Allen Wins Big, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Costello Comments, Today's Lineup, Playoff Update and More

 

It was a must win game at the CUTX Event Center last night and the Allen Americans came through with flying colors defeating the Idaho Steelheads 5-1. A crowd of 6012 watched the Americans flip the script on the Steelheads after being shutout by Idaho 5-0 on Wednesday. Not much time to savor the victory as the teams play game four this afternoon (4:10 pm CDT) and Allen still trails 2-1 in the series. As great as the victory was last night to avoid going down 3-0 in the series, a loss today would put Allen in a 3-1 hole for which it be will very difficult to escape. 

- The Americans had great performances up and down the lineup last night. Here are some that stood out to me. Some games there are a lot of greasy goals and some games there are a lot of pretty goals. Last night was a pretty goal night. Check them all out in the highlights.

 

- Allen's first goal started and ended with Colin Jacobs. He took a shot from the point and headed toward the net. His shot was blocked and went to Liam Finlay on the side boards. Finlay passed the puck through two defenders right back to Jacobs, who immediately passed the puck to James Hardie at the side of the net. Hardie probably could have scored but instead passed the puck back to Jacobs who had a wide open net to finish the play he had started. It was a super play by all three linemates to give Allen a 1-0 lead at the 3:16 mark of the first period.

- Allen's second goal was a goal scorers goal scored by Hank Crone. Hank is playing with a cage after losing some teeth when he took a high stick in Idaho. He gave Allen a 2-0 lead, scoring on a backhand from the goal line. Assists went to Grant Hebert and Kris Myllari.

 

- A key moment in the game happened shortly after Allen took its 2-0 lead. Ty Fournier dropped the gloves with Idaho's rookie Connor Mylymok, who spent part of his early childhood in Idaho as his dad, Jeremy Mylymok, played for Idaho from 2000-2006. There was a lot more meaning to this fight than entertainment for the fans. Stick taps to Fournier for stepping up and changing the game with that fight.   

 

 

- Allen took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. A first period lead didn't happen very often to the Americans during the regular season, just 26 % of the time (19 of 72 games). Allen's regular season record with a first period lead was 16-1-1-1.

 

 

- This game may very well have turned in a 12 second sequence early in the second period. Idaho captain and points leader in the regular season, A.J. White, found himself all alone in front of Allen goalie Marco Costantini. There wasn't an Allen player within 20 feet. White had time to make several forehand to backhand moves and what looked like a sure goal was either stopped or fired over the top of the net. Allen transitioned down the ice and just 12 second later Blake Murray made a perfect pass from the side boards to Easton Brodzinski who was driving the net and deflected the puck into the goal. What looked like a 2-1 game 12 seconds earlier became a 3-0 Allen lead.

 

 

-  The dagger for the Americans came with 96 seconds remaining in the second period. Allen was on the penalty kill when Bennett MacArthur picked up an Idaho turnover at their blue line and was off to the races. MacArthur was uncontested as he skated in all alone and scored a shorthanded goal. It was quite a night for the Allen penalty killers as they outscored the Idaho power play 1-0. The final tally showed Idaho 0-4 on the power play with one shorthanded goal allowed. 

- Allen took a 4-0 lead into the second intermission and the only question left was could Allen get a shutout. That question was answered early when Idaho scored just 19 seconds after the third period puck drop. Any hopes of an Idaho comeback were squashed when Easton Brodzinski scored his second goal of the night to make the final score 5-1. It was yet another pretty goal. Blake Murray took the puck behind the net and found Brodzinski trailing the play in the slot all alone. A perfect pass by Murray and the puck was in the back of the net. 

- Sorry for the long explanations on the goals. I found myself watching each and everyone one over and over and when you watch a goal 10 times you see all the the great work. Here are the video highlights and use that 10 second rewind button liberally to really enjoy these highlights. https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-april-26-2024-game-3

 

 

 

- If you look at the big picture the difference in this game was great team defense by the entire team, but two performances deserve special recognition. First, goalie Marco Costantini stopped 35 of 36 shots for a .972 save percentage. If you watched the game you noticed coach Costello made the decision to go toe-to-toe with his top line versus Idaho's top line. Allen has last change at home so Costello could dictate the matchup he wanted. Idaho's top line (Murphy-Rassell-Pelton-Byce) was unstoppable in the first two games of this series. In the two wins in Idaho they had a total of seven goals, 10 assists, 20 shots and had a plus/minus of +12. Last night Allen's top line of McAuley-Murray-Brodzinski were matched up against Idaho's top line all night. What were the results? Idaho's top line, unstoppable in the first two games of the series, had no goals, no assists, no shots and were -9. Allen's top line not only shutdown Idaho's top line, it contributed two goals and three assists and was +6.

