Not For the Purists, Allen Loses 7-6 in a Shootout, Game Recaps, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, The Week Ahead, Playoff Race, Players Used by ECHL Teams

 

It was not a game for the hockey purists, but Allen's 7-6 shootout loss to Utah last night had a little bit of everything and was entertaining and exciting to the end. There were lots of ups and downs for both teams. If you want the goal by goal nuts and bolts checkout these game recaps from both teams:
 

• Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/03/americans-earn-a-point-in-7-6-shootout-loss-to-utah 
• Utah Grizzlies game recap: https://utahgrizzlies.com/news/2025/03/grizz-win-7-6-shootout-thriller-on-retro-night 

 

- Here is my take on one of the strangest games of the season:

• Allen scored first at 4:06 of the opening period on Mark Duarte's 21st goal of the season. It was a good sign since the team that scored first had won the last nine Allen games. 
• Allen took a 2-0 lead at the 7:38 mark of the first period on Ayden MacDonald's seventh goal of the season, first since joining Allen three games ago.
• Just when you thought this game could be a repeat of Friday night when Allen scored two early goals and never looked back, Utah fought back. 
• Seven seconds after Allen took the 2-0 lead, former Allen defenseman, Josh Thrower fought Allen's Reid Perepeluk in an effort to change momentum.
• It seemed to work as the Grizzlies scored three unanswered goals in just three and a half minutes to take a 3-2 lead. It could have been four unanswered goals, because Utah also had a goal that was ruled good initially but was overturned for goalie interference.
• Trailing 3-2 after the first period was a reminder moment, The Americans record when trailing after the first period is not good, 2-27-2-1 (.113).
• The second period was worst than the first period. The teams combined five more goals scored on a just 18 shots on goal. Allen tied the score 3-3 on Jared Westcott's sixth goal of the season (3rd in Allen). Utah again scored three unanswered goals to take a 6-3 lead. This time it took the Grizzlies longer to score the three straight goals (4:58). Allen scratched back one goal on the power play with one minute remaining in the period. Brad Morrison's scored his fifth goal of the season (2nd since joining Allen seven games ago). 
• Disallowed goal number two came in the second period. It appeared Allen had scored, but the referee ruled Hudson Wilson and Matt Araujo were going to be fighting and were engaged so he blew his whistle. If you look at the replay it sure looks like the goal was scored before the referee blew his whistle. 
  
• The second period ended with Allen trailing 6-4 and the alarm bells went off again. Allen's record when trailing after the second period is 2-35-2-2 (.098) and Utah's record when leading after the second period is 15-1-1-1 (.889).
• Statistics be damned as the Americans dominated the third period outshooting Utah 18-9 and outscoring the Grizzlies 2-0 to tie the scored 6-6 and send it to overtime. Goals by Michael Gildon, his sixth of the season, but first in Allen and Quinn Warmuth's (6) power play goal led the way.
• A third goal was disallowed which was costly to Allen. The referee ruled he blew his whistle before the Allen goal was scored because the goalie covered the puck. Replay shows clearly that never happened, but the inadvertent whistle cancelled the goal.
  
• Overtime was a wild affair. Both teams had numerous chance to win the game. There was a total of 15 shots in the overtime period. Allen had eight shots and Utah had seven, which was more shots than the Grizzlies had in the entire second period (6). 
• The shootout went four rounds before Utah ended Allen's hopes for a series win.
• Allen had 50 shots in the game, the highest total of the season and outshot Utah 50-45. However, outshooting an opponent is not the key to victory for the Americans. Allen has outshot its opponents just 13 times all season and has a record of 2-9-0-2 (.231).
• Not sure if it was great power plays or poor penalty kill by both teams. Allen was 2-5 on the power play (40.0%) and Utah was 2-6 (33.3%). That converts to a penalty kill percentage of  66.7% for Allen and 60.0% for Utah.
• Allen's save percentage was .864, Utah's was .880.
• Allen's shootout record this season now stands at 0-3. The Americans are 1-10 in shootout attempts.

 

- To recap the above, the game was definitely entertaining with both teams coming back multiple times. There were 95 shots on goal, 13 goals scored, two fights, 15 overtime shots and a four round shootout. The game would grade out very high on the entertainment scale but very low on the quality hockey scale. At this point of the season, with the two worst teams in the ECHL playing, the entertainment scale is much more important than the quality hockey scale.

