Saturday, April 03, 1999
CYCLONES 2, INDIANAPOLIS 1
Lawless night filled with fights
BY DAVE HELLER
Enquirer contributor
There was no problem with intensity at Firstar Center Friday night. In an IHL game marred by fisticuffs and highlighted by the honoring of a former player, the Cincinnati Cyclones beat Indianapolis 2-1.
One day after Todd Simon questioned the Cyclones intensity, the team played a hard-hitting game against the Ice, with three fights, several other scrapes and three game misconducts. Even Jeff Shevalier, who had only 50 penalty minutes and no major penalties, got into a fight.
“I think it's a crock, really,” General Manager and Coach Ron Smith said of Simon's comments, also criticizing Smith, which appeared in The Enquirer. “I've said of our team all year, we try. You can name any pro team in any sport, you're not going to be intense every night. Our team is a resilient, character team that sometimes, like everybody, needs a boot to get going.”
Said Cyclones captain Ed Patterson: “I agree with Todd about the intensity, but (not) about Ron because we all respect Ron. We believe in his systems and he hasn't won 40 games the last couple of years for no reason. Every guy on this team, no matter what happens, wants to win a game. It may not look like it sometimes, but no one likes losing, especially in this (locker) room.”
But it takes goals to win a game, and Cincinnati (41-31-6) won that battle, too.
Patterson scored the game's first goal early in the second period, stepping in front of a Bialowis clearing pass then deking goalie Geoff Sarjeant before flipping a backhanded shot high over the stick of the former Cyclone.
The Cyclones made it 2-0 on a power play goal by Todd Hawkins with just under five minutes to play in the second.
Cyclones goalie Brian Regan made 32 saves, including three great stops in the final minute.
“He had only two real saves, a lot hit guys, but that one (when Regan went across the net to stick aside a shot by Cal MacLean) was worth 10,” Smith said.
While the brawls and goals got the Cyclones crowd cheering, nothing got them more juiced up then the ceremony during the second intermission in which the club retired the No. 13 jersey of Paul Lawless.
Indianapolis ....... 0 0 1—1
Cincinnati ....... 0 2 0—2
First period: None. Second period: 1, C, Patterson 8, 3:34; 2, C, Hawkins 19 (Dionne, Simon), ppg, 15:39. Third period: 3, I, MacLean 13 (Lachance, Mills), 15:35.
Shots on goal: In 7-15-11=33; Cin 18-9-3=30. Power play opportunities: Ind 0-3; Cin 1-3. Goalies: Ind, Sarjeant (16-16-3); Cin Regan (2-2-0). Attendance: 6,665.
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