The Allen Americans lost to the Wichita Thunder last night 6-2 before a crowd of 3226 at INTRUST Bank Arena. It was a closer game than the final score indicates as Wichita scored four unanswered goals including two empty net goals after the 13:20 mark of the third period.
- Allen scored its two goals early in the first period (3:27) and second period (2:25) but that is all the scoring the Americans could muster. They relinquished 1-0 and 2-1 leads and managed just 23 shots on goal including seven in the third period. They were out shot 30-23.
- Each team was 1-4 on the power play in a game that was much more physical than prior games this season. The combined penalty minutes in the prior three games was 72, an average of 24 per game. Last night the teams combined for 51 penalty minutes.
- Goal scorers for Allen were D-Jay Jerome (3) who has a point in five straight games and Spencer Asuchak (2) who scored on the power play. Every time Asuchak scores a goal he sets a new all-time record for the Americans. His goal last night was his 125th. FYI, Chad Costello is second all-time with 101 goals.
- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-fall-to-wichita-6-2/
- Here is the game recap issued by the Wichita Thunder: https://www.wichitathunder.com/en/news/big-third-period-lifts-thunder-past-americans
- Here is a link to video highlights of the game: youtu.be/pmSDwWIsDxg
ALLEN VS KANSAS CITY PREVIEW
- No time for the Americans to lick their wounds as they spent the night traveling back to Allen on the bus and will be back at it against Kansas City tonight (7:05 pm). The Mavericks played in Tulsa last night and lost 3-1.
- I expect Allen will get Dawson Butt back in the lineup after he sat out last night serving a one game suspension. Goalie Hayden Lavigne, who signed with Allen this week, is expected to get his first start tonight against the Mavericks.
- Allen and Kansas City met for the first time this season last Saturday and the Mavericks won 7-5, outshooting the Americans 41-28. The game was penalty filled with 20 infractions and a combined 71 PIMS. Kansas City leads the ECHL in average penalty minutes (25.38), Allen is ranked #5 (17.43).
- Special teams will play a big part in the game tonight, with both teams getting plenty of opportunities if past is prologue. Allen has a slight edge in power play percentage (19.2% vs 18.9%). However, in Allen's last six games the power play percentage is 25% (5-20).
- Allen allowed another shorthanded goal last night but it was an empty net goal at the end of the game. Allen has now allowed five shorthanded goals in seven games. Not a good stat especially when you consider the Americans have only five power play goals this season.
- It sounds like a broken record but if the Americans want to get this turned around it begins with reducing turnovers which lead to scoring opportunities for the opponent. Allen did better last night in allowing fewer shots (30) but the Americans managed just 23 shots of their own. Allen has given up 259 shots this season and taken only 200. They have allowed 33 goals and scored just 23. That places Allen #25 in the league in shots allowed per game (37.00) and #25 in goals allowed per game (4.71).
- It will be the defensive end of the ice that determines if Allen wins tonight. In the Americans two wins this season they allowed one goal and three goals. In their five losses they allowed 7, 4, 5, 7 and 6 goals. With Lohin and Combs out of the lineup it is doubtful Allen can win if they give up 4+ goals.
- The referee scheduled tonight is Andrew Wilk (#24). Wilk is a long time ECHL and AHL referee.
OTHER COMMENTS
- If you haven't checked the box scores from last night there was a wild game between Trois-Rivières Lions and Maine Mariners. The Lions won 8-7 in overtime in a game that saw 84 shots on goal and seven power play goals with Maine going 4-4. Former Allen forward Olivier Archambault tied the score 7-7 with 27 seconds remaining in the game to send it to overtime. Trois-Rivières took a 3-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game and had leads of 4-1 and 6-3 before allowing Maine to come back. The #1 star of the game was from the losing Mariners. Lewis Zerter-Gossage had six points including five goals on 11 shots. He scored four straight goals at one point to lead the Maine comeback. The last time an ECHL player had five goals in a game was in 2017.
- Before last night Maine was 4-15 on the power play for a good power play percentage of 26.7%. After going 4-4 last night the Mariners power play leads the league at 42.1%.
- Kelly Bent leads all ECHL rookies in penalty minutes with 27 PIMS in six games. Mikael Robidoux (Kansas City) leads all ECHL players with 46 PIMS.
DID YOU KNOW: Allen has eight fighting majors in seven games. Here are the top five teams in fighting majors thus far in 2021-22. The team's points percentage is in parenthesis:
11 - Wichita (.375)
9 - Iowa (.278)
8 -Allen (.429)
8 - Wheeling (.571)
7 - Kansas City (.500)
Tulsa is the only ECHL team that has not had a fighting major this season.
I watched the first 2 periods last night vs Wichita. I thought it was a good game at that point. Play for 3 periods and win.
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