 

 

- What will it take to win again this afternoon. You would think if Allen can duplicate the performance from last night it will lead to victory. While that is true it won't be easy. The odds of  holding Idaho's top line to zeros across the board this afternoon are slim to none. To hold the top power play unit in the league scoreless and score a shorthand goal will be tough to duplicate. Idaho's road record the last two seasons was 50-19-1-3 (.712) and they were embarrassed last night. The Steelheads will be a formidable foe this afternoon. If Allen can weather the storm, play great defense, continue to score and tie the series 2-2 it will be game on. If Idaho wins and takes a 3-1 series lead, the Americans will be in a very big hole.

 

 

- Here is the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2024/04/americans-earn-5-1-victory-in-game-3
• Idaho Steelheads: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2024/04/steelheads-suffer-5-1-loss-in-game-three-lead-series-2-1 
   

 

COACH'S COMMENTS

 

 

I had a chance to check in with  the coaches after the game and as usual they do not spend much time enjoying the victory. They were looking at stats, talking to players and making plans for the early start today. Here are a couple of quotes I got from coach Costello.

 

"We played really fast tonight. We have had a lot of chances to score, even in the shutout in Idaho, tonight our chances were going in the net."

 

"Fournier got us going a lot when he stepped up to drop the gloves. He showed we are not going anywhere and we are all pulling on the rope. Every single player on the bench did something in that game to help us win and that is a good sign."

"Costantini was great in goal. The stop he made right in front of the net was big as was the goal we scored 10 seconds later. We were looking at a score of 2-1 but instead it was 3-0. 

 

"We made some really nice plays on our goals tonight. It reminded me how we played in game one only we defended much better and made more saves."

 

 

 

TODAY'S LINEUP

 

-When you play like Allen played last night and everyone contributes you can't take anyone out of the lineup so it will remain the same this afternoon. Healthy scratches: Kielly, Orzeck, and Robidoux:

 

Forwards

McAuley-Murray-Brodzinski

MacArthur-Hebert-Crone

Hardie-Jacobs-Finlay

Smedsrud        Fournier

 

Defense

Myllari-Williams

Allen-Farmer

Jarvis-Gagnon

 

Goalies

Costantini

Sinclair (backup)

 

 

 - Here is the game four preview issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2024/04/game-day-preview-looking-to-even-it-up

 

 

- The referees scheduled to work the game are the same as last night. Hunter Mottinger (#9) and Marc-Olivier Phaneuf (#23). 

 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 

- Several of you asked me about the odds now that Allen has cut Idaho's series lead to 2-1. In close to 2000 seven game series over all of the major professional sports the odds of Allen winning today is just slightly under 50% and the odds of Allen winning the series has climbed to 30%. If Allen loses today and falls behind 3-1 the Americans odds of winning the series drops under 20%.

 

 

- Allen and Idaho have now played 14 times this season, 11 regular season games and three playoff games. Here are some telling stats:

• The winning team has scored five or more goals in 12 of the 14 games, including all three of the playoff games.
• The home team has won 12 of the 14 games. 
• The team that has scored first has won 11 of the 14 games.
• Of the 14 games there were only three one goal games and two of them were in overtime.
• In nine of 14 games the winning margin was three or more goals.
   

- Toledo swept Kalamazoo last night and joins Kansas City advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Kansas City last played on April 22 and won't play again (winner of Idaho vs Allen) until May 4th. Toledo finished its series last night and will play the winner of the #2 Indy vs #3 Wheeling series. The second round series will start on May 3. Wheeling is leading 3-1 over Indy with a chance to advance tonight. Unfortunately, because of arena availability, Wheeling will play its home game tonight at the Pittsburgh Penguins practice facility in Cranberry, PA. From what I can determine the rink can accommodate less than 1000 fans unless they include a lot of standing room only.     

 

- All six undecided series will be in action tonight with three teams (Jacksonville, Norfolk, Wheeling) having a 3-1 series lead and a chance to advance. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews and series status: https://echl.com/news/2024/04/echl-today-april-27   

 

 

- Matt Register went scoreless last night and remains one point away from tying the all time ECHL career playoff points record of 117 points. It is a record that has stood since 1996. Toledo's win last night tied the all time record of 18 games for win streak including playoffs which was set in 2007 by Las Vegas. Toledo will have a chance to break the record in its opening game in round two at home. 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The two best ECHL teams during the regular season and only two with point percentages above .700 were unbeatable in the first round of the playoffs. The Kelly Cup could be headed back to the Western Conference this season. The last time a Western Conference team won the Kelly Cup with all teams participating was Colorado in 2018. Here is the first round status of the #1 seeds in all four ECHL divisions:

 

Western Conference

Central Division

#1 Toledo swept #4 Kalamazoo 4-0

 

Mountain Division

#1 Kansas City swept #4 Tulsa 4-0

 

 

Eastern Conference

North Division

#1 Adirondack trails #4 Maine 2-1

 

South Division

#1 Greenville trails #4 Orlando 2-1