A few observations from Games 1 and 2. And a CALL TO ACTION!

After watching the 1st 2 games on the B2 Network, I wanted to take a few minutes this morning to drop some of my observations on everyone.

- The Steelheads don’t like physicality. It’s scary to think that the Cyclones, who are far from being considered a physical team have appeared to have gotten under Idaho’s skin with their physical play. I don’t even want to think about what Idaho’s reaction to a team like South Carolina or Charlotte would have been. Those two teams were far more physical than the Cyclones are. In Game 2, Idaho tried to counter by dressing Adam Huxley but to no avail. They didn’t have an answer for Cincinnati’s “bumps.”

- Speaking of hitting. There was quite the uproar from many Cyclones fans regarding the penalty to Ian Mckenzie in game 1 for boarding when just a few minutes earlier in the game Idaho’s Cody Lampl but a nearly identical hit on Ryan Del Monte (who was also cut on the play) with out a penalty being called. Well, if you heard last nights pregame you heard Chuck comment that he received an apology from the League regarding the non call on Lampl. It’s the lack of consistency on calls like that are very frustrating.

- I was glad to see Mckenzie remain in the line up. Ian is a big kid and when he’s playing like one he can be a force on the ice. When is physical his game really picks up. Sure he’ll get the occasional elbowing call when he checks a guy under 6 feet tall because he’s so damn tall, but you also get hits like the one he put on Marty Flichel. That hit will be my nomination for hit of the year.

- How about that Mathieu Aubin.

- The Cyclones have used a two-headed monster in net all Season and the Playoffs should be no different. Jeremy Smith is an MVP candidate for getting the Boys this far; that effort won’t be forgetten. However, all those games with little rest, have taken their toll. There are rumors floating around that Jeremy has dropped 10lbs since the start of the playoffs. It’s just a rumor but completely conceivable and the loss of that much weight will cause some serious fatigue in an elite level athlete. Mayer is fresh and I think he will continue to get starts, but Coach Weber will have a short leash much as he had in Game 6 against Reading. Jeremy, your efforts are why the Cyclones are still playing. Thank you, I know you will be ready if called upon.

-Welcome back Jimmy Kilpatrick.

- The National Conference is billed as playing “run and gun” hockey. Thus far from what I’ve seen, the Steelheads fit that bill. Thy remind me a lot of Reading and Kalamazoo, who liked to score mostly in transition or early in offensive zone possession before the defense could get set up. The Cyclones did quite well against those teams during the regular season so there is no reason to think that trend won’t continue. If the game turns to one involving end to end rushing the Boys could be in trouble, but if they play Their game, I’m quite confident.

- The Steelheads are one of the highest scoring teams in the League and the Cyclones have done well to neutralize them. It kept the Idaho crowd out of the game. In Game 1 they were louder in booing the Referee for making a legitimate call than they were when their team scored it’s 2 goals in the first. In Game 2 the loudest noise they made was the “GASP” with about 20 seconds to go.

That last note leads me to the CycWords Call to Action:

The Cyclones play up to 3 games this week and USBA needs to be loud and filled with energy for all 3. During the pregame interview on Friday night Coach Weber said the energy from the Crowd gave the Boys a lift and intimidated Reading a bit. Mathieu Aubin said he loves the crowds in Cincinnati and the energy from Game 7 gave him “goosebumps.” We have to it again.

When you call the Box Office on Monday don’t just buy tickets for Thursday and Friday. We MUST fill the building all 3 nights. Our Team is running on fumes at this point and OUR energy will become THEIR energy. We ARE the 7th man.

-Mike

Let’s Make a Deal

The NHL trade dead line has come and gone and as expected it didn’t effect us very much, if at all. Here is what we know:

- Montreal did not make a move with either Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak. That means the Cyclones’ goal tandem of Jeremy Smith and Robert Mayer will remain intact. I think that is good news for Cyclones fans. Smith and Mayer have had their growing pains, but have been maturing to the pro game quite well. I think the tandem, when combined with the stinginess of the Team’s defense, is quite capable of a playoff run.

- The Canadien’s also sent Matt D’Agostini to St. Louis for Aaron Palushaj. This move shouldn’t have any impact on the Cyclones. D’Agostini has spent much of the season bouncing back and forth between Montreal and Hamilton with no trickle down effect on the Cyclones roster. So even though Pulushaj has been assigned to Hamilton there is no reason it will effect the rosters any differently.

