Thursday, November 25, 1999
Cyclones 3, Michigan 2
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
Right wing Shane Willis stayed hot, and he kept the Cyclones just as hot.
Willis scored two goals to give him five in the last two games and help Cincinnati extend its unbeaten streak to four games with a 3-2 International Hockey League win over the slumping Michigan K-Wings before a crowd of 5,577 at Firstar Center Wednesday night.
Cincinnati (10-8-3) is 3-0-1 in its last four games and 6-2-1 in its last eight games since a 4-1 loss at Milwaukee Nov. 5. The Cyclones, who tied a team record by incurring just two penalty minutes, moved two games over .500 for the first time all season and into a tie with Orlando for third place in the IHL East Division.
“The ref let them play a little bit,” Cyclones coach Ron Smith said. “You'd rather have that than eight power plays.”
Michigan (9-8-1) has lost its last four games and is 1-7 in its last eight games. The K-Wings and Cincinnati meet again Friday in Kalamazoo.
Center Stefan Ustorf gave Cincinnati a 2-1 lead with his sixth goal of the season at 11:47 of the period, and Willis powered an errant rebound of Gilbert Dionne's shot past Bales to give the Cyclones a 3-1 lead at 17:37 of the second period.
Willis, last season's American Hockey League Rookie of the Year, now has six goals in his last three games and leads the team with 13.
“Definitely, right now, I'm hot,” Willis said. “There are times during the season when every shot is just wide or goes off the post, so you just have to ride the hot streaks when they come.”
Michigan ....... 0 1 1—2
Cincinnati ....... 0 3 0—3
First Period: No scoring.
Second Period: 1. Mich, Keyes 4 (MacLean, Gavey), 7:42. 2. Cin, Willis 12 (Simon, Ustorf), 9:44 (pp). 3, Cin, Ustorf 6 (Simon), 11:49. 4, Cin, Willis 13 (Dionne), 17:37.
Third Period: 5, Mich, Leeb 5 (MacLean, Baumgartner), 1:45.
Shots on goal: Mich 9-11-10-30; Cin 14-8-7-29. Power play opportunities: Mich 0-1; Cin 1-3. Goalies: Mich, Bales, 2-3-0 (26 saves); Cin, Fitzpatrick 6-5-0, (28). A—5,577.
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