Allen Beats Tulsa 4-3 in OT, Martinson's Comments, Allen Trades Eberle for Defenseman Michael Webster

The Allen Americans were playing their third game in 48 hours on Sunday afternoon against the Tulsa Oilers who were playing their first game in a week. Congrats to the Americans for gutting out a 4-3 overtime win before a happy crowd of 3243 at the Allen Event Center. Bryan Moore scored the game winner with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime. Moore and Spencer Asuchak stole the puck at center ice and went in all alone on the goalie. Spencer made the pass to Moore who put it home.


- Allen got five of six points on the weekend to move into sole possession of second place in the Mountain Division. It was a struggle for sure as the Americans held on for a 2-1 win on Friday, lost 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday and won 4-3 in overtime on Sunday. The Americans struggled in the third period in all three games which is unusual because historically they have been a strong third period team. They were outplayed, outscored (4-1) and out shot (32-21) in the third period in the games this weekend. Allen gave up two goal leads in the third period twice (Saturday & Sunday). The team is playing better and anytime you get five of six points playing three games in less than 48 hours it is a huge success but there is still work to do to get better. Two games against league leading Wichita this Saturday and Sunday in Wichita will be a good barometer.   


- Goal scorers for Allen were Spencer Asuchak (3), Miles Liberati (1), Vincent Arseneau (4) and Bryan Moore (2). You can check out a great highlight package with all of the goals and fights at ECHL Rewind: https://www.echl.com/


- Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans with post game quotes from Bryan Moore: https://allenamericans.com/americans-grab-extra-point-overtime-win/


-  Here is the game recap issued by the Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/oilers-extend-point-streak-seven-games-overtime-loss/


STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS

- It would have been tough if we hadn't won that game. With all of the special teams play this weekend our top guys, who play on the penalty kill and power play, have logged a lot of ice time so are really tired. All and all it was a good effort by the team against a well rested Tulsa team.

- On the goal that tied the game 3-3 there were several mistakes. We left Tulsa's best player all alone in front of the net. We had a forward take a guy the defenseman was already on. The forwards just didn't collapse well on that goal.

- The first thing I did when I saw Moore and Asuchak take the puck at center ice and get the 2-on-0 was look at the clock to see if they had enough time. It was great to see Moore bury that puck.

Bryan Moore with the overtime game winner - photo by Lauren Lyssy

- I am sure you all have heard I traded Tanner Eberle today. It is always tough to trade players that you like. I think his first choice was always to play in Allen but his second choice is to play and he will go to Jacksonville, who is struggling, and get a lot of ice time. Tanner wants to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) and I wish him good luck. I will say again it is tough trading guys you like but he is going to a place where he can play a lot.

- Michael Webster, who we got in the trade for Eberle, is a defenseman who is supposed to be a really good skater and can move the puck. His acquisition gives us more depth at defense. He was the second leading scorer for defensmen on Wheeling last season and was second in plus/minus of all skaters on the team.

- McAuley made some good plays today including the pass on the 2-on-1 when Asuchak scored.  That is the first time we scored on a 2-on-1 in a while. McAuley is solid, he plays hard and he hits. He is good defensively and probably logged more penalty kill minutes than any other forward the last two games.

- Our goalie play has been really good. They have both had to make some big plays to keep us in games.


OTHER COMMENTS

- The team will take the day off today and then start preparing for an important two games in Wichita this weekend. The Thunder are off to a great start with a 10-1 record. Their only loss was 5-3 to Allen at home on November 3rd. Wichita has a three point lead on the Americans in the Mountain Division standings and has played three fewer games than Allen.


- It is hard to believe but the game yesterday was the ninth home game of the season. Allen now has 25% of their home games in the books. The Americans home record is 4-2-2-1.


- Tulsa is about to embark on a 18 day/10 game road trip that will take them to Kansas City, Indy, Fort Wayne, Rapid City and Idaho. I heard the plan is to take "Big Red" for the entire trip including through the mountains to Boise for games with Idaho on November 29, December 1st & 2nd. Allen fans certainly know the risks of taking that bus through the mountains this time of year. As someone mentioned to me about a long trip like this on Big Red, tell the Tulsa players to make sure they have the Uber number on their phones, bring extra warm clothes and some extra blankets.


- The San Jose Barracuda (AHL) beat Manitoba yesterday 4-1. Olivier Archambault has been a healthy scratch the last two games as some of the injured Barracuda players have returned to the lineup. Olivier has played great since joining the Barracuda having a point in his last four games but it is hard to get ice time over prospects already under contract with San Jose. You see the pattern play out over and over where someone like Archambault goes from third or fourth line minutes, to healthly scratch to being sent to Allen. The Barracuda do not play again until next Saturday so if they plan on sending Olivier back to Allen it will probably happen today or tomorrow. The only hope is the pattern doesn't hold true this time and Archambault stays in San Jose.


- If you look at the Western Conference standings they are dominated by teams from the Mountain Division. Wichita is #1, Allen #2, Colorado is tied for #3, Utah, Tulsa and Idaho are tied for #5. The only Central Division team in the top seven is Toledo who is tied for #3.


- Defenseman Michael Webster was acquired from Jacksonville in a trade for Tanner Eberle. Webster is a second year pro who played in Wheeling last season. In addition to the comments made by coach Martinson above, Webster is described as great north-south skater with good offensive instincts who plays a solid two way game. Here is a press release from January when Webster was recalled to the AHL from Wheeling. It talks about his junior career with the Barrie Colts and his leadership on the ice, in the locker room and in the community.  http://www.wbspenguins.com/2017/01/20/penguins-recall-defenseman-michael-webster/

Here is the hockeydb profile on Michael Webster:

Michael Webster

Michael Webster

Defense -- shoots L
Born May 24 1995 -- Toronto, ONT
[22 yrs. ago]
Height 6.01 -- Weight 197

			Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2012-13	Barrie Colts	OHL	63	0	11	11	49	14	20	0	4	4	18
2013-14	Barrie Colts	OHL	65	3	14	17	51	6	11	0	0	0	12
2014-15	Barrie Colts	OHL	62	6	17	23	64	29	9	1	4	5	10
2015-16	Barrie Colts	OHL	64	9	35	44	57	31	14	1	7	8	29
2016-17	Wheeling Nailers	ECHL	57	5	24	29	38	13	--	--	--	--	--
2017-18	Jacksonville Icemen*	ECHL	5	0	1	1	2	0

DID YOU KNOW: The three most penalized teams in the ECHL all come from the Mountain Division. Colorado, Allen and Idaho have combined for 859 penalty minutes and have a combined record of  19-11-7-2. The three least penalized teams in the league (Reading, Cincinnati, South Carolina) come from the other three divisions and have a combined total of 305 penalty minutes and a combined record of 20-6-4-0.