BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Tyler Rubin scored his first professional goal to propel the Bloomington Bison to a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones and extend the team’s season-opening point streak to eight games at Grossinger Motors Arena on Saturday night.
Less than four minutes into the contest, Bloomington surrendered the first goal of the game, but a tightly contested game ensued and at 10:25, Vladislav Kamenev knotted the scoring from Dylan Finlay and Seung Jae Lee. Minutes later, Lou-Felix Denis dropped the gloves and was sent to the penalty box. The Bison carried momentum, and each team would successfully kill off one minor penalty to head into the first intermission in a 1-1 tie.
Both goaltenders remained strong in the second period, and Isaac Poulter fought off six shots, while Cincinnati denied all 11 Bison shots in the frame. Less than five minutes in, Bloomington killed off its second penalty of the game and peppered the Cyclones net.
Rubin’s tally finally broke the tie after 25 minutes when he connected with Yu Chan Kong and Denis to give Bloomington a 2-1 lead at 5:19 of the third. The Bison locked in defensively in the final minutes of the game and Denis scored into an empty-net from Raivis Ansons to complete his Gordie Howe Hattrick and cement Bloomington’s win.
Poulter stopped 17 of 18 shots in his fifth win. The Bison remain the only team in the ECHL without a regulation loss and sit third place in the Central Division with the highest points-percentage in the league.
The Bloomington Bison return home on Sunday, November 15 for the first Sunday Family Funday of the season when kids eat free and all fans can participate in a post-game skate with the players.
Tickets to all Bloomington Bison home games can be purchased at bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD for more information on ticket memberships and group hospitality opportunities.
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