- The Bulldogs have also received center Olivier Fortier, who was Montreal’s 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft. Fortier had been playing in the QMJHL up until this point so he is a new face to the mix. There is no word as of yet on whether this will effect the ‘Clones in anyway.

On the Nashville/Milwaukee side of things…

- The Preds didn’t make any major moves but they did acquire some depth. The picked up forwards Dustin Boyd from Calgary for a 4th round pick in the 2010 draft. This shouldn’t cause any player movement since Ryan Jones was claimed by Edmonton after being waived by the Preds. Nashville also acquired defenseman Denis Grebeshkov from Edmonton for a 2010 2nd round pick.

- The addition of Grebeshkov will likely mean the reassignment of a few D-men. The Preds have already assigned Alexander Sulzer and Cody Franson to the Admirals. The move makes Reid Cashman Milwaukee’s 8th defensemen and according to the guys over at the Admirals Short Shifts blog likely means Reid will be Cincy bound.

- In a message relayed from the Short Shift guys via twitter, Admirals forward Dave Scatchard is going to be returning to the line up very soon which would likely send Mark Van Guilder back to the Cyclones.

-Mike-

Tradewinds and Other Ramblings

Well, February didn’t end the way we wanted but there is nothing wrong with the 9-2-1-1 record the Cyclones posted in the month. As things currently stand the ‘Clones are 36-19-1-2 which is good to the top spot in the Division and 2nd in the Conference. The Boys will have 2 big game against Conference leaders South Carolina coming up on their southern road trip. The Cyclones trail the Stingrays by 6 points but have 3 games in hand. Overall this road trip south will give Chuck a very good indication of just where the team stands with games against Charlotte, South Carolina and Gwinnett team that is fighting for a playoff birth. A 4-0 trip would be great but I think 3-1 would have to be considered a success.

Early March is always an exciting time for hockey fans. The NHL trade deadline is March 3rd, the AHL will announce Clear Day Rosters on March 10th, and the ECHL trade deadline is March 12th. While the NHL trade deadline usually doesn’t have much of an effect at the ECHL level, but it could be of significant importance for the Cyclones this season. The rumor mill has been working overdrive with talk of Montreal’s goal tending situation and Montreal’s desire to move either Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak. Should either one of the two be dealt at the deadline it would likely mean Robert Mayer finishing the year in Hamilton, forcing Chuck to make a move for another capable goalie or forcing Jeremy Smith carry the load the remainder of the season. The good news is Robert Mayer will be joining the team Wednesday in Charlotte which could be an indicator that neither Halak or Price are definitively being traded. We won’t know for sure until Wednesday.

The AHL Clear Day has a bit more bearing on the ECHL. Only players on an AHL team’s Clear Day Roster is eligible to play for that team for the remainder of the AHL season and the Calder Cup playoffs, unless emergency situations occur due to player recalls, injuries or suspensions. When Milwaukee and Hamilton release their respective Clear Day Rosters Chuck will have a pretty good idea of who will be available to him for the stretch run and into the playoffs.

Chuck hasn’t ruled out making any personnel changes by the March 12th ECHL trade deadline. He won’t tip his hand, but says there are needs that he and Dean have identified. A trade would be a way to address those needs but in order to make a deal there has to be a willing partner. We’ll have to wait and see if one materializes.

If Chuck doesn’t have the opportunity to pull the trigger on a trade there is still time to address the holes in the roster. Later in March Chuck will have the opportunity to add College players or players from Major Junior once their seasons have ended. The ‘Clones have had success with this in the past adding players such as Billy Irish-Baker, Kyle Bushee, Felix Petit and Matt Pierce. Apparently Chuck has Dwayne Zinger reviewing film of College and Junior players and at a previous Coach’s Show Chuck mentioned having a list of prospective College and Junior players that is several pages long.

The Cyclones roster currently has 12 forwards and 10 defensemen so there are options for making a trade deal. The questions that need to be answered are; what are the needs Chuck feels need to be addressed and who is Chuck willing to deal. Personally, I would like to see the addition of a true puck distributing forward. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chuck package up a few players and/or futures if the right player was available. Trades can often strike a nerve with fans as players who are fan favorites can be dealt, but it’s Chuck’s job to make the team better and history indicates that he more often than not makes good moves.

Regardless of what happens the next two weeks will be fun to keep track of.

