EVANSVILLE, Indiana – Cyclones forward Mike Embach posted a career high five-point night as the Cincinnati Cyclones (38-17-4-2) demolished the Evansville IceMen (22-33-2-3) by a 9-4 final score in front of 5,492 at Ford Center on Sunday night. It was the first time since January 14, 2009 that a Cincinnati team had scored nine goals in a single game and the first time since February of 2010 that a Cincinnati team has won seven straight games.
Just 1:26 into the contest, Josh Birkholz lifted a sneaky backhand shot over the shoulder of Paul Dainton (L, 28 saves, 8-11-1-1) to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead. And with Brian Foster (W, 28 saves, 19-7-4) turning aside all eight shots he faced in the opening period, Cincinnati took the one goal edge into the first intermission.
A wild middle stanza began with early offense by the IceMen, as former Cyclone Andre Bouvet-Morrissette and Todd Robinson each scored in the first three minutes to give the home team a 2-1 lead. However, the Cyclones responded in a big way, striking four times over the next 13 minutes; Mike Embach completed a hat trick with a three-goal period while Jeff Winchester added his first lamp lighter in a Cincinnati jersey to push the Cyclones ahead 5-2 after 40 minutes.
The offensive barrage continued for Jarrod Skalde’s team as David Pacan scored just 5:56 into the final frame followed by two straight goals from Charles-Olivier Roussel over a 39 second span – making it 8-2 Cincinnati. Olivier Gabriel broke the streak of goals against by potting his first of the year at 6:35. However, Embach struck again for his fourth goal of the night at 16:43 to extend the Cincinnati lead to 9-3. It was the first time this season that a Cyclones player had a four-goal game. Gabriel added a late goal for the IceMen at 18:55 to cap the scoring at 9-4 – Cincinnati’s seventh straight victory.
The Cyclones Radio Network Stars of the Game are as follows:
First Star: Mike Embach (4 goals, 1 assist for Cincinnati)
Second Star: Matt Smyth (3 assists for Cincinnati)
Third Star: Olivier Gabriel (2 goals for Evansville)
The Cyclones will return to the ice at U.S. Bank Arena on Wednesday, March 6 when they welcome in the Florida Everblades at 7:30pm.
