Cyclones Starting To Find Their Game
The Cyclones are currently sitting in 3rd place, 11 points behind the 2nd place Jets, yet their playoff hopes are looking much better now than they were a month ago. Having won two of their last three, the Cyclones are starting to find their game and say to the rest of the league, “we aren’t done yet!”
The Cyclones didn’t start the season as well as they had hoped this year. They opened the season on a seven game losing streak, where they were out scored 59-31. Looking for answers, one could point to the major roster changes made in the offseason. The loss of Brandan Martel and Josh Pronchuk to free agency, plus the additions of Derek Orne, Dylan Gagnon, Rance Abraham and Brandon Brass-Skeet shook things up and added a difficult task of developing chemistry so quickly. Add that to the signing of a new head & assistant coach and it’s no wonder it took some time to get things on track.
The Cyclones welcomed Damascus Cup winning coach Marc-Nicholas Martin-Paulichenko as their new head coach, and newly retired, Damascus Cup winning player, Lindsey Campbell as their assistant coach. MNMP & Campbell looked to bring their veteran knowledge and experience to a team that finished last in the 2013-14 season.
The early losing streak and lack of success was a new task for Paulichenko & Campbell, both coming off a year that saw them go 21-1 and a Damascus Cup title with the Sting. They won their first game over the Jets 6-4 in their last game before the Christmas break. They followed that up with a thrilling 13-10 win over the Sharks immediately following the break. It was this game that changed things for the Cyclones. In the game no one wanted to play in net, which forced them to start the game without a goalie. By the end of the 1st period the score was tied 4-4 and that’s when the change happened. The players began to buy in to Paulichenko & Campbell’s system. Gagnon put himself in net and they rallied to win the game.
There has been a dramatic shift in the attitude of the players. They know their roles and are willing to do what they need for the team. The mentality of the players is fixed on team first. They have also secured a starting goaltender, signing Sam Custer to fill the void.
Since then they have posted a 6-3 record, which includes a win over the 1st place Kings. That is only the 2nd loss for the Kings this year, which ended their 8 game winning streak, and they did it with emphasis. The Cyclones dominated on offense, scoring three goals in the first period on All Star goaltender, Aaron Lagimodiere, and shut down the Kings’ high scoring tandem of Cody Saunders and Brandan Martel, who combine for a total of 67 goals & 102 points.
They also lost a heart breaker to the Jets last week, where they went up early in the 1st but gave up four straight 2nd period goals. They tried hard at a late game comeback but fell short 7-6. But despite the loss, the evidence is there that the Cyclones have found their game and they are not to be taken lightly.
