For Immediate Release: March 1, 2019
Game 55 (Home Game 28)
Vs. Indy Fuel (26-25-2-1, 55 pts)
Friday, March 1, 2019 – 7:35pm ET
US. Bank Arena – Cincinnati, OH
Overview: The Cyclones return home to take on the Indy Fuel, with their Magic Number currently sitting at nine points. The Cyclones saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ft. Wayne Komets. Cincinnati now has a 13-point lead over the Toledo Walleye for the top spot in the ECHL’s Central Division, and they lead the Florida Everblades by four points for first place in the League overall.
Sunday Afternoon Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (38-9-4-3) fell in overtime, 5-4, to the Ft. Wayne Komets on Sunday afternoon. Forwards Alex Wideman, Pascal Aquin, and Brady Vail, along with defenseman Eric Knodel netted the goals for Cincinnati, who extended their point streak to eight games. The Cyclones outshot Ft. Wayne, 31-28 on the afternoon, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 23 in the win.
Last Thursday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (37-9-3-3) pushed their winning streak to seven games with a 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers on Thursday evening. Defenseman Eric Knodel, along with forwards Brady Vail, Vas Glotov, and Mike Marnell scored the goals for the Cyclones. Goaltender Michael Houser stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced in the win, and in the process, became the Cyclones’ new franchise leader for wins by a goaltender with 64. Cincinnati was outshot, 35-21 on the evening, while the power play converted on 50% of its chances.
Last Wednesday Night Recap: The Cincinnati Cyclones (37-9-3-3) collected their sixth-consecutive win with a 5-1 triumph over the Kalamazoo Wings on Wednesday night. Forwards Jesse Schultz, Myles Powell, Mike Marnell, Vas Glotov, and defenseman Eric Knodel netted the goals for Cincinnati. The Cyclones outshot Kalamazoo, 34-20 on the evening, with goaltender Michael Houser stopping 19 to collect the win.
Previewing Indy: The Fuel currently sit in sixth place in the ECHL’s Central Division, four points back of the Ft. Wayne Komets for the Division’s fourth and final playoff spot. Indy has won three of their last four games, and are coming off a 4-3 win over the Wichita Thunder last Saturday. Indy has been strong at closing out games this season, as they are currently 20-3-0 when leading after two periods, and they are 23-14-8-1 win scoring the game’s first goal. From a special teams standpoint, Indy ranks ninth in both power play conversion rate at 18.5% (42/227), and penalty killing percentage at 84.5% (191/226). They are led offensively by forward Ryan Rupert, who has totaled 19 goals and 30 assists through 54 games. He is followed by forwards Josh Shalla (22g, 23a) and Matt Rupert (19g, 19a) who round out the top three. In goal, Matt Tomkins has appeared in 40 games with a record of 21-15-2-1, along with a 3.19 goals-against average.
Inside the Series: This will be the ninth of 12 meetings between the Cyclone and Fuel, with Cincinnati holding a5-3-0-0 edge through the first eight gamesof the season series, and outscoringthe Fuel, 27-20.
Next Game Preview: The Cyclones hit the road on Saturday to take on the Wheeling Nailers, in the sixth of eight meetings on the season between the two. Cincinnati is 4-1-0-0 through the first five games, and have outscored the Nailers, 16-7, this season.
Knodel Named AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Month: Cincinnati Cyclones defenseman Eric Knodel has been named the recipient of the AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Monthfor February, after posting an on-ice rating of plus-16 through 13 games during the month. He joins forward Alex Wideman, who was co-recipient of the AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Month in December. Knodel posted an even or better rating in 12 of his 13 games during the month, including pair or plus-four games- an 8-1 road win over the Maine Mariners on February 8, and a 5-4 overtime victory against Adirondack on February 17. He ranks third among ECHL defensemen, and sixth overall in the league, with a plus-35 rating this season, and is also tied for first among blueliners with 14 goals and is tied for second with 39 points. Signed to an American Hockey League (AHL) contract this past summer by the Rochester Americans, Cincinnati’s AHL affiliate, the 6-6, 225-pound blueliner ranked third in ECHL defenseman scoring a season ago, accounting for 13 goals and 39 assists in 57 games played. Currently in his third season with the Cyclones, Knodel skated in 58 games with the Cyclones in 2016-17, leading the team in defenseman scoring with eight goals and 20 assists, and was tied for third with a plus-seven on-ice rating. He was one of the ECHL’s top defensemen at the midway point of 2016-17, and for his efforts he was awarded a spot in the 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic in Glens Falls. He also took part in the All-Star Hardest Shot competition, where he finished in second place with a shot of 96mph. Overall, Knodel has appeared in 302 pro games, accounting for 47 goals and 124 assists for 171 total points. Prior to turning pro, Knodel spent four seasons at the University of New Hampshire, and was named captain during his season year in 2013-14. In 116 games for the Wildcats, he accounted for 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 total points, including a career-high 28 (7g, 21a) during his senior year.
