Published: April 04, 2009 11:43 am      

Chiefs lose, but playoff hopes still alive

Cincinnati — The Johnstown Chiefs live to fight another day. But they’re on life support, and they’re going to need some help to survive and make the postseason.

Although the Chiefs held a one-goal lead with less than eight minutes to play Friday night, the Cincinnati Cyclones, like they’ve done the last three times these teams have met, pulled out the comeback victory - thanks to Mark Van Guilder’s overtime power play goal, his second of the game,

Cincinnati escaped with the 4-3 victory in front of 4,594 fans at U.S. Bank Arena.

The result did not leave Johnstown in a great mood. But it also left the Chiefs alive heading into the final game of the regular season tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Cincinnati.

“We have to let this game go,” said left wing Randy Rowe, who assisted two Chiefs goals. “We know that we still have a chance. It’s got to be the best game we’ve played all year.”

For much of the second and third periods, it appeared the Chiefs would have a chance to tie Wheeling for fourth place in the ECHL North Division standings and the final spot for the playoffs. Wheeling, two points ahead of Johnstown, never led in its 3-2 loss to Dayton, and, after Johnstown left wing Andy Contois’ breakaway goal with 7:05 to play in the second period, the Chiefs took a 3-2 advantage against Cincinnati.

But 6:58 into the third period, referee Joe Sullivan whistled Johnstown for two penalties – one on Mike Bartlett for interference and one on Greg Gallagher for boarding. That gave the Cyclones their second 5-on-3 advantage of the game (the Chiefs also were awarded a two-man advantage in the first period) and left the Chiefs in trouble.

“When that happens, you just have to forget about it,” Rowe said. “You can’t get upset at the ref and let it throw you off your game.”

Cincinnati forward Mac Faulkner took advantage 20 seconds later, blasting a long slapshot past Johnstown goalie Kris Mayotte to tie the game at 3-3. After the game, Chiefs coach Ian Herbers had a lengthy conversation with an ECHL official about the sequence that led to the double penalty.

“I haven’t seen the film,” Herbers said. “It was a questionable call, but it’s tough to be the ref in that spot and the one making that call.”

Herbers also was quick to say that the Chiefs – who were one point out of first place in the North Division a few weeks ago but are on a four-game winless streak – would have to brush off their latest disappointment.

the Chiefs would make the postseason.

“We have a good bunch of guys in the locker room,” Rowe said. “We’ll come out, and we’ll know that we have to win. Losing is not an option.”

If Wheeling loses in regulation and the Chiefs lose in overtime or a shootout, the teams would tie and the Chiefs would get the final playoff spot.