|
jevers
Administrator
USA
1367 Posts |
 Posted - 01/11/2010 : 4:48:04 PM
|
CYCLONES HOST NORTH DIVISION THIS WEEK
All Three Opponents Come To U.S. Bank Arena
COMING UP: The Cincinnati Cyclones, the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, play the final four games before the All-Star break this week. Three of the contests will be played at U.S. Bank Arena and each of the North Division teams visit Cincinnati. Wheeling visits on Tuesday (Jan. 12) for a 'Big Beer Tuesday' with selected 24 ounce beers priced at two dollars each. Wednesday (Jan. 13), Kalamazoo stops by on a 'Wet Wednesday' with cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life priced at a dollar each. Friday (Jan. 15), the Cyclones hit the road for a 7:05pm clash at Johnstown. That game will be carried on 1530 Homer -- The Sports Animal, with the pregame getting underway at 6:30pm. Saturday (Jan. 16), Toledo comes to town on Military Appreciation Night, tickets are priced at seven dollars each with valid military identification.
GOOD WEEK FOR THE NORTH: Last week, the North compiled an 9-0 record against competition outside the division. As of today, all four teams in the North Division would be in the Kelly Cup playoffs--based on winning percentage.
MILESTONES: Several members of the Cincinnati Cyclones hockey club reached personal milestones in Friday night's game at Wheeling. Head Coach Chuck Weber worked the bench for his 250th regular season game. Defenseman Dwayne Zinger played in his 600th professional game and had an assist. The tenth-year veteran is the lone Cyclone with NHL experience (2003-04 with Washington). Defenseman Brett Motherwell played in his 100th pro contest as well.
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones erased a 1-0 deficit in the first period by scoring four unanswered goals in a 4-1 win at East Division leader Reading. Matt Pierce netted a pair of goals, with Scott Reynolds picking up a pair of assists. Jeremy Smith had 16 saves to register his eleventh victory of the season.
ABOUT FRIDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones dropped a 4-2 verdict at Wheeling. The Nailers raced to a 2-0 first period lead and never looked back. Brett Robinson and Scott Reynolds had the goals for the Cyclones. Jeremy Smith took the loss in goal.
ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT...: The Cyclones battled back from a 2-1 second period deficit to claim a 5-2 victory against Trenton. The triumph extended the winning streak to four games and ended a three-game home losing streak in the process. Maxime Lacroix led the offense with a hat trick, while Mike McLean (on his 24th birthday), chipped in with a goal and an assist. Jeremy Smith re-directed 22 shots in the Cincinnati goal.
THREE GOING TO ALL-STAR GAME: The ECHL All-Star Game presented by Reebok Hockey will be played on Wednesday, January 20 at Ontario, California. The Cyclones will send their largest contingent ever to the game, as rookie forward Matt Pierce, rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith and athletic trainer Bob Case will attend. The only other time multiple representatives of the team attended the game was 2004 when the game was played in Peoria. Defenseman Jason Maleyko and Case represented the Cyclones at the contest.
TEN ABOVE BREAK EVEN: With the win on Wednesday, the Cyclones improved to ten games above the .500 mark at 21-11-1. This was the second-fastest the club has reached double digits above the break even mark in club history. During the Kelly Cup championship season of 2007-08, the Cyclones raced out to a 15-5-1 mark on December 7 and would reach a club record 44 games above .500 at 55-11-5 on the next to last day of the season. The second-fastest team to the mark was last year's edition, which hit the mark on February 6 with a win at Mississippi to go 26-16-5. The 2008-09 club reached the second-best mark in team history at 15 games over .500 on the final day of the season (41-26-5). The Cyclones are presently ten games above at 22-12-1. Last year's edition first hit eleven games over .500 on February 21 when the record was 30-19-5.
EHGOETZ HITS THE DOUBLE CENTURY MARK: Center Barret Ehgoetz became the second player in team history to reach 200 points with his two assist performance on Wednesday night in the 5-2 win over Trenton. Ehgoetz trails Sheldon Gorski (213) for the club's all-time point scoring lead. Ehgoetz is also a point shy of having 100 points at U.S. Bank Arena. When he hits the century mark for scoring on home ice--he will become only the fourth player to accomplish the feat on home ice. Former IHL Cyclone Gilbert Dionne holds the point lead in the facility with 196 points (69-127-196). Others to hit the mark are former Stingers Rick Dudley (75-78-153) and Robbie Ftorek (46-63-109).
ROAD WARRIORS: The Cyclones have a 12-7-1 record away from U.S. Bank Arena this season. The twelve road wins are the third-most by an ECHL team this season (South Carolina 15 and Idaho 13 have more). Since the start of the 2007-08 season, Cincinnati has won a league-high 60 road regular season game. South Carolina ranks second on the list with 57. Cincinnati already has a seven game away winning streak this season--tying the club record for a third time.
JEREMY SMITH MOVING UP LIST: Cyclones goaltender Jeremy Smith continues posting solid numbers during his rookie season. The Dearborn, Michigan native has turned in an 11-7-1 record--the sixth-most wins in the ECHL and a 2.47 goals against average--second-best in the league. Smith has posted a pair of shutouts, one of four goalies in the ECHL to achieve this. The second-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators in 2007 has compiled an 8-3 record with a 2.28 goals against average and a .917 save percentage since November 17.
DEFENSE HAS BEEN SOLID: The Cyclones defensive effort has been among the best in the ECHL. Cincinnati leads the league in goals against average at 2.63, has permitted the fewest shots on goal per game (26.5), has been whistled for the fewest penalty minutes (496) and has the fourth-best penalty kill percentage (84.4).
WE JUST EXPECT THE NORTH TO BE A BATTLE: The Cyclones are in the middle of a four team race for the North Division lead--as all of these teams are separated by just six points. Last year, the North Division was settled on the final day of the season as 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 Kalamazoo holds the top spot with 46 points, with the Cyclones one behind with 45. Toledo is four back in third place (42 points) and Wheeling is in fourth with 40 points.
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.
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 3730 per game through the first 15 contests at U.S. Bank Arena, which ranks 14th 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 20.2 percent over last year's season average and is up 62.9 percent over the first 15 home games of a year ago. The club has drawn 55,953 through the turnstiles nearly halfway through the home schedule. Last season, the club did not draw that many people through the first 21 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 and the Cyclones rank 43rd on that list.
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 Ian McKenzie and Kevin Roeder.
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES...: The Cyclones have employed 26 different lineups this season in the first 35 games. Cincinnati has lost players for 90 games through call ups and 118 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 168 different lineups (in 251 games).
http://tinyurl.com/yl92tjl
|
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
