A five minute power play in overtime helped Patrick Polino sink the game-winning-goal, giving the Cyclones a come-from-behind 6-5 win Monday night at Heritage Bank Center.
Cincinnati owns a 2-1 series lead heading into game four at home Wednesday night.
- An early start fueled the Cyclones to a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Graeme Brown's first professional goal. The physical defenseman showed his scoring prowess, firing the puck in the slot by Billy Christopoulos 1:45 into the first period.
- Toledo's power play struck again in this series, tying the game midway through the first when Matthew Berry tucked a puck by Michael Houser to even the score. Cam Clarke scored less than two minutes later to give Toledo a 2-1 lead.
- The first of four deficits were erased 5:09 into the middle frame, when Zack Andrusiak crashed the net, scoring a rebound off a shot from Dajon Mingo.
- Berry answered again, and on another power play, getting a feed from John Albert on the wing to collect a 3-2 lead for Toledo.
- After going 0-for-13 on the power play to begin the series, a late period power play allowed Cincinnati to snap the streak, as Dominic Franco got on top of the crease and jammed a puck by Christopoulos for the 3-3 tie with 1:19 to go in the second.
- Both teams struck twice in the third period and it began with Toledo's Jesse Mychan getting a five minute major penalty and game misconduct for charging Patrick Polino. With the Cyclones on a power play, it would be Toledo capitalizing first, when Brett Boeing tucked a breakaway goal past Houser for the 4-3 advantage.
- The 'Clones responded in the dying seconds of their power play with a blistering shot from a top the blue line by Dajon Mingo, making it 4-4 under 13 minutes to play.
- Once again, the Walleye didn't let the game remain tied for long. Captain TJ Hensick spun a pass to Brandon Hawkins behind the net, who then returned it in front for Hensick to build the Walleye to a 5-4 lead with 7:15 to play.
- With 2:01 to play, Wyatt Ege aired a stretch pass down the ice that found Lukas Craggs burrowing down the left wing and getting a puck to the front of the net that squeaked past the line to tie the game and force overtime.
- Five minutes into overtime, Cole Fraser and Justin Vaive got tangled up in the corner, with Fraser sending Vaive to the ice on a slew foot. The result was a second major penalty and game misconduct charged to Toledo, giving the 'Clones a five minute power play once more.
- With 20 seconds left in the man advantage, Polino tucked a shot under the pad of Christopoulos and into the back of the net, though the goal was immediately waived off as the net had become dislodged before the puck crossed the line. The officials, however, reviewed the goal and determined the net had been knocked off by a member of the Walleye, therefore reversing the decision and giving Polino the OT winner.
- Michael Houser picks up his first playoff win since 2019 with a 37 save performance. Christopoulos took the loss with 33 stops.
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