Cincinnati Cyclones Dominate the Reading Royals 6-2, Desharnais Continues to Shine

Thursday

27Mar2008

Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 03:38PM

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Cyclones rookie David Desharnais turned in his fifth four-point night of the season and guide the North Division champions to a 6-2 win over Reading on Wednesday night. Desharnais, who leads the ECHL with 98 points, had a pair of goals and a pair of assists in the contest. Rookie Ryan Russell pulled the same feat (two goals and two assists) in the contest as well.

The Cyclones became the third Cincinnati professional hockey team to win at least 51 games in the regular season. The last was the IHL’s version of the Cyclones in 1995-96 (51 wins) before losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The 1972-73 Cincinnati Swords (AHL) won 54 games and captured the Calder Cup championship.

The Cyclones took a 2-1 lead in the first period. At 9:59, Matt Syroczynski registered his 30th goal of the season to give Cincinnati a 1-0 edge. David Desharnais threw the puck from behind the net into the slot to Syroczynski, who snapped off the shot. Ryan Russell added the other assist. The lead extended to 2-0, when Russell came up the left wing side and took a feed from Olivier Latendresse and Desharnais. Just 16 seconds later—at 17:36, Reading cut the deficit to 2-1, as Brock Hooton netted his 24th goal, firing a shot from the bottom of the right circle that slipped through Cincinnati netmind Cody Rudkowsky.

In the second period, Desharnais scored a pair of goals to help Cincinnati open a 4-1 edge. The first came at 14:48, as he came down the right wing side taking passes from Russell and Syroczynski. The second of the frame came as he worked the bottom of the right circle and lifted a shot over Royals netminder John Murray. Desharnais took the pass from Mathieu Aubin and Latendresse for his 26th goal of the campaign.

ADVERTISEMENT Cincinnati opened the scoring in the third period at 3:50, when Scott Reynolds netted his 13th goal from Trevor Wolfe to extend the lead to 5-1. A Reading goal from Charlie Kronschnabel at 10:39, narrowed the lead to 5-2. Russell closed out the scoring with his second goal of the night and third of the season at 13:33, as Chris Ferazzoli and Josh Coyle added the helpers.

Cody Rudkowsky stopped 23 shots in running his record with the Cyclones to 4-0-2.

The Cincinnati Cyclones are 41 games above .500, with a 51-10-5 record and sole possession of first place in the North Division—22 points ahead of second place Elmira. The win gives Cincinnati a 35-4-3 record since December 15. Reading is 37-23-6 and in third place in the division, 27 points behind Cincinnati. The 51 wins are the most ever by the club.

The Cyclones are next in action Friday night versus Elmira with a 7:30pm faceoff scheduled at U.S. Bank Arena. It is U.S. Bank Fan Appreciation Night—with one dollar hot dogs, Pepsis and beers. That night will also be a special or fans purchasing season tickets for the 2008-09 season, as tickets will be $320 for all 36 games if paid in full that night—that price is $20 lower than the normal cost of $340.

By winning the North Division, the Cyclones have a bye in the play-in round of the ECHL postseason and will host the winner of the fourth seed-fifth seed, best-of-three series at the end of the regular season. The first game of the best-of-seven series that the Cyclones will play, opens at U.S. Bank Arena on Friday, April 11 at 7:30pm. The second contest (Game ‘B’ will be played the next night—Saturday, April 12).