All-Time Franchise Leader: After notching his 100th ECHL win in Saturday’s 5-2 victory over the Toledo Walleye, goaltender Michael Houser became the Cyclones’ all-time goaltending wins leader following Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers. He currently has 64 career wins in a Cyclones uniform dating back to the 2012-13 season, and Houser is currently second in team history with 109 career games played, 18 shy of Geoff Sarjeant’s 127 (1996-98). This is Houser’s fourth stint as a Cyclone, and has a career Cyclones record of 64-34-6-4 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
League Leaders: Cincinnati currently boasts a pair of League-leaders in forward Jesse Schultz and goaltender Michael Houser. Schultz currently paces the ECHL in both points (63) and assists (46) and has also added 17 goals. He has points in eight of his last nine games (4g, 9a), and in 30of his last 38 contests, accounting for 16 goals and 33 assists in that time. Houser currently leads the League in fewest losses with four, goals-against average at 2.00, and save percentage at .928. He is 13-1-2 in his last 16 games, allowing two or fewer goals in 12 of them. Houser was also named the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for December after a perfect 6-0-0-0 record along with a 1.17 goals against average and a .950 save percentage.
Point Men: Forward Vas Glotov is currently riding an eight-game point streak, totaling five goals and five assists in that time, while defenseman Mitch Jones has four goals and three of assists in his last eight outings. Alex Wideman has six goals and six assists in his last 13 games, and is second on the team with 18 goals and 33 assists, while forward Pascal Aquin has points in 10 of his last 14 contests, accounting for fourgoals and 12 helpers, and ranking fifth in League rookie scoring with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. Finally, Ben Johnson has points in eight of his last 12 outings (3g, 9a), and Brady Vail has points in 14 of his last 20games(8g, 11a).
Cyclones add Ostepchuk: The Cincinnati Cyclones have signed goaltender Braeden Ostepchuk to a Standard Player Contract (SPC). He joins the Cyclones after spending the first half of the season with the Evansville Thunderbolts of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). A native of Lethbridge, AB, Ostepchuk has appeared in 22 games with the Thunderbolts, posting a 2-16-3 record along with a 3.86 goals-against average and a .818 save percentage. He turned pro late in the 2017-18 campaign, seeing one game apiece for the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers, and the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Prior to turning pro, the 25-year-old spent four years at Norwich University, appearing in 70 games and posting a 51-12-3 record along with a 1.79 GAA and a .924 SV%.
Power Surge: After snapping an 0-19 stretch on the power play, the Cyclones are now 15 for their last 51on the man advantage. Cincinnati is now 20thin the ECHL with a 15.4% conversion rate on the powerplay (36/234).
Good in All Areas: The Cyclones boast the League’s top offense, averaging 3.96 goals per game, and the top defense, having allowed a miniscule 2.37 goals per 60 minutes and outscoring teams 214-128. Starting and finishing games have been a specialty for Cincinnati, as they have a League-leading 83 first period goals while only allowing 40, and have allowed 33 goals in the third period. Cincinnati is outscoring the opposition, 65-32, in the final 20 minutes of play, and are 28-1-0-2. when leading through two periods. They have given up more than three goals in regulation just eight times this season.
Packed Schedule:The Cyclones are in the midst of a stretch of 29 games in 59 days. Cincinnati will play three games in three days on four separate occasions during that time, a pair of four-game-in-five-days stretches, two stretches of seven-games in 10 days, and one of 10 games in 17 days.
Welcome Matt Thomas: The Cyclones enter the 2018-19 season with a new head coach. In early August, Cincinnati hired Matt Thomas as the team’s new bench boss. He replaced Matt Macdonald who was named assistant coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins; American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. A native of Maple Ridge, BC, Thomas has extensive head coaching experience in the ECHL, spanning 11 seasons with the Atlantic Boardwalk Bullies, Fresno Falcons, and Stockton Thunder from 2002-2013. Thomas served two seasons as an assistant coach with Atlantic City, including helping the Boardwalk Bullies to a Kelly Cup Championship in 2003, before assuming the role of head coach and Director of Hockey Operations with the team prior to 2004-2005. He compiled a 42-22-8 mark in his lone season as Atlantic City’s bench boss, and served as the head coach for the 2005 ECHL All-Star Game. He then moved on to Fresno prior to the 2005-06 campaign, leading the Falcons to a 43-15-14 mark along with a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Over the next two seasons in Fresno, Thomas compiled a 76-41-17 record, with trips to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs on both occasions. He coached the Falcons during the first half of 2008-09, leading the team to an 18-10-2 mark before the team ceased operations midseason. Thomas was not out of work for long however, as he was named head coach of Stockton shortly after, and finished the year with a record of 22-16-3, and a trip to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Thomas went on to coach the Thunder for four more seasons, amassing a mark of 141-111-36, reaching the post season each year, including a trip to the 2013 Kelly Cup Finals. He enters the 2018-19 campaign as the ECHL’s sixth-winningest coach with a career record of 342-225-80, just one win back of fifth place all time. He is also the all-time leader in playoff games coached with 97, and ranks third with 49 playoff wins.
The 2018-19 season is HERE, and the Cincinnati Cyclones want YOU along for the ride! Single game, Group, and Season Tickets are on sale NOW by calling (513) 421-PUCK! Stay on top of all the latest team updates and information on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
