OMG!!  I just got home from the GREATEST sporting event I have ever been to.  12,722 fans packed U.S.Bank Arena tonight  to see the Clones finish off Las Vegas.  IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CHAMPION IN CINCINNATI!!!

The Cincinnati Cyclones netted a pair of third period goals to break a 1-1 tie and give the club a 3-1 win over Las Vegas on Thursday night. The victory gave the Cyclones their first-ever Kelly Cup championship with the triumph. Cedrick Desjardins stopped 30 shots in the win, while Jean-Michel Daoust added a pair of assists.

The crowd of 12,722 was the largest in ECHL playoff history and pushed the Cyclones attendance for the postseason to 54,289—the eleventh biggest total in league history. Cincinnati has averaged 4935 for the playoffs and finished 95.6 percent better than its regular season average of 2523 fans per contest.

It is the first time in 35 years that a Cincinnati pro hockey team has competed in its league finals. The last team to compete for a championship was the 1973 Cincinnati Swords, which captured the AHL’s Calder Cup in five games over Nova Scotia. It was the first time since April 3, 1955—that a champion from the Queen City was crowned in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Mohawks won a seventh game against the Troy Bruins for the IHL’s Turner Cup championship.

The Cyclones opened the scoring 15:58 into the game, when during a four-on-four situation, right wing Jean-Michel Daoust netted his sixth goal of the playoffs. Daoust took a drop pass in the slot from David Desharnais. Daoust shot went upstairs over the shoulder of Kevin Lalande. The shots on goal favored Las Vegas, 13-9, in the opening period.

Las Vegas leveled the scores at 1-1, as Adam Cracknell netted his ninth goal of the playoffs. Cracknell’s goal was assisted by Jason Krischuk and Chris Ferraro on the power play. Las Vegas had five man advantage opportunities in the frame—including two chances for 1:43 with a two-man edge. Cincinnati had one chance on the power play for 18 seconds in the period.

Cyclones goaltender Cedrick Desjardins’ streak of 132 minutes, 25 seconds of shutout time against Las Vegas came to an end with the Cracknell goal.

The Cyclones scored a pair of third period goals from Matt Syroczynski (eighth) and Jon Gleed (second) in closing out the scoring.

The Cincinnati Cyclones received a four assist performance from rookie David Desharnais in a 4-0 win over Las Vegas on Monday night. The victory gives the Cyclones a three games to two lead over the Wranglers for the Kelly Cup. The triumph was Cincinnati’s league-record 70th between the regular season and playoffs.

Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins stoppws all 27 shots in picking up his first playoff shutout this season and third of his career. Desjardins has allowed just seven goals in five Kelly Cup Finals games.

This was the fifth game of the best of seven Kelly Cup Finals. The sixth game will be held at the U.S. Bank Arena on Thursday night (June 7) at 7:30pm. It is the first time in 35 years that a Cincinnati pro hockey team has competed in its league finals. The last team to compete for a championship was the 1973 Cincinnati Swords, which captured the AHL’s Calder Cup in five games over Nova Scotia.

With the victory, the Cyclones become the first team in the 20 year history of the ECHL to win 70 games between the regular season and playoffs. Cincinnati eclipsed the previous record of 69 set by the 2005-06 Kelly Cup champion Alaska Aces. The Cyclones won 55 games during the regular season and have now won 15 additional games during the postseason.

The Cyclones opened the scoring 3:57 into the game, when right wing Jean-Michel Daoust netted a backhander from the right post past Kevin Lalande for his fifth goal of the postseason. David Desharnais collected the assist on the goal. The lead extended to 2-0 at 10:50, as defenseman Conrad Martin fired home his fifth score of the playoffs from Daoust and Desharnais.

Cincinnati pushed the lead to 3-0, when Matt Syroczynski netted his seventh goal of the Kelly Cup playoffs at 3:24 from Desharnais. The goal put a premature end to Lalande’s night—as he was chased after making ten saves on the 13 shots he faced. Cincinnati outshot the Wrangler, 12-9, in the frame.

A late goal from Ryan Russel, his third of the postseason, from Desharnais closed out the scoring. Las Vegas outshot Cincinnati, 12-2, in the period and 27-23 for the game.

Should a seventh game be necessary in the series, it would also be played at U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday (June 7) at 7:30pm.

The Cincinnati Cyclones are four wins from being the first professional sports franchise to win a title in this town in 18 years. I hope they drink from the Kelly Cup, but I am conflicted about it. It's bittersweet.

As Indianapolis celebrates its 2012 Super Bowl, we celebrate minor-league hockey. As Indy admires its Super Bowl trophy from two seasons ago, we explain to an entire generation of kid-fans what it was like in 1990. Back in the day.

There's nothing wrong with getting excited about the Cyclones. Their players remind you why you became a sports fan in the first place: successful, accessible, overwhelmingly normal. On Thursday, the whole Cyclones team walked from U.S. Bank Arena to Fountain Square, to attend a pep rally.

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That's right: Walked.

At about the same time, another local pro athlete in this town was relaying through a team spokesman that he "wasn't in the mind-set" of doing a 10-minute radio interview with yours truly on WLW-AM (700).