-Mike-

What is it about February

After the recent 5-1 win over the Johnstown Chiefs I started wondering, “what is it about February?” With the exception of 06-07, the Cyclones have been stellar in the Month.  In 07-08, the Boys went 13-0 before finally dropping a game to Stockton (they won their lost 4 games in January that year to post a League best 17 game win streak).  Last Season the Fresno Three began to find their rhythm which helped the Squad post an 8-5  record which helped to jump-start Their run at the North Division Title. The season the Team finds them on a  game win streak to start the month and can finish the month no worse than 7-6.  I’m not sure what it is, but it seems that Chuck’s teams really start to roll in the second half of the season.

Some other notes and observations…

- The Cyclones (34-17-0-1 69pts) sit on top of the North Division, are in 2nd place in the Conference, and are positioning Themselves for a possible run at the Brabham Cup. According to Hammer’s weekly notes, the Cyclones have a “magic number” of 28 to qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

- The NHL is in the midst of the Olympic break and the trickle down has begun. The Hamilton Bulldogs have sent down Maxime Lacroix and the Milwaukee Admirals have sent down both Jason Jozsa and Ian McKenzie. The Team is playing well right now so Chuck will have some tough decisions to make. In order to meet roster requirements someone will have to be put on short-term IR and according to the ECHL transactions for 2/16/10 Brett Robinson has drawn the short straw. Regardless of whether or not he has a substantial injury, after 52 games every player has some bumps and bruises to deal with, so hopefully a little rest will re-energize Robo for the stretch run. Defensively I think the choices are even harder. The Boys have been playing well together right now; limiting chances and getting involved in the scoring. If there is a weak spot it would be either Marchesi or Prokop but would inserting Josza for one of them be an upgrade to the line up? I’m not so sure it would be right now.

- Early in the season the big question was how would the Cyclones’ two young goalies develop. After a shaky start it appears they are settling in. Both Smith and Mayer rank in the top 5 for GAA. The tandem has accounted for 4 shutouts on the season (2 a piece). The Team has been lucky this season in that neither goalie has had to carry the load for an extended period as Cedrick Desjardins did down the stretch in 06-07. If that remains to be the case it will be nice to go into the playoffs with 2 relatively fresh goalies. It should be noted that the Canadiens would probably like to move either Cary Price or Jaroslov Halak this season and that could throw a wrench into Chuck’s goalie rotation if the deal that Montreal makes does not include another goalie.

- It’s great having Mark Voakes back in the line up. He’s got a lot of skill and when you look at his numbers it’s hard not to ask where he’d be had he not been hurt most of the year. In the 15 games he’s played he’s put up 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points. His scoring presence has really opened the ice up for the rest of the team.

- A quick look just about any Cyclones’ score sheet or a trip to the ECHL stat page and the thing that jumps out, at least to me, is how balanced the scoring on this years Squad is. The Team might lack the pure individual skill of the 07-08 team, but it makes up for it in team play. There does seem to be some go to guys, but overall it seems that the names on the score line are always changing. It’s been the case for most of the year so there is no reason to think it won’t continue. It makes the Team very hard to match up against defensively.

- When the Cyclones announced the return of Scott Reynolds, I figured him to hit 50pts. He currently sits at 46pts, I’m thinking he’ll exceed my expectations. It’s great to see too. Scott gets recognized as such a great defensive forward that his offensive ability gets overlooked. This year he’s shown his ability to play a complete game. I wish he’d get the chance to play at the next level.

- Congratulations to Dustin Sproat, who recorded his first professional Hat Trick in a 6-2 smack down of the Johnstown Chiefs. Dustin came into training camp with some extra jump in his game and he’s kept it going as the season has progressed. As a side note, the Cyclones will be hosting Their second annual talent show with the proceeds going to Dustin’s foundation Hockey Players for Kids.

- Jason Jozsa has played 10 games with the Admirals so he will be playoff eligible for the Cyclones.

- It won’t be too much longer and we might get to see a few new faces as College hockey winds down. It seems that every year we see a few guys that come out to play on spring break of after their season ends, or as I like to call it “The Billy Irish-Baker Plan.” I mention this simply because Mercyhurst has 7 Seniors this season.

-Mike-

Monday Ramblings

I’m not going to spend too much time on the trip to Kalamazoo which resulted in a 6-3 loss, although I will go as far as to say that even though the result was the same, the Boys played better than they did on their previous trip to Kalamazoo. A week ago the Guys looked lethargic, on this trip the Team looked to have the will and desire to win but just didn’t have the legs after 6 games in 9 days.

