK GROUP
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21564286069
TWITTER:
http://www.twitter.com/cycward
|
|
Topic Locked
