Dufour’s Late Goal, Cook’s 33 Saves Lift Mavericks Past Cincinnati
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The first time the Columbus Mavericks’ Premier team saw the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones, it was a 9-0 rout. The rematch was a much tighter affair.
Ethan Dufour scored the winning goal with 50.9 seconds left in the second period, and Robert Cook made 33 saves. The Mavericks held off Cincinnati 3-2 on Friday night at OhioHealth Chiller North. The win improves Columbus to 7-1-2 on the season and 2-0 against the Cyclones.
A shorthanded start
Columbus opened the scoring in the first period while killing a penalty. Douglas Loethen scored an unassisted shorthanded goal. Owen Abraham doubled the lead late in the period, assisted by Parker Arlet and Sam Pies, and the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Cincinnati pushed back in the second. Max Urban-Matejcik cut the lead in half, with an assist from Jace Vanderham. Columbus answered just before the period ended. Dufour scored with 50.9 seconds left, set up by Abraham, to restore the two-goal cushion.
That goal proved to be the winner. Gavin Seitz pulled the Cyclones within one with 3:54 remaining in regulation, assisted by Nathan Bossola and Hudson Klause. Cook and the Mavericks held on the rest of the way.
Cook stands tall
Cincinnati outshot Columbus 35-29, and Cook was the difference. He stopped 33 of 35 shots, including all 14 he faced in the first period. Nigel Smith made 26 saves on 29 shots for the Cyclones.
Abraham led the Mavericks with a goal and an assist. Loethen and Dufour each scored, while Arlet and Pies each had an assist.
Next up
The Mavericks hit the road next week, with games scheduled at PSM Icehouse beginning Thursday, Oct. 29. Follow along on the Premier schedule page, and catch every game on USPHL+ through Black Bear Sports.