Bombers Cut Down Late By Cyclones, 6-4

The Dayton Bombers found the net in each period of Saturday night’s game against the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Ervin J. Nutter Center but were defeated 6-4 in front of 5,113 fans.

The Cyclones jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, besting goalie Paul Drew on 11 shots on goal. Dayton got on the board with a goal from Mike McLean, assisted by Christian Gaudet and Greg Labenski at 16:52 in the frame. Thirty seconds late Dan Riedel cut the lead to one from Gaudet and newly acquired Justin Chwedoruk. At the end of the first the Bombers were outshooting the Cyclones 14-11.

The Bombers would tie things up in the second as Greg Labenski netted his 6th of the year, this time on the power play from fellow veteran Kelly Perrault. Knotted at three after two periods, shots still favored Dayton 25-22.

In the third the Cyclones would regain the lead when Jimmy Kilpatrick scored his 21st of the year. Tomas Zaborsky would get the equalizer for the Bombers at 14:44, assisted by Danny LaPointe and Ryan Smyth. Cincinnati, however, would pull away in the closing minutes, scoring two more goals in the final four minutes.

Drew was 23 of 28 in net for Dayton, while Cincinnati’s Loic Lacasse went 30 of 34. The Bombers were 1 of 8 on the power play and 4 of 6 on the penalty kill.

Next up for the Bombers is a meeting with the Reading Royals on Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nutter Center.