Wednesday, March 24, 1999
CYCLONES 2, CLEVELAND 1
Carey may be answer to goalie question
BY DAVE HELLER
Enquirer contributor
Cincinnati Cyclones head coach Ron Smith's goaltending concerns may be over.
Jim Carey, loaned to Cincinnati by St. Louis, stopped 27 shots as the Cyclones beat Cleveland 2-1 at Firstar Center. Cincinnati is 7-0-1 against Cleveland this season and 11-0-1 in its last 12 home games versus the Lumberjacks.
The win keeps the Cyclones in second place in the Eastern Conference. The top two teams in the conference receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
Smith has been looking for a goalie to ride throughout the playoffs for over two years. With Jani Hurme hurt and Frederic Cassivi inconsistent, he is going to give Carey every chance to be his go-to goalie.
Carey, also making his IHL debut, withstood eight power plays from a depleted Cleveland squad.
“It wasn't a busy night (for Carey), but he looked good,” Smith said. “It's a crapshoot anyway, with goaltending in the playoffs, but you'd like to at least have a chance to have the dice in your hands.”
Smith said there is a possibility St. Louis will recall Carey before the NHL season is over.
Said Carey: “When you're the guy, that doesn't mean you're not going to have competition. It means you're the guy for now, until you mess up and the other guy's the guy. Being the guy isn't always as long as you think.”
Carey became the eighth straight goalie to win in his Cyclones debut, but the first to make his initial start in Cincinnati. Each goalie during that streak has allowed one or two goals. The only goal Carey allowed was on a screened shot by Jim Paek.
“It's been a crazy month, I'm just trying to play a solid game,” Carey said. “I hope I'm here the rest of the year. I don't know what the situation is.”
Cincinnati got all the goals it needed in a span of 1:26 late in the first period.
Jan Bulis scored his first goal as a Cyclone with 2:53 to play in the first for a 1-0 lead. Skating through the left faceoff cir cle, Bulis put the puck through the legs of Brett Harkins, regained control of it then flipped it over the right shoulder of goalie Derek Wilkinson.
Shortly after Bulis' goal, Gilbert Dionne, playing in his 600th professional game, made it 2-0 with his 34th goal of the season, and seventh goal in the last six games.
NOTE: The Cyclones received defenseman Alexei Tezikov from Washington. Earlier in the day, Tezikov had been involved in the trade that sent Joe Juneau from Washington to Buffalo.
Cleveland ....... 0 0 1—1
Cincinnati ....... 2 0 0—2
First period: 1, Ci, Bulis 1 (Knipscheer, Dandenault), 16:07; 2, Ci, Dionne 34 (Hawkins), 17:33. Second period: None. Third period: 3, Cl, Paek 4 (Kelly, Harkins), 5:06.
Shots on goal: Cle 9-11-8=28; Cin 15-4-10=29. Power plays: Cle 0-8; Cin 0-4. Goalies: Cle, Wilkinson (10-10-2); Cin, Carey (1-0-0). Attendance: 5,875.
Sports Stories
CLEMSON 79, XU 76
XU NOTEBOOK
CALIFORNIA 85, OREGON 69
Levett will play in all-star game
Reds pick up Baerga
Neagle making progress
Schott offered new deadline
REDS NOTEBOOK
Reds 13, Twins 2
Bengals offer Ambrose 1 year
