Published: October 18, 2009 08:39 am      

Chiefs get shut out by Cyclones in home opener

As home openers and head coaching debuts go, Jeff Flanagan probably wouldn’t mind a “do-over.”

The Cincinnati Cyclones, the team known for sticking it to the Johnstown Chiefs at the most inopportune times over the past three seasons, did it again on Saturday.

Cincinnati scored a pair of short-handed goals and Jeremy Smith stopped all

22 shots he faced in the Cyclones’ 2-0 win over the Chiefs in front of 2,353 fans at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

“It’s tough, especially with the short-handed goals on Cincinnati’s part,” said Flanagan of a hockey double whammy

– losing the home opener and his first regular-season game as Chiefs coach.

“Every game is a new day,” the optimistic Flanagan added. “Now we know exactly where we sit with our lines and what things we need to work on. It’s good to get that out of the way. Guys are going to know in their individual game what they need to work on. It gives us a good starting point on what to build on.”

The Chiefs dropped their third consecutive home opener.

Johnstown didn’t exactly fall flat. The team appeared to work hard and created several opportunities.

But the offense just couldn’t finish and the power play misfired eight times.

The two short-handed goals by Doug Krantz at 17:27 of the second and Chris Mueller at 6:53 of the third magnified the problem.

“Five on five we had opportunities when we came across the line to get offensive chances,” Flanagan said.

“We just didn’t shoot the puck enough. We have a lot of real skilled players who are wanting to show their passing abilities. It’s just a matter of practice and getting the guys to realize to use their shooting skills.

“We would be lucky if we got 21 shots. If we shoot the puck more, those things are going to come.”

Cincinnati outshot the Chiefs 26-22.

The Cyclones failed to convert on six power play chances.

“Our power play, I just think we were snake-bitten,” Flanagan said. “Again, it was the shooing the puck. We had good possession early on. Then we were a little nonchalant. Instead of taking shots we were looking for shots and that resulted in two short-handed goals for them.”

Chiefs goaltender Kris Mayotte of Pittsburgh believed the Chiefs put in a solid night’s work even in defeat.

“It wasn’t an effort thing, which is positive,” Mayotte said.

“It was circumstantial. We had some chances in the offensive zone that we kind of missed the net. That could be good sticks from their defensemen. That could be ice conditions. That could be focus. I thought we had our chances. We just missed a few times.

“Unfortunately on our power play they got some chances,” Mayotte said. “Those are ones I need to come up with.”