The name isn't important; neither, actually, was the interview. The attitude was important.

There are teams and players here that assume the adulation. There are teams and players that can't be bothered with anything but signing checks. And there are the Cyclones.

I hope the 'Clones pack U.S. Bank Arena this weekend. No team deserves the support as much. That's not the issue. This is:

Can't Do Cincinnati. We snooze and lose.

Our major pro sports teams have been poorly run and marketed. Their only wins have been in the new-stadium game. We haven't brought a major sporting event to town since the NCAA Women's Final Four, in 1997. We will never get a Super Bowl, because the $600 million stadium on the river doesn't have a retractable roof.

It's an article of faith that if you build a new ballpark, you'll be considered for a baseball All-Star Game. The new Busch Stadium gets the game next year. Last year, it was AT&T Park in San Francisco. Here is the roll call from 2000 to 2006: Atlanta, Seattle, Milwaukee, Chicago (White Sox), Houston, Detroit, Pittsburgh. All new parks. Pittsburgh, baseball's black hole, has had the All-Star Game twice since the Reds last got it, in 1988.

In the '90s, Cincinnati hosted international gymnastic events and a world figure skating championship. That might not roust you from your couch. But it raised the city's profile and filled hotel rooms and restaurant tables.

Now? Nothing.

Jerry Carroll might have taken a financial bath with Kentucky Speedway, but his private-money vision ultimately will produce a Sprint Cup stock car race for this region.

Do-nothing public servants can't get out of their own way. Satisfied team owners, rich from dining at the public table, have no incentive beyond pride to improve their teams.

Leslie Spencer, the executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation, says it's a better deal for the city to book kids' hockey tournaments than to partner with UC or Xavier to host the first weekend of the men's NCAA Tournament in March.

Spencer says Nick Vehr spent more than $5 million in his failed bid to attract the 2012 Olympics, and that her agency has been digging out ever since.

She lists the events the city did pursue: the Army-Navy football game (now in Baltimore), the Mid-American Conference football championship, the baseball All-Star Game. "Youth events offer better economic impact," Spencer said. "Signature events are pricey."

Well, yeah. So was building a stadium in Indy that was worthy of a Super Bowl.

Indy did it. Can't Do Cincinnati hosts youth hockey tournaments.

Go watch the Cyclones this weekend. Applaud players with whom you can identify. They deserve it. As coach Chuck Weber put it Friday, "We've added a second hitch to the wagon" for all the bandwagon fans.

Meantime, pause briefly to see how far we've come in the last 20 years as a sports town. Not far. Not far at all.

Mayor Mallory Proclaims “Cincinnati Cyclones Weekend”
Mayor calls on Cincinnatians to show their support for the team.

Cincinnati – In honor of reaching the Kelly Cup Finals, Mayor Mark Mallory is proclaiming this weekend Cincinnati Cyclones Weekend in Cincinnati and encouraging everyone in the region to show support for the team. The Cincinnati Cyclones are making their first appearance in the Kelly Cup Finals of the ECHL. They will take on the Las Vegas Wranglers in the best of seven series beginning Saturday night at U.S. Bank Arena.

“The Cyclones need our community’s help to bring the Kelly Cup Championship to Cincinnati,” Mayor Mallory said. “They have given Cincinnati an amazing year of World Class Hockey, now we need to show our appreciation by packing U.S. Bank Arena and cheering them to victory.”

On Saturday night, Vice Mayor David Crowley will be dropping the Ceremonial First Puck before game one of the Kelly Cup Finals at U.S. Bank Arena. Game one begins at 7:30 pm.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to support the Cyclones successful season—which has done so much for Cincinnati this year. Go Cyclones!” said Vice Mayor Crowley.

The Cyclones defeated the South Carolina Stingrays 2-1 in overtime last Saturday to win the series 4-1 and advance to the Kelly Cup Finals. Appearing in the finals for the first time caps a successful year for the Cyclones. They had the best regular season record in the ECHL, and won the North Division and the American Conference Titles. Cyclones forward David Desharnais was named the ECHL’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year by the league’s coaches, and Head Coach Chuck Weber was named the ECHL Coach of the Year.

Game one is Saturday, May 24th at 7:30 pm. Game two is Sunday, May 25th at 7:30 pm and will feature $1 John Morrell Hot Dogs. Tickets are available through U.S. Bank Arena box office 513-421-PUCK (7825) or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Cincinnati Cyclones are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and the Nashville Predators.

The Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the South Carolina Stingrays 2-1 in overtime last night to win the American Conference Championship and advance to the Kelly Cup Finals versus Las Vegas.  Nearly 16 minutes into overtime, Ryan Russell broke loose for a shoprthanded goal to clinch the series for the Clones 4-1.  This is both Cincinnati's and Las Vegas'  first trip to the Kelly Cup Finals.  Games 1 and 2 will be played here in Cincinnati Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 PM Eastern.  Yhis is also the first time in 18 YEARS that a pro team in Cincy will compete for it's teams League Championship!

KISS MY A$$ DREDS!!!

BITE ME BUNGLES!!!

CAN I GET A HELL YEAH!!!!