 

- Here are the video highlights, all 10 minutes worth.  Unfortunately the highlights do not include the two Allen goals that were disallowed: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-utah-grizzlies-mar-29-2025  

 

- Here are coach Ferguson's post game comments to me late last night. Considering the team had a very early wake up call this morning (I heard 2:30 or 3:00 am) to catch their flight home, taking the time to answer all of my questions is much appreciated. With the game going to a shootout and not ending until 11:20 pm Allen time and the storms passing through Collin County after midnight, my 4:00 am wake up call came way too early this morning. Here are coach Ferguson's comments:

"I loved the way our group competed tonight."

"We had a good start with Mark Duarte staying hot, scoring his 21st goal of the year to get us going." 

"After we took the 2-0 lead we had a four minute lull where we let the emotions get the best of us and took a couple of undisciplined penalties and they took the lead."

"We were never out of the fight and knew we were the better team 5-on-5. We clawed our way back from the 6-3 deficit. All of the shots shows our tenacity."

"We were down to nine forwards by the end of the game and were running on fumes. It was a great comeback in the third period. Both teams good chances in overtime. Utah won the skills competition to collect the two points."

"Duarte and Gorman didn't finish game. Westcott missed the last seven minutes of regulation and some of the overtime as well. We will know more about them on Monday."

"I will be bringing in a college goalie, who just finished his collegiate career, to help us for the rest of the season."

"We are excited to get back on home ice, in front of our fans, after two long weeks away."

 

- Next week will be another busy week for the Americans. The good news is six of their last seven games are at home. Here is the schedule for next week:

• Tuesday - Tulsa at home (10:30 am start)
• Friday - Idaho at home (7:10 pm start)
• Saturday - Idaho at home (7:10 pm start) 
• Sunday - Wichita on the road (2:05 pm start)

The team will drive all night after the game on Saturday for the afternoon game in Wichita on Sunday. It sounds bad, but it is even worse. Wichita plays in Tulsa on Friday, but is off on Saturday.

 

- After last night's results the Mountain Division playoff race is more clear with team's having six or seven games remaining. Yes, if one team wins out and another loses all of its games, things could change. Realistically, this is where it ends up. Kansas City and Tahoe will be the top two seeds which comes with home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Rapid City, Utah and Allen miss the playoffs. That leaves the three teams in the middle to battle for two playoff berths. Here are the current points for the three teams with their remaining schedule, including home (H) and away (A) games:

• 79 points: Wichita -  Iowa (A), Tulsa (A), Allen (H), Tahoe 3 times (A)
• 78 points: Tulsa - Rapid City (H), Allen (A), Wichita (H), Idaho (H), Allen 3 times (A)
• 75 points: Idaho - Tahoe (A), Allen 2 times (A), Tulsa (A), Kansas City 3 times (H)

Who has the best schedule? Tulsa would get the nod as the Oilers have four of seven games against Allen. Yes, they are on the road, but Allen has won six games at home all season. Wichita has the toughest schedule. The Thunder only have six games left and five of the six are on the road. If it all comes down to the final series of the season, which it likely will, here is how each team finishes. Wichita is at Tahoe for three games, Tulsa is at Allen for three games and Idaho is at home against Kansas City for three games.

 

-  The Mountain Division could end up with a team missing the playoffs despite having 80+ points. Quite a contrast in the Mountain Division last season when Tulsa made the playoffs with 69 points and a .479 point percentage and Allen made the playoffs with 70 points and a .486 point percentage. In the South Division, South Carolina missed the playoffs with 85 points and a .590 point percentage. 

 

- There are only six games on the ECHL schedule today with all afternoon starts. Five Mountain Division teams will be in action:

• Idaho at Tahoe
• Rapid City at Tulsa
• Wichita at Iowa

Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews and an explanation how Wheeling, Iowa and Tahoe can clinch playoff berths today: https://echl.com/news/2025/03/echl-today-march-30

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the number of players each team has used this season. Allen is in the middle of the pack with 47 players used. Of the teams that have used 50 or more players, none are ranked higher than fourth in their division standings and most will not make the playoffs.

 

Players used by ECHL teams this season ranges from 61 to 35. Notice all of the division leaders are at the bottom of this list and have used fewer than 40 players:

 

61: BLM

56: REA

53: ADK

52: IND

51: UTA

50: MNE, ORL

47: ALN, WHL

46: FW, GVL, WOR

44: IDH, NOR

43: IA

42: CIN, KAL, TAH

41: SAV

39: *KC*, RC

38: FLA, *SC*, *TOL*, TUL

36: ATL, WIC

35: JAX, *TR*

 

*Division Leaders