Saturday, December 11, 1999
Cyclones edge K-Wings 1-0 on Ustorf's 3rd-period goal
BY JOHN P. WISE
Enquirer contributor
The scoreless tie had to end.
Fortunately for 6,245 at Firstar Center, the goal scorer at 52:15 in the third period Friday was wearing a Cyclones sweater, and the home team earned the 1-0 victory over the Michigan K-Wings.
Stefan Ustorf scored when he rebounded Shane Willis' shot, which had bounced off the pads of Michigan goalie Mike Bales.
“Shane got it on net, and I saw it bounce off (Bales),” said Ustorf. “I just got lucky and jammed it right in the goal.”
It was Ustorf's seventh goal of the season and gave Bales the loss in an otherwise admirable 27-save performance. But Cyclones' goalie Mark Fitzpatrick was just a touch better.
Fitzpatrick stopped all 29 Michigan shots, including the late flurry when the K-Wings pulled Bales in favor of a sixth attacker.
“I'm happy our team didn't panic out there holding onto a one-goal lead late in the game,” Fitzpatrick said. “It's nice to win a game like this. It shows you're a good team when you can win high-scoring games and low-scoring games too.”
Fitzpatrick's second shutout of the season gives him a 9-5-0 record, including five straight wins.
“I would think Mark will be back in the NHL next year at the latest,” Cyclones coach Ron Smith said. “I hope sooner than that for his sake. He's playing real well right now.”
Cincinnati remains one point behind third-place Orlando, a winner in Detroit Friday, in the Eastern Conference. The Cyclones' record of 14-9-3 gives them 31 points, only three points behind leader Grand Rapids.
Michigan ....... 0 0 0-0
Cincinnati ....... 0 0 1-1
First period — No scoring.
Second period — No scoring.
Third period — 1. Cin., Ustorf 7 (unassisted) 12:15 (pp).
Shots on goal: Mich 9-10-10 29; Cin 11-7-10 28. Goalies: Mich Bales (27 saves); Cin Fitzpatrick (29). Power plays: Mich 0-for-3; Cin. 1-for-4. Attendance: 6,245. Time: 2:26.
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