Vaive returns to Cyclones

Cincinnati, Ohio - The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans, have announced veteran forward Justin Vaive has re-signed for the 2018-19 season.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Vaive is coming off a very successful 2017-18 campaign where led the Cyclones in goals with 32 and was tied for fifth in points with 45. Vaive enjoyed 12 multi-point games, including a pair of hat tricks, along with a four-point performance (3g-1a) in a 6-5 overtime win over the Quad City Mallards on Jan. 21. Vaive continued his offensive prowess in the playoffs for the Cyclones, accounting for a team-leading five goals, and ranked second with six points in Cincinnati's 4 games to 1 series loss to the Fort Wayne Komets.

Vaive has had three previous stints in Cincinnati back in 2011-12 and 2012-13, and his ECHL career has also seen a stop in Greenville with the Road Warriors during the 2013-14 season. In 108 career ECHL games, Vaive has accounted for 85 points (50g-35a) along with 202 penalty minutes.

Drafted by Anaheim in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Vaive has spent the bulk of his pro career in the AHL, accounting for 67 points (31g-36a) in 280 games with Rochester, Bridgeport, Hartford and San Antonio.

Prior to turning pro in 2011-12, Vaive was a four-year letter winner with the Miami University RedHawks from 2007-11. He helped lead the RedHawks to a Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season championship in 2010 and a CCHA Playoff championship in 2011. In 160 career games with Miami, Vaive accounted for 46 points (23g-23a) along with 208 penalty minutes.