- Allen scored first, won the first period and out shot South Carolina in the first period 13-11. The Americans are almost unbeatable in these circumstances.
- In three of their last four games Allen has taken a comfortable lead only to turn around and give it all away. Here is a reminder of the blown leads in the last week.
October 26 - The Americans took a 2-0 lead into the third period only to watch Rapid City tie the score before Allen won in a shootout.
October 27 - This time Allen had a 5-0 lead early in the second period before giving up five unanswered goals to Rapid City. Fortunately the Americans won the game in overtime.
October 28 - The only game in the last four where Allen didn't blow a lead because they never had the lead as they were shutout 2-0.
November 2 - At the 8:19 mark of the second period last night Allen had a 3-0 lead and had taken 17 shots on goal. It was at that point David Makowski was given a game misconduct penalty for spearing. From that point on Allen gave up five unanswered goals and managed just seven shots in the last 31:41 of the game. Giving up five goals in 16 minutes and managing only seven shots in 31 minutes is a recipe for defeat.
- It wasn't all bad for the Americans as they held the Stingrays to 30 shots which was way below the 43.25 shots per game Allen was giving up on average coming into the game.
- The good news on special teams is the penalty kill for Allen was 0-3. In two home games the penalty kill unit is 1-11 for an excellent 90.1% kill percentage. The bad news is the power play went 0-4 including a long (1:13) five-on-three power play in the third period when Allen was down two goals. The Americans are still looking for their first power play goal at home (0-12).
- The goal scorers for Allen were Johnny McInnis (1), Dante Salituro (4), Chase Lang (1) and Eric Roy (1). Here is the highlight package from the game.
- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/rough-second-period-leads-to-loss-against-south-carolina/
- Here is the game recap issued by the South Carolina Stingrays: https://www.stingrayshockey.com/en/news/rays-erase-3-goal-deficit-to-stun-americans-5-4
STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS:
- Here are Martinson's comments when he addressed the season ticket holders after the game.
"We were outplaying South Carolina early in the game and then we took a five minute spearing penalty right in front of the referee and it was down hill from there."
"We were four on four with a three goal lead and we try to beat a guy, turn the puck over and create a two on one, and they put it in our net."
"On the goal right after the end of their power play we were weak at the point and they get the puck through and it goes off a skate in the net."
"On another goal it was just a bad play on the rush where our defenseman got turned to the outside and they put a puck through right to their guy who put it in the net. It is painful to be our goalie right now with the mistakes we are making."
"We had a chance in the third period with a long five-on-three power play and that was something we worked on just this morning and we don't do what we worked on. I don't even want to say what it looked like."
"We have to play smarter, we have some guys out of the lineup and we can't make it so easy for our opponents. With the guys that we have out of the lineup we need to have the guys that are playing on their "A" game."
"To me it is pretty obvious, we were up 3-0 and in control of the game, we are outplaying them and boom the wheels fall off and we shoot ourselves in the foot over and over and over."
"We just haven't been smart. What it looks like when you are giving up leads, like we have in three of our last four games, is players are more concerned with scoring than winning. Tonight we were in position to win the game and just handed it away."
"One way or another we have to get better defensively and we have to quit taking bad penalties."
ALLEN VS SOUTH CAROLINA REMATCH
- Coach Martinson summed up in his comments what the Americans need to do to be successful in the rematch tonight, play smarter and play better defensively.
- Allen made strides in holding down the number of shots by the Stingrays but they were still out shot 30-24. The Americans managed only seven shots in the last half of the game. You are not going to win many games with seven shots in 30 minutes of hockey.
- A key to the game tonight may be whether either team can score a power play goal. Allen is at 0% at home (0-12). South Carolina isn't much better on the road at 8.6% (3-35).
- Allen will be playing short a player again tonight and Mike Gunn will be playing left wing. Several readers asked about the possibility of David Makowski getting suspended for the game misconduct he received for spearing. The spearing rule is very specific and calls for a penalty anytime a player tries to stab an opponent with the point of the stick blade. The rule calls for a double minor penalty if a player stabs at an opponent and doesn't make contact and a five minute major penalty for a spear when contact is made. Whenever a major penalty is assessed for spearing, a game misconduct must also be assessed. There are no specific fines or suspensions for spearing, however there is this all encompassing rule (28) which gives the Commissioner the discretion to hand out supplementary discipline. Since Makowski was not given a match penalty (would have been imposed if the opponent had been injured) it is unlikely he will be suspended.
- The referee for the game tonight is the same as last night, Stan Szczurek (#15). The linesmen scheduled are Micheal Miggans (#47) and Aaron Schacht (#31).
OTHER COMMENTS
- Injuries have certainly taken their toll on the Americans with many games missed early in the season and some high scoring players still trying to find their stride. If I would have told you at the beginning of the season after nine games, forwards Thomas Frazee, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Jordy Stallard, Chase Lang, Chad Butcher, Kevin Sunder and Pavel Jenys would have a combined total of three goals and Braylon Shmyr would have seven goals you would say I was crazy. You probably would have said if that happens Shmyr will be in the AHL and Allen will be in last place and you would have been right on both counts.
- Speaking of Shmyr he sat in the stands last night as a healthy scratch for the Springfield Thunderbirds as they beat Bridgeport at home 3-2. The teams play again tonight in Bridgeport so maybe Braylon will get his first AHL game action today.
- Greger Hanson picked a great time to score his first goal of the season. It was his 14th game which is a long drought for Greger but it was a big one as he scored the game winning goal 3:25 into overtime to lead his Krefeld Pinguine team to a 3-2 win over Dusseldorf.
- It took 65 minutes and nine rounds of shootout hockey but Rapid City defeated Tulsa 3-2 last night. Tulsa is the only team left in the ECHL without a regulation loss. The Oiler record of 4-0-1-2 has them alone at the top of the Mountain Division standings with 11 points. Here are the complete standings with games played in parentheses.
11 points - Tulsa (7 games)
10 points - Utah (7 games)
10 points - Rapid City (9 games)
9 points - Kansas City (6 games)
9 points - Idaho (9 games)
8 points - Wichita (6 games)
7 points - Allen (9 games)
- ECHL MVP from last season, Shawn Szydlowski, who has been playing in Norway has left his team and returned to North America. Shawn played with Fort Wayne last season but because he is a veteran he is a free agent and can sign with any ECHL team. Odds are big he will return to the Komets but I am sure he is getting plenty of lucrative offers from around the ECHL so you never know until his contact is registered with the league office.
DID YOU KNOW: There are few, if any, ECHL teams that have a winning record against the Americans in Allen but South Carolina is one of the them. The Stingrays now have a record of 3-2 at the AEC. The only question is whether the Stingray's record will be 4-2 or 3-3 after the game tonight.
Why do we continue to try to exit defensive end up the middle Instead of using the boards? Way to many turn overs
ReplyDeleteAm I correct in my assessment of our 1:13 five on three we did not get one shot in goal?
ReplyDeleteYou are right Joe no shots on goal recorded but if I remember correctly they came close but the puck was blocked or just missed. They just have to do better tonight.
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