Here are a few observations, new and notes that hit me over the weekend:

- The stretch of 6 games in 9 days isn’t much different than what a team might see in the playoffs, so in that regard it’s a good test to show the rookies what a playoff series might feel like. However, in the playoffs both teams are subject to the same schedule.

- The ECHL hasn’t done the Cyclones favors with the schedule. The January schedule had the home/road or road/home turnarounds of at least 5 hours. The most recent was the last trip to Kalamazoo at the end of that 6 in 9 stretch. While the Boys were playing all week the K-wings had several days off. This week the Guys will complete a 3 in 3 with a trip to Kalamazoo where the K-wings will have yet again been resting up for several days.

- The Cyclones went with a short bench on Saturday night. On Friday Chuck went with 11 forwards and 5 defensemen; Mark Voakes returned to the line up and Dwayne Zinger was absent. On Saturday night the Cyclones skated with 10 forwards and 5 defensemen due to the call up of Ian Mckenzie. The short bench definitely didn’t help the Cyclones that night and it raises the a question as to the health of Dwayne Zinger, who did play on Thursday night.

- If Zinger is injured and is going to be out for any length of time, it leaves an already depleted D-core in a tough spot. Both Kevin Roeder and Doug Krantz remain on long term IR and Jason Jozsa is on assignment in Milwaukee which leaves the Team with 6 defensemen, including Zinger. Luckily, the return of Voakes allows either Scott Reynolds or Barret Ehgoetz to drop to the blueline if needed. Depending on the status of Roeder, Krantz and Zinger, I would imagine Chuck will be looking to acquire a D-man from somewhere.

- There was a very nice article on Cincinnati.com about Jeremy Smith and Robert Mayer. Be sure to check it out and let Tom Ramstetter know we appreciate the coverage.

- I’ll be heading to the Coach’s Show tonight. Hopefully I’ll get some insight to the defensive situation and the status of Adam Henrich.

-Mike-

What a Game!

Last night the Cyclones put together one of Their best performances of the year and took it to the South Carolina Stingrays defeating them a 3-2 in overtime. If you missed it, you can check out the video highlights here.

In my last post I stated how large a test this was for the Team. South Carolina came in to the game with the League’s best record and an abundance of goal scorers. There is always a question when you see a team from another Division play to a good record, but this wasn’t the case with South Carolina. They have dominated in the South and have more than held their own when opposing teams from the East and North Divisions. South Carolina is a legitimate contender for another Kelly Cup Championship. They have good size, they skate very well, and play a disciplined, team oriented game.

In order to win, or even to simply play with the Stingrays, the Cyclones had to match that style of play. We know the Cyclones can be disciplined so that wasn’t going to an issue. My biggest concern was whether or not the Boys would show up from the opening drop and play for a full 60 minutes or longer. The Guys answered my concern and matched the Stingrays stride for stride.

I don’t want to make the game sound like it was all sunshine and strawberry fields. The Stingray offense generated many good scoring chances and actually out shot the ‘Clones 37-27. The Cyclones could have easily be playing from behind if it weren’t for the team defense of the Cyclones. The Boys kept up with Their stingy defensive play, harmlessly clearing the few rebounds that Robert Mayer left on the weak side. Some say you have to make your own luck in the game of hockey and the Guys worked hard in that department. It seemed like every puck that trickled around or past Mayer was either cleared from the goal mouth, Brett Robinson had a particularly good one late in the 3rd, or they went wide. On the flip side it seemed that the Boys were in the right place at the right in the offensive zone as well.

It was apparent that both teams showed up to play last night. It will be interesting to see what the rematch next Thursday night will bring. Before the Cyclones can think about that they must first deal with the rough turnaround that is a trip to Kalamazoo tonight.

The K-wings are coming off a 5 day rest and the Cyclones will be playing Their 6th game in 9 days, not to mention  They’ll be dealing with the emotional and mental fatigue that comes with an overtime win against the League’s leaders. The Cyclones have dominated the season series with Kalamazoo to this point, but tonight could be a potential let down. However, the Cyclones have a 3 day break from games coming up, so if they can harness the same energy and play as they did last night for one more game, there really isn’t a reason to think a let down will be the case.

