One more round for Cyclones/Komets

The Midwest was well represented among the eight ECHL West Conference Quarterfinal qualifiers this season with four teams reaching the playoff stage.

However, they wound up facing each other in first round battles — the most exciting one still to be settled between the second seeded Fort Wayne Komets and number seven Cincinnati Cyclones.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Mavericks showed during the regular season it was a tough team to beat and nothing changed in the second season as they ousted a tough Quad City Mallards team with a four-game sweep.

Six games have settled nothing between the Komets and Cyclones with road wins being the norm in a wild series. The Cyclones appeared to grab all of the momentum with back to back 3-2 wins at Fort Wayne’s Memorial Coliseum, but the Komets struck back hard in game three, pounding the host Cyclones 8-0 at US Bank Arena to keep out of a stranglehold position.

The next three games all went to overtime as the Komets pulled even in the series and kept up the road team’s winning trend with a 3-2 edge in a second overtime period. Game five also went to double overtime, this time the Cyclones getting to within a win of the series win with a 4-3 margin. Komets battled back and avoided elimination with a 2-1 edge in overtime back on home ice, setting the stage for a thrilling finale tomorrow (Wednesday April 27).

Garrett Thompson, a 26-year-old native of Traverse City, MI has five goals and a couple of assists in the series so far for the Komets and Alex Belzile, 24, has collected four goals and three assists while Mike Embach, a left winger from Orland Park, IL has seven assists. Andrew Yogan, 24, leads the Cyclones with two goals and three helpers.

In goal: Pat Nagle, a veteran from Bloomfield, MI has played all six games for the Komets, recording a shutout in one and handling 145 of 159 shots for a 1.96 GAA and a .926 SP. Brad Thiessen has also played all of the games so far for the Cyclones, turning aside 206 of 223 for a 2.58 GAA and a .924 SP.

Mavs get the sweep

Meanwhile, the Missouri Mavericks continued its season long dominance brushing aside the Mallards in four straight. After capturing 6-3 and 2-1 wins on home ice, the Mavs made the trip to Iowa where they wrapped up the series with two more wins, 4-2 and 4-1.

Parker Milner, 25, handled 28 of 29 shots in his lone appearance while Josh Robinson, 26, from Frankenmuth, MI picked up the other three wins stopping 84 of 90 for a 2.00 GAA and a SP of .933. Brody Hoffman, 25,  played in three for the Mallards, stopping 86 shots.

Rocco Carzo, 25,  led the offense for the Mavericks, scoring a goal and adding five assists and David de Kastrozza, 29, collected a goal and four assists. Matt Carey, 24,  led the way for the Mallards with two goals and two assists.