Allen vs Tulsa Preview, McAuley Returns and More

It is gameday for the Allen Americans as they start a rare two game, split day series with Tulsa. The team will have a day off on Saturday and play again on Sunday at 3:05 pm. Allen enters the game tonight on a three-game win streak. The Americans scored a total of 10 goals in their first five games of the season. They scored 12 goals in the last two games.

The game tonight is the first of 15 games against Tulsa this season (7 home, 8 away), the most games Allen plays against any other team. 

- Allen arrives in Tulsa with a record of 4-2-1-0 and is on a four-game point streak (3-0-1-0). Tulsa's record is 4-4-0-0, and the Oilers have won three straight. Here is a statistical comparison between the two teams.

• Goals scored average: Allen (3.14) - Tulsa (2.63)
• Goals allowed average: Allen (3.00) - Tulsa (3.25)
• Shots for average: Allen (30.29) - Tulsa (27.63)
• Shots against average: Allen (39.43) - Tulsa (38.25)
• Power play percentage: Allen (16.7%) - Tulsa (5.6%)
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen (91.4%) - Tulsa (77.4%)

- When you look at the stats above a few things standout:

• Allen is better statistically in every category except shots against. Allen is ranked #30 in the ECHL in shots allowed, Tulsa is ranked #29. Have to expect a lot of shots in this series.
• Allen has a huge statistical advantage on special teams. Tulsa has the worst power play percentage in the league (5.6%), Allen's penalty kill percentage (91.4%) is ranked #4. 
• Allen's power play (16.7%) is ranked #14, Tulsa's penalty kill (77.4%) is ranked #22.

 

-  As usual getting off to a good start will be a key to the game. Allen is 2-0 when scoring first, Tulsa is 4-1. Allen hasn't lost with a first or second period lead, however the Americans have only had one first period lead and two second period leads. Tulsa is 4-1 with first period lead and 4-1 with a second period lead.

-  After a slow start Allen now has 13 players that have scored goals. Three players (Blaisdell, Duarte, Gildon) lead the team with three goals. Brayden Watts leads the team in assists (6) followed by defenseman Andre Anania (5). 

- What do the Americans have to do to be successful in Tulsa? According to Coach Martinson it is getting all three lines playing to its potential and not forcing offensive plays, by being patient.

- Colby McAuley will be in the lineup tonight and I expect he will be reunited with his linemates from 2022-23, Crone and Hargrove. You might see a lineup with three lines and seven defensemen.

- The referee scheduled for the game, Ibrahim Arifi (#46) is the same referee that worked the Allen game on Wednesday. He called 14 penalties in that game including 12 minor penalties, which led to power plays. You could see a lot of power plays tonight. 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Here is the is the game preview issued by the Allen Americans:   https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/11/game-day-preview-americans-face-the-oilers-tonight-in-tulsa

-  There are 12 games on the ECHL schedule tonight. Only one of the games is outside the division. The one exception is Fort Wayne at Florida. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews:   https://echl.com/news/2025/11/echl-today-nov-7

- Tulsa is a much different team than the one Allen faced in preseason. Most notably the Oilers have eight NHL/AHL contracted players and five of the eight are under contract with Tulsa's NHL affiliate Anaheim. Both of their goalies are NHL contracted.  

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the odd stat of the day. Two of the best teams in the ECHL thus far have not played a home game. Fort Wayne is ranked #1 (6-1-0-0, .857) and still has four more road games before they open at home on November 21. Reading is ranked #4 (5-1-1-0, .786) and plays its first home game tomorrow (Saturday) night.