In other, possibly related observations,

- The Cyclones went with an odd line up last night, dressing 11 forwards and just 5 defensemen. Absent from the D-core was Dwayne Zinger. Zinger was active in the previous game against Charlotte after being scratched for a few.

- Speaking of Dwayne Zinger, it’s common knowledge that I’m not a huge fan of Dwayne. I do like his leadership and grit and was concerned about skating down one defenseman from the start. After watching the game for just a few minutes it was clear that, at least in my opinion, that Dwayne would not have been able to keep up with the pace of the Stingrays. I have no idea if Dwayne is nursing yet another injury or if it was a strategic move to keep both Morehouse and Benson in  for grit and allowing for Mark Voakes to return to the line up to add some skill, all the while taking the lumbering Zinger out of the equation.

- It was great seeing Mark Voakes back on the ice. He played very well for a guy that hasn’t been in the line up regularly for more than a month, especially on the power play. One can’t help but wonder if he could have been the Teams 3rd All Star had been been healthy for the first half.

- I said in my last post it was going to be crucial for the Cyclones to take advantage of Power Play chances against the Stingrays. The Cyclones went 2 for 4 against the 6th best PK in the lead. The spark that started with Kilpatrick grew to a flame with the addition of Voakes. Hopefully it’s a trend that will continue.

- Robert Mayer was on his game. The big question mark at the beginning of the season was how the two young net minders would develop. Both have proven there metal. Sure there have been a few hiccups along the way and i’m sure there will be a few more, but as long as the great games keep out numbering the bad ones I like our chances.

- What more is there to say about Chris Morehouse. I love the way this kid plays. It’s great that he’s here too because it doesn’t seem that anyone wants to fight Hans Benson. It’s OK though, I haven’t seen Chris turn down a fight yet and the guys that come after him are surprised to find out how tough the kid is.

- I really don’t think anyone in the ECHL wants to fight Hans Benson. I’ve seen Hans have “conversations” with several players and they all back down from Hans and then choose to go with Morehouse a few minutes later.

- Yesterday I made the speculation that we could be seeing Chris Higgins be assigned here at some point as a result of the McLean deal. Higgins was recalled by Syracuse, Gwinnetts AHL affiliate, but no other movement has been announced. Syracuse played last night but and Higgins was not in the line up. So at this point it’s hard to say what the “future considerations” were, are or will be.

- According to the AHL transaction page the Cyclones will be without the services of forward Ian McKenzie tonight in Kalamazoo. He has been recalled to Mikwaulkee by Nashville.

-Mike-

On Top of the North and Busy as Ever

The Cyclones bounced back from a lackluster performance against the Wheeling Nailers to defeat the the Kalamaoo K-wings 3-1. The win puts the Boys on top of the Division by one point and into second place in the conference; the K-wings do have 2 games in hand.

-Jimmy Kilpatrick, Chris Morehouse and Ian Mckenzie all notched their first goals as Cyclones in the victory. I’m glad to see Killer put one up after what has thus far been a season hampered by injury. I always like seeing players like Morehouse score. Labeled as an agitator, or pugilist, he’s not going to score a lot, but he works hard and goes to the “dirty” areas of the ice so when he’s able to light the lamp it adds a bit of a swagger to his game, which already get’s under opponents skin. It appeared to me that after the goal the K-wings were thrown from the game a bit more by Chris and spent more time chasing him than trying to score at times. Ian’s goal was the type of goal I expect to see from him. He made a strong move from the corner and just drove the net. Ian is a big kid and when he plays big he’s down right dangerous at this level.

-Welcome back Robert Mayer. The only goal the K-wings could muster was a Power Play goal on a shot from the point. The rest of the game he did just what Coach Weber asks; stop all of the shots he’s supposed to and a few of the ones he’s not.

-Chris Morehouse was an assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick after being involved in one of the most energetic and entertaining fights I’ve seen in some time, and then going on to score the game winner.

-After several posts questioning Dwayne Zinger’s ability to play (his leadership, knowledge and mentoring capabilities were never under question), he has since gotten out of my dog house. While I still don’t think he’s a shut down type defenseman his play is justifies his spot in the the lineup. He has shown the ability to jump into the offensive play, although it still worries me that he’ll get caught behind the play should a turnover occur. His fight with Kalamazoo’s Jurynec was a good one. Jurynec stunned him early but Zinger rallied for the decision.

