Allen vs Idaho Series Preview, Tonight's Lineup, CBA Dates, Shootouts Increasing, Mountain Division Shoots A Lot, Allows A Lot and More

 

The Allen Americans left for Boise, Idaho, yesterday for arguably the most important two games of the season thus far. I say that because, thus far, the Americans have not shown they can compete with the top three teams in the Mountain Division, Kansas City, Idaho, and Tahoe. 

Here is Allen's record against the top three this season:

• 0-3-0-0: Kansas City
• 0-2-1-0: Idaho
• 1-2-0-0: Tahoe
• 1-7-1-0: TOTAL

 

- The Americans are much better than when they were swept by Idaho in November. Allen has won 12 of its last 16 games. However, three of the four losses during these 16 games were against Kansas City (1) and Tahoe (2). The Americans must come away from this two-game series with a minimum of two points to demonstrate they can now compete with the top teams.

 

- Here are some comparison stats between Allen and Wichita:

• Allen's record is 20-13-3-0 (.597), Idaho's is 23-11-3-0 (.662). 
• Allen is 7-3-0-0 over the last 10 games, Idaho is 6-4-0-0.
• Allen is 10-9-2-0 on the road, Idaho is 13-7-0-0 at home.
• Allen's goal differential is +14 (129-115), Idaho's is +19 (135-116).
• Allen's team plus/minus is +12, Idaho's is +90.
• Allen's team save percentage is .913, Idaho's is .902.

 

- Here are more statistical comparisons between the two teams.

• Goals scored average: Allen (3.6) - Idaho (3.6)
• Goals allowed average: Allen (3.2) - Idaho (3.1)
• Shots for average: Allen (32.5) - Idaho (35.1)
• Shots against average: Allen (36.7) - Idaho (32.1)
• Power play percentage: Allen (21.2%) - Idaho (17.7%)
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen (85.6%) - Idaho (80.0%

 

- Here are some other relevant stats to this series:

• Allen is the #4 ranked team in penalty minutes (534), Idaho is ranked #2 with 591 minutes.
• Allen has scored first in 47% of games with a record of 13-2-2-0 (.824).
• Idaho has scored first in 51% of games with a record of 15-3-1--0 (.688).
• Allen has been involved in 5 overtime games with a record of 0-3 in OT and 2-0 in shootouts. 
• Idaho has been involved in 7 overtime games with a record of 2-3 in OT and 2-0 in shootouts. 
• Allen is 14-0-0-0 when leading after the 2nd period, Idaho is 14-0-1-0. 
• Allen is 3-10-1-0 when trailing after the 1st period,  Idaho is 4-9-0-0.
• Conclusions from these stats tell you that the team that scores first has a big advantage, and neither team plays well from behind.  

 

- Special teams, as always, will be key against Idaho. Allen has the #4 ranked power play and #5 ranked penalty kill in the league. Idaho is ranked #19 on the power play and #20 on the penalty kill. If the Americans can win the special teams battle, it will go a long way to earning points in this series. The Americans have scored at least one power play goal in 14 of their last 15 games. 

 

- Four players are not with the team in Idaho. Trevor LeDonne and Braidan Simmons-Fischer are still on injured reserve. Goalie Marco Costantini and defenseman Mike Greco stayed home. Quinn Warmuth, who missed the last five games, and Chase Maxwell, who missed the last six games, will be available and are in the lineup tonight. Here is the lineup:

 Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 67 Crone

26 Asuchak - 29 Watts - 18 Blaisdell

14 Gursoy - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

10 Spitserov - 19 Maxwell - 77 Morrison

 

Defense

86 Anania - 22 Costantini 

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

21 Decker - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

32 Tendeck

31 Parsons (backup)

 

 

- If you are looking for the Allen players to watch in Idaho, look no further than these six players, who are averaging over a point per game in the last 15 games.

• 19 points (13G, 6A) - Katic (1.27) 
• 19 points (7G, 12A) - Watts (1.27)  
• 18 points (5G, 13A) - Hargrove (1.20)   
• 18 points (3G, 15A) - Sedley (1.20)    
• 18 points (3G, 15A) - Crone (1.20) 
• 17 points (9G, 8A) - McAuley (1.13) 

In the three head-to-head games in November, Allen's leaders were Hank Crone (1G, 3A), Michael Gildon (2G, 1A), and Sam Sedley (0G, 2A).

 

- Players to watch for Idaho include #9 Brendon Hoffmann. The 6'3" 223-pound forward leads the league with 21 goals, and #17 Ty Pelton-Byce, who leads Idaho with 15 assists. 

 

- The game tonight will be a one-referee game. The referee will be Ian Rapp (#47). I have no record of Rapp ever refereeing an Allen Americans game.

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Here are some streaks that could be extended tonight;

• Hank Crone has a four-game assist streak.
• Harrison Blasidell has a four-game assist streak.
• Sam Sedley has a six-game point streak. 
• Hank Crone has a five-game road assist streak 
• Harrison Blaisdell has a four-game road assist streak.

 

- There are 14 games on the ECHL schedule tonight. Feature games between top teams include Atlanta at South Carolina and Tahoe at Kansas City. Here is ECHL Today, with reviews of all 14 games. https://echl.com/news/2026/01/echl-today-jan-23

 

 

- The AHL and the PHPA have ratified their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Details have not been made public. The new ECHL/PHPA CBA has not been made public as well. Here are the time frames of the CBAs:

• NHL CBA - effective September 16, 2026, through September 15, 2030 (four years)
• AHL CBA -  ratified January 21, effective through August 31, 2030 (5 years).
• ECHL CBA - ratified on December 30, effective through June 30, 2030 (5 years). 

  

 

- The number of ECHL shootouts has increased substantially over the last three seasons and is on pace to do so again in 2025-26. Many hockey purists describe shootouts as a skills competition, not hockey.

It’s time to look at changing overtime rules to decrease the number of shootouts. Here are the number of ECHL shootouts the last three seasons:

 

110: 2024-25

91: 2023-24

74: 2022-23

 

Possible rule changes:

1. Create an over-and-back rule similar to basketball using the redline to avoid regrouping. Once a team crosses the redline, they cannot go back over it with possession.

2. Extend the length of the overtime period to 10 minutes.

3. Escalating player reduction. Go from 3-on-3 to 2-on-2 after five minutes of overtime.

4. Shot clock/ possession limit - take a shot within a set time, 30-45 seconds.

 

Your thoughts?

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the ECHL Stats post from today. FYI, Allen is #7 in the league in average shots per game (32.47) and #28 in average shots allowed (36.69). 

 

The Mountain Division has always been elite at generating shots and equally elite at allowing them. Case in point:

 

- Six of the top seven ECHL teams in average shots for are from the Mountain Division (Idaho, Kansas City, Wichita, Utah, Tulsa, Allen).

 

- The bottom five teams in shots allowed are from the Mountain Division (Rapid City, Tahoe, Allen, Tulsa, Wichita).

 

- There is only one Mountain Division team (Kansas City) in the top 19 in average goals allowed. 

 

- The Mountain Division has the #1 team in average goals scored (Tahoe - 3.66) and the #30 team in average goals allowed (Tulsa -3.86).

 

- The Mountain Division has the #1 team in average shots for (Idaho - 35.11) and the #30 team in average shots allowed (Rapid City - 39.23).