On Friday, February 19th / 2016, the Cyclones defeated the Brampton Bombers 7-3 at the friendly confines of Memorial Arena. The win was the 30th of the season for the Red, White and Black as they moved 2 points ahead of 4th place Guelph in the GOJHL Midwest Conference standings. Both teams have 3 games left to play so there will be no meaningless games for either the Cyclones of the Hurricanes during the final days of the regular season.

Despite being outshot by a 38 to 32 margin, the Cyclones cashed in on their scoring chances while managing defend their own end just well enough to earn themselves the win.

The story line of this game was twofold …. the superb goaltending of Tyler Fassl and the triple threat forward trio of Caleb Warren, Blake Nichol and Chayse Herrfort.

Fassl turned away 19 of 20 shots in the first period and held the Cyclones in the game until the offence could get going to secure the win.

Meanwhile the majority of the scoring Cyclones scoring was backed by the hard working forward and hard skating trio of Nichol (1G, 3 A), Herrfort (2G, 2A), and Warren (1G, 2A).

Warren’s redirect at the goal mouth opened the scoring at the 2:25 mark of the first period. Brampton knotted the score at 7:48 before rookie Kade Landry and Ray McFalls set up a nice tape to tape to tape feed to Blake Pickering at 16:41.

The Cyclones grabbed control of the game in the second period with 3 goals. On the power play, at 1:29, Blake Nichol redirected a shot from Holdyn Lansink after Chayse Herrfort dug the puck loose along the boards. The Cyclones struck hard and fast with two more goals in 17 seconds. Brady Anderson and Jamie Huber applied some relentless fore checking as the loose puck squirted high into the zone. Keaton Willis cocked his stick back and rifled a rising shot that clanked off the back bar at 15:47. At 16:04 Holdyn Lansink cashed in after Jakob Lee and Tim Nauta applied some good fore check work of their own.

26 seconds into the 3rd period the Bombers crept to within 3 goals but the triple threat forward trio broke the game wide open as Nichol and Warren teamed up to set up Herrfort for his 2 goals of the night, at 1:52 and 4:47. Brampton slipped one more goal past Fassl at 7:10 to round out the scoring.

The Cyclones scored on their one and only power play chance and went 2 for 3 on the penalty kill, taking 3 minor penalties during the game.

After 60 minutes of play, the Cyclonic Performers of the Game looked like this:

3 Points: Caleb Warren #11, Blake Nichol #12 and Chayse Herrfort #25 each earned 3 points for their massive effort in this game. This line is probably the best kept secret in the GOJHL.

2 Points: Tyler Fassl #31 - The sophomore goaltender held the line inside the blue paint for the Cyclones including a point blank snag with the trapper in the second period.

1 Point: Keaton Willis #4 - The Listowel native played a two way game and chipped in with a cannonading shot for the Cyclones 4th goal of the game.

The 2016 Cyclones BIG DRAW tickets are still available….featuring 8 Cyclonic prizes…..so do NOT delay and get yours today!!! Tickets are available from the players, parents, Cyclones executive and at the front table at every Cyclones home game. The BIG DRAW will be on Friday, February 26th at the final home game of the season.

Come to the rink and support the Cyclones as they continue to churn through their February GOJHL schedule….Bleed Red, White & Black!!!!