-The Cyclones have placed Kevin Roeder on 21 day IR where he joins Doug Krantz. I’m not sure what is wrong with Roeder but his presence is missed. At this point it looks like Krantz may be on the shelf for the season. It was said that he is waiting on some things to be sorted out before he can undergo surgery. It’s unfortunate, Doug was one of those kids I was looking forward to watching this season; he has a cannon of a shot which would come in handy on the Power Play right about now.

-The cupboards are starting to get bare. In the event of more injuries or or call-ups to anywhere the Cyclones will be left with a short bench. Dustin Sproat and Mike Mclean are currently on assignment with the Milwaukee Admirals, Ryan Del Monte has been on IR the past few weeks, and Mark Voakes returned to action for a game or two before returning to the IR list. Luckily Milwaukee has sent us Ian Mckenzie, but that leaves the Team with just 9 healthy forwards. Cyclone’s trainer Bob Case is a busy man these days, it’s no wonder he was selected as trainer for the 2010 ECHL All Star Game (sorry for leaving you off the last post Bob!)

-There doesn’t appear to be any help on the horizon from the Milwaukee side. It’s been reported that Mark Van Guilder has sustained a lower body injury and is questionable for this weekends games. Luckily the Admirals added Oren Eizenman so at least a call up shouldn’t be eminent. However, all the injuries mean the return of Sproat and/or Mclean is unlikely with out the call-up of Mckenzie, or having a few players regain some health. It looks like the All Star break is coming at a good time.

-The empty pantry has caused the Coach Weber to find some bodies which he did with the addition of Ryan Ford and Patrik Prokop. Ford, a 5’9″ 195lb forward, was signed out of Evansville of the AAHL. He played his Jr hockey in the OPJHL. Ryan has put up decent numbers, but take it for what’s it’s worth given the leagues he’s been playing in. Chuck has found diamonds in the rough before, perhaps he’s found another. Patrik Prokop was acquired in a trade with Utah with the Cyclones giving up the sometimes controversial “future considerations.” Prokop started the season with Bakersfield and has yet to log a point in 15 ECHL games. Patrik, a 6′ 187lb forward,  is a 1st year pro and played his Jr hockey in the QMJHL where he averaged less than a half point per game. Based on his numbers, I hope this was a cash deal. I can’t imagine giving up any of the unaffiliated players currently on the roster for this kid to complete the deal on the back end.

-It’s unfortunate the the AA Hockey market is so crowded, with three different leagues. Even with the addition of the 2 FNGs, the Cyclones still have just 11 healthy forwards an6 healthy defensemen. It’s too bad the ‘Clones aren’t able to re-acquire the likes of Jason Woll or Mark O’Leary who are both playing in the CHL and thus can’t be acquired unless released by their current squads.

-Not that anyone really cares, but where in the world is Carmen San Diego, I mean Michael Busto. The defenseman of questionable ability was acquired by Montreal in the off season as part of a trade. He was in training camp with the Cyclones and apparently did not impress the staff. He was then moved to the Dayton Gems of the IHL where he played in…no, more like skated around during 2 games.  He was then recalled (more like dismissed from the Gems) by Hamilton, where, if I have my information correct, he was put on IR and never saw the ice. I have know idea if he was actually injured. Now, Mr. Busto is calling Elmira his home as he has been assigned by Hamilton to the Jackals. Where will he end up next?

-Mike-

A Rough Start and a Trip to Trenton

Tuesday night’s match up with Toledo started off well enough with Barret Ehgoetz notching his 8th of the season putting the Cyclones up 1-0, but from there Toledo capitalized on a series of defensive missteps scoring the next three goals. The Cyclones rallied but couldn’t overcome the early deficit falling to the Walleye 5-2.

-A tip of the hat goes to Hans Benson who recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick.

-Goal tender Robert Mayer got the start but didn’t last through the first. Mayer was visibly upset when he got pulled. While he was left hanging on the 1st and 3rd goals and the 2nd was off a scramble in front of the net where the white jerseys where just out numbered and out worked by the blue jerseys, a team needs to their goalie to come up big and make those saves when they are controlling the game they way were.

-Dwayne Zinger gets another night of reprieve. He was-2 and was on the ice for 3 of Toledo’s 5 goals, but outside of the portion of the 1st when the whole team was a defensive zone mess, he once again played a solid game.

