Martinson Homecoming Spoiled, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Asuchak Sets Record, Female ECHL Coaches and More

 

The Kansas City Mavericks spoiled Steve Martinson's homecoming last night with a 4-2 victory over the Allen Americans before an enthusiastic crowd of 6056 at the CUTX Event Center. There is a lot that needs to be cleaned up if the Americans expect to win the rematch against the Mavericks tonight. Here are some things that got in Allen's way last night:

• Allen took three penalties in the first period, including a long 5-on-3 power play. 
• Allen killed the 5-on-3, but by the end of the first period, the Mavericks had scored a power play goal, outshot the Americans 14-5, and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. 
• It wasn't a good sign when you consider the team that scores first in the ECHL wins 76% of the points.
• History also wasn't good for the Americans when they trailed after the first period. Allen's record last season when trailing after the first period was 2-29-2-1. More importantly, Kansas City's record last season when leading after the first period was a gaudy 31-1-1-0.
• The second period saw each team score a goal. Kansas City took a 2-0 lead at the 6:02 mark, and Allen cut the score to 2-1 at 15:06 on a goal by Michael Gildon, assisted by Colton Hargrove.
•  The third period started with hope, but was dashed when the Mavericks extended their lead to 3-1 at 7:34. 
• Allen had a few opportunities to score in the third period when trailing 3-1, but could not get the puck in the net. 
• To add insult to injury, Hudson Wilson, who was waived by the Americans a week ago and claimed by Kansas City, scored a 200-foot empty net goal to make the score 4-1.
• Spencer Asuchak scored a meaningless goal in terms of the outcome of the game with 30 seconds remaining, but it was a huge goal in terms of Spencer's career with Allen. The goal was the 423rd point in Ashchak's time in Allen. He passed Chad Costello for #1 all-time. 
• Allen was outshot 38-27.
• Allen was 0-2 on the power play, Kansas City 1-6.

 

- Here is the Allen game recap, and the video highlights:

• Allen game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/10/game-recap-americans-fall-in-home-opener  
•  Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/kansas-city-mavericks-vs-allen-americans-oct-24-2025

 

- Coach Martinson spoke to the season ticket holders (Patriots Club Members) after the game, and this is what he had to say. I always say these sessions with Martinson are much better (more entertaining and inside information) live than my summary, so I encourage you to stop by after the game and hear Martinson hold court.

"We can make excuses like the discrepancy in power plays, but I thought we needed to be in better shape. It looked to me like Kansas City was in better shape than us, which allowed them to create more offense than us with their speed on the outside."

"We finally got some traffic in front of the goalie at the end of the game that produced a goal, but it was a frustrating and disappointing start for sure."

"We just have to get in a little bit better shape and create more speed, which we need from the guys that are capable of that. We need to get more offense from our top guys, and I think that will come. We have a lot of guys with a history of scoring that haven't scored yet."

"Tomorrow night, maybe there will be a little scrap. Kyle Pow used to play for me and will be in the lineup tomorrow after sitting out tonight because of a suspension. We will see if there might be a little spark to get us going."

"Troy Murray will be in the lineup tomorrow, which will give us more physicality. Marco Costantini will get the start in goal. I decided before the series started that each goalie would get a game, so it was just a matter of who played which night. 

"Tonight we didn't create enough offense, in part because we didn't have enough center drive, didn't get to the net enough to have those greasy goal opportunities. We just tried too many slick plays."

"We want to make the division more physical, but some teams will decide to not play that way. The bottom line is we need to get all of our top guys up to speed one way or another." 

 

- Tonight's preview: In the post-game press conference, Martinson mentioned the need to create more speed at least a half a dozen times. Look for players to show more speed on the outside, but also driving the net. Here are a few other keys to the game:

• Stay out of the penalty box unless you take a Maverick with you. Power plays were 6-2 last night. You can't expect to win against a talented team like Kansas City, giving up that many power plays and getting so few.

• The Americans have to get off to a better start. Giving up the first goal and trailing after the first period is the kiss of death against the Mavericks.

• Put pucks on the net, think greasy goals rather than pretty goals. Kansas City won more games last season when outshooting its opponent (38) than any team in the league. A 38-27 shot discrepancy, like last night, will not get the job done.  

• Finally, prove the Saturday night, big crowd, specialty jersey curse means nothing in 2025-26.

 

- There will be two referees working the game tonight. Tyler Hascall (#8), who has worked many Allen games over the years, will join Jamie Pavia (#26), who worked the game last night alone.

 

- Lily Martinson made her debut as an ECHL assistant coach last night, becoming the first coach to use an IPad on the Allen bench like you see in the AHL and NHL. As Lily said in her interview between periods, I am more technologically advanced than my dad. Steve Martinson's take was that Lily knows hockey, she knows what she is doing, and free help is always appreciated.

I had a couple of fans ask me if there have been other female coaches in the ECHL. Thanks to ChatGPT, here is the answer:

In February 2022, Danielle Goyette, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada and a member of the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame, joined the Newfoundland Growlers as an assistant coach when the head coach was unavailable due to COVID protocol. Goyette's role was brief, but widely publicized, with coverage by ESPN, NHL.com, TSN, and Sportsnet.  Now that Lily is officially behind the bench at home games with her IPad, the Americans need to get Coach Lily Martinson some national attention.    

 

   

OTHER COMMENTS

- Spencer Asuchak is #1 all-time for the Americans in all of these statistical categories, except for assists. Here are the #1 and #2 all-time:

Games

• 570: #1 - Asuchak
• 282: #2 - Costello

Points

• 423: #1 - Asuchak
• 422: #2 - Costello

Goals

• 174: #1 - Asuchak
• 124: #2 - Costello

Assists

• 298: #1 - Costello
• 249: #2 - Asuchak

Penalty Minutes

• 651: #1 - Asuchak
• 487: #2 - Garrett Clarke 

 

- After the games last night, four ECHL teams are remaining with a perfect 1.000 point percentage (Atlanta, Jacksonville, Trois Riviéres, Wheeling), and three teams are at .000 with no points (Kalamazoo, Indy, Worcester). They have a long way to go to beat the all-time record, which is 12 for most regulation wins and losses to start the season. Florida set the record with 12 wins to start the season in 2021-22. Greenville (Grrowl) set the record with 12 regulation losses to start the season in 2002-03.

 

-  The Mountain Division is the only one with no 1.000 teams or .000 teams. Will this parity continue? Here are the current point percentages:

• .750 - Wichita
• .667 - Kansas City
• .625 - Utah
• .500 - Allen
• .500 - Tahoe 
• .500 - Idaho
• .333 - Rapid city
• .333 - Tulsa  

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is my ECHL Stats post from today. Coach Martinson mentioned last night that he will be playing one or two players short in every game until the new CBA is approved. 

 

Without a new CBA (collective bargaining agreement), the ECHL is limiting teams to the weekly salary cap dollars from the last season of the expired CBA. 

 

- For the first 30 days, ECHL active rosters can be up to 21 players with a salary cap of $15,130. That is an average of $720 per player per week. 

 

- Starting on November 16 and for the balance of the season, active rosters are limited to 20 players with a salary cap of $14,600. ($730 average per player)

 

- Additional roster numbers (these players don’t count against the salary cap):

2 on reserve

1 on 3-day IR

Unlimited on 14-day IR