The Enquirer and wire reports

The Cincinnati Cyclones finished the regular season in third place of the East Coast Hockey League's Northwest Division and will face the Peoria Rivermen in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Cyclones completed the season with a 36-29-7 record and won their last two games, including a 5-3 decision Sunday in Johnstown behind Mike Casselman's three-point effort.

The best-of-5 series will have a 2-2-1 format. Games 1 and 2 will be Tuesday and Wednesday in Peoria, Ill.

The Cyclones will host Game 3 Saturday and, if necessary, Game 4 Sunday at 7:05 p.m. in U.S. Bank Arena.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Cyclones at 421-PUCK (7825, ext. 144) or by visiting the ticket office.

Cyclones	2	3	0	-5
Johnstown	1	1	1	-3

First period: 1. Cin, Cardarelli 35 (Norrie, Brand) ppg, 4:30; 2. Joh, R. Shmyr 2 (Manzano, J. Shmyr) 5:41; 3. Cin, Bootland 19 (Twordik, Noga) 14:47.

Second period: 4. Joh, Manzano 3 (Tarabin, Mather) :51; 5. Cin, Cardarelli 36 (Casselman, Brand) ppg, 2:42; 6. Cin, Labenski 14 (Casselman, Brand) ppg, 7:22; 7. Cin, Casselman 16 (Bergin, Turner) 10:06.

Third period: 8. Joh, Doman 2 (Manzano, St. Pierre) 6:31.

Power plays: Cin 3-for-4; Joh 0-for3. Goalies: Cin, Peter Hamerlik (2-1-1 record; 28 saves, 31 shots); Joh, Mark Scally (5-10-3; 17-22). A: 3,259.

AHL: Ducks eliminated

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Denis Hamel scored twice and added an assist to lead the Rochester Americans to a 6-2 win over the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Sunday in the AHL at Blue Cross Arena.

Ryan Miller, making his 13th consecutive start, stopped 35 of 37 shots en route to his 21st win.

Rob Valicevic and Brian Lee scored for the Ducks, who have lost four straight (0-3-0-1) and were eliminated from playoff contention.

Mighty Ducks	1	1	0	- 2
Rochester	3	3	0	- 6

First period: 1. Roc, Ratchuk 11 (Bartovic, O'Connell), 2:28. 2. Roc, O'Connell 1 (Gaustad, Houda), 3:31. 3. Roc, Hamel 24 (Pominville), 9:25. 4. Cin, Valicevic 17 (Brown, N. Smith), 15:39 (ppg).

Second period: 5. Roc, Methot 18 (Hamel), 1:47 (ppg). 6. Roc, Bartovic 18 (Ratchuk, Nelson), 2:24. 7. Roc, Hamel 25 (Pominville, Methot), 14:25. 8. Cin, Lee 1 (Clarke), 19:09.

Shots on goal: Cin 14-12-11=37; Roc 10-15-9=34. Power plays: Cin 1-for-8; Roc 1-for-5. Goaltenders: Cin, Bryzgalov (9:25; 7 shots, 4 saves; record 11-25-8), Naumenko (50:35; 27-24); Roc, Miller (37-35; 21-17-5). A: 7,091.

Records: Cin 24-33-12-6; Roc 29-29-14-5.

Around the NHL

BRODEUR SETS RECORD: Martin Brodeur became the first NHL goaltender to post four 40-win seasons as the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Islanders 6-0.

The win moved New Jersey four points ahead of the idle Philadelphia Flyers in the Atlantic Division and within four of Ottawa in the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

DUCKS 3, CANUCKS 1: Petr Sykora scored :41 into the third period and Martin Gerber made 41 for Anaheim.

Vancouver's Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 47th goal.

Anaheim forward Cam Severson skated in his first NHL game since being recalled from Cincinnati.

'HAWKS 4, OILERS 4: Radek Dvorak had two goals and Todd Marchant one to rally Edmonton to the tie.

SABRES: Defensemen Rhett Warrener and Brian Campbell, who might have been exposed to a potentially deadly respiratory illness, aren't showing any symptoms and may return before the end of the season.

Colleges

FROZEN FOUR: No. 3 seed Michigan upset No. 1 seed Colorado College 5-3 at Ann Arbor to advance to the national semifinals for the third consecutive year.

Michigan (30-9-3) will face Minnesota (26-8-9) at noon April 10 in Buffalo.

Top-ranked Cornell (30-4-1) will play New Hampshire (27-7-6) in the other semifinal at 6 p.m.