Looking ahead to Trenton…

-The Cyclones split the 2 game series with the Devils back in November.

-Trenton looks to have a fairly balanced line up offensively with 9 players double digit point totals.

-Those same players are a collective -45 on the season, so there are goals to be had. Trenton has only scored 67 times this season which tied for last in the league and they have given up 97 goals which is the 4th highest in the league.

-In the November series the Cyclones saw both Trenton goalies; Dave Caruso in the win and Gerald Coleman in the loss. Coleman is a monster of a goalie that has cause the Cyclones some issues, it won’t surprise me if we see Coleman on Thursday and Sunday with Caruso getting the Saturday start.

-Coach Weber has said he’ll be going with the goalie that is playing and practicing the best. We will probably see Mayer for one of the games with Smith getting the other 2, but when it comes to the goal tending you never know with Chuck.

-Both Trenton goalies have GAA over 3.5 and judging from the cumulative plus/minus of the Devil’s they aren’t a shut down team defensively. The scoring chances will be there, the Cyclones will need to convert. Trenton may not be the most offensively potent team in the League but the are capable of capitalizing on mistakes and stealing a game if a team lets up.

-Mike-

Between the Pipes

There has been a bit of discussion regarding the Cyclones’ goal tending situation and since this guy isn’t available, the Cyclones will be using two unproven youngsters this season. The Cyclones have been in this situation before, it was just last season that Coach Weber was forced into acquiring Martin Houle and then Ryan Nie when both Loic Lacasse and Kyle Gajewski got off to very shaky starts; and while Lacasse did come around, Gajewski was bad to the point where he was shipped out to anyone who would take him. At this point I think it’s safe to say that the tandem of Jeremy Smith and Robert Mayer is not Lacasse and Gadjewski.

The tandem has reminded me of the 06-07  Grumet-Morris/Desjardins tandem technique wise. Smith uses positioning and technique to cut angles and block the net in a similar manner to Grumet-Morris, whereas Mayer plays aggressively and uses his athleticism to react to shots much as Desjardins did in the 06-07 season. That, however, is where that comparison ends.

Both Mayer and Smith are well thought of prospects within their systems but it would seem that Smith would have more upside. Smith, a 2nd round pick of the Nashville Predator’s in 2007, has been the more consistent goalie for the Cyclones thus far. He’s under the watchful eye of goalie guru Mitch Korn, and is here to develop his game for the next level. Nashville has another youngster playing professionally in North Amerca; 1st round selection Chet Pickard is currently in Milwaukee. It will not surprise me if Nashville swaps Pickard and Smith at some point in the season so Pickard can get some regular playing time and they can get an idea of how Smith is progressing in regard to playing at a higher level.

My observations of Smith’s play are pretty positive. He is sound positionally and plays with solid technique, both of which will serve him well in the AHL and perhaps beyond. Weaknesses that I’ve noticed are his mental strength, his occasional break downs in regards to technique, and his reliance on technique versus his athleticism. When teams are able to get to Smith early it seems to rattle him a bit; this is a double edge sword as you want a guy in net that feels he can stop everything but at the same time you want a guy that knows how to shake off a bad goal. When his technique breaks down it leads to some soft goals, just as it would with just about any goalie, as we’ve witnessed on a few wrap around goals this season. Going hand in hand with technique break down is Smith’s reliance on it and his lack of scrambling. There have been times when the technique goes south, he doesn’t control a rebound quite as he should or a guy just makes a good move to get him out of position, it results in a goal that looks incredibly soft since he  doesn’t typically flop or scramble. With each game, I see Smith improve as he gains confidence in his team mates and in his ability to play at this level, early goals haven’t seemed to effect him as much. I have also seen him make some diving, scrambling saves recently as well.

Robert Mayer, an undrafted prospect of the Montreal Canadiens, is also here to develop his game; but for different reasons than Smith perhaps. Most of the blogs, websites and other articles I’ve read regarding Mayer suggest that Montreal have not been thrilled with his progression. With 2 other young goalies behind him on the depth chart, it seems that there is some pressure on Mayer to develop the consistency that is needed to progress professionally.

