Brad Thiessen made 25 saves and Tommy Mele and Colin Mulvey provided a goal and an assist apiece as the host Cincinnati Cyclones (32-20-6) scored three second period goals on the way to a 3-1 victory over the Quad City Mallards (27-25-6) Friday night.

With the defeat the Mallards remain in third place in the ECHL's Midwest Division and ninth place in the Western Conference.

Thiessen shined from the opening faceoff and stonewalled the Mallards' 13-shot first period onslaught to set the stage for the Cyclones' second period outburst.

The Cyclones took control by scoring twice in 43 seconds in the second. Mele swept home the opening goal from the right wing circle at 7:19. The Cyclones were shorthanded when Brett Wysopal somehow skipped the what proved to be the game winning goal past Mallard goaltender Brody Hoffman from the Cincinnati blue line at 8:02. Mulvey's one timer from the left wing circle stretched the Cyclone lead to 3-0 at 17:17.

Darren McMillan finally delivered the Mallard breakthrough by finishing off a 3-on-2 rush with a one-timer from the high slot at 10:38 of the third period but the Mallards would get no closer.

The Mallards meet the Cyclones again tomorrow night in Cincinnati. The Mallards next play at home Sunday, March 20 at 4:05 p.m. against the Indy Fuel. The first 1,000 fans ages 12 and under through the doors for the March 20 game will receive free Mallards youth replica jerseys courtesy of WQAD News 8.