Mayer definitely has the athleticism to keep the puck out of the net. He also seems to have a good head on his shoulders. In order to find the consistency he needs to progress, he needs to play better in regards to position since his aggressiveness can get him into trouble, as he sometimes over plays and finds himself out of the crease. As we saw with Cedrick Desjardins in 07-08, adding the position and technique to an athletic, reactionary game can lead to some growing pains for a goalie. Cedrick did lead the Cyclones to a Kelly Cup but his play early in the season was inconsistent as he emphasized his position and technique. If Robert can adjust and learn to play position first and reaction second, he be just fine. Until that happens, however, his play is likely to be inconsistent.

The 2009-2010 Cyclones are coming together well, but when it’s all said and done, how well they do and how far they go will ultimately be determined by the play of Smith and Mayer.

-Mike-

News and Notes

It’s been awhile since our last update, so I thought I’d take a moment to do so.

The Cyclones are currently 7-6-0-1 for 15pts, which is good enough to overtake Toledo for second in the Division and 8th in the Conference. This Sunday’s late afternoon affair against Toledo will be another big one for the boys.

The Cyclones got their first look at Kalamazoo where they, again, showed some early season resiliency in battling back to a 4-3 shoot out loss in the first game and a 3-2 loss in the second. The boys played from behind in both games; Friday nights game being a back and forth game in which the ‘Clones just couldn’t get the go ahead goal, and on Saturday, from what has been described to me as a sloppy game by the boys, falling behind early but finding away to make a game of it in the 3rd but again couldn’t find the equalizer. All in all, it wasn’t a bad showing by the Boys, especially given how depleted the line up is.

Trenton came to town for two midweek match ups, one of which being the Education in Hockey Day game, which not only had the Boys playing in front of 8900+ screaming kids, but also had the Cyclones leading the league in attendance…ok, it was only for a day but still, it’s impressive to see how the organization has grown on and off the ice. The kids saw a good game too, the Cyclones won 3-1 in what could best be described as a chippy affair, with Trenton racking up a total of 41pms on 15 infractions, giving the ‘Clones 12 Power Play chances (more on the PP in a bit). Wednesday night saw the Cyclones dominate play but come up short 4-2. The ‘Clones out shot Trenton 39 to 16 but just couldn’t solve Trenton’s 6’5″ net minder Gerald ‘what-you-talkin-bout-willis’ Coleman. The game saw Trenton convert on 2 of 6 Power Play chances.  In my opinion, on at least 3 of the goals, Cyclones’ goalie Robert Mayer was left hanging by defensive break downs. Overall it was a game the Cyclones dominated, but Trenton was able to capitalize on Cyclone mistakes to take the win.

The Power Play finally put some goals on the board Friday night in Toledo and the Boys hung on late and earned a 4-3 win. The Power Play converted on 3 of 4 chances, which was a relief after it went 1 for 19 in the two games verse Trenton.

-The bipolar special teams continue. The Cyclones Power Play has converted on 16 of 86 chances for 18.6%, which is good for 9th in the League. That’s not bad, but with the unit is generating chances  it is, that number needs to be higher, at least 20%. Luckily, the Penalty Kill is still clicking along at League leading 89.4%, allowing just 7 goals on 66 man down situation (I don’t know the exact number on this but there have been some 5 on 3 kills along the way and it doesn’t appear that the Boys have surrendered a goal while down 2 men).

-The Cyclones are the least penalized team in the League. The have amassed just 209pims for an average of 14.9 per game.

-Dustin Sproat leads the team in scoring with 7g-8a-15pts.

-Lame Duck? I learned my lesson last season, when I called out Matt Syrczinski only to find out he was playing injured for most of the season, but I do want to say that I haven’t been impressed with Dwayne Zinger. He has quite a hockey resume, but personally I haven’t seen what I was expecting. It doesn’t look like he’s moving his feet well and forwards on the rush are able to turn the corner and drive the net on him frequently. He did start the season on IR, perhaps Chuck was forced to bring him back early as other defensemen where hampered with more serious injuries,  and he’s not 100% or not in game shape. I do like the leadership he has shown. He frequently sticks up for teammates and while not known as a fighter, he more than holds his own when the gloves come off. He also knows the right times to step in and drop the gloves.

-Mike McLean posted a multi point game last night against Toledo, depending on the source it was either 2 or 3 assists. Hammer’s recap has him at 3, th score sheet from last night initially had him at 3, but as of today has him at 2. I was expecting big things out of him after what he did last year on a bad team in Dayton. He currently has 6g-3a for 6points and is a staggering -10. I thought he had some extra jump and confidence with the puck against Trenton. Maybe he’s finally starting to get going.

-Mike-