Allen vs Tulsa Kids Day Game Preview, Line Changes, New Goalie, Power Play, Stats and More

 I will make this short in an effort to get it out prior to the early puck drop.

 

- It's unprecedented for Allen to have back-to-back home and away Kids Day Games, but that is what the Americans are dealing with. Today, the Americans play in Tulsa with a 10:35 am puck drop. Their next game is at home on Thursday against Idaho with a 10:30 am puck drop. ECHL teams in most markets have figured out that midweek day games targeting school kids with an educational component tied to them are more lucrative than night midweek games.

 

- The Americans headed for Tulsa late afternoon yesterday after practice. Coach Martinson made some line changes, which I assume you will see carry over to the game today. Two players who will be back in the lineup are Spencer Asuchak, returning after the birth of his daughter, and Miko Matikka, who missed the game on Saturday in Idaho with an injury. 

   

Here is the lineup:

Forwards

29 Watts - 21 Kidney - Coughlan

67 Crone - 91 Gildon - 22 Mistelbacher

26 Asuchak - 28 Lipkin - 14 De St. Phalle

94 Matikka - 42 Shantz - 43 Nordh

 

Defense

10 Goldsmith - 8 Uens

24 Decker - 23 Sedley

27 Kneen - Anania 

 

Goalies

32 Vikman

35 Bernard

 

 

-  Coach Martinson brought up a goalie from Topeka (FPHL) for this week. Sammy Bernard is a 6'5" left-catching goalie. In four games with Topeka this season, he is 4-0 with a 0.82 GAA and a .968 save percentage. His stats last season in Topeka were 51 games played, a record of 19-11-0-2, a 2.50 GAA, and a .923 save percentage. 

 

- Four players did not make the trip to Tulsa: Divyne Apollon, Anthony Rinaldi, Lukas Sillinger, and Quinn Warmuth.

 

- I asked Coach Martinson what changes, if any, he will make to the power play given it is 0-15 after three games. Here is what he told me: "So far I have been pretty much using all of the forwards on the power play, and that has not been working. I started to narrow that down last game, and that will continue in Tulsa." 

 

-  Allen lost in Tulsa on opening night by a score of 5-4 despite outplaying the Oilers by a wide margin. 

• Allen had 75 shots, 36 of them on goal, and scored four times.
• Tulsa had 52 shots, 25 of them on goal, but scored five times.
• Allen had a 57% to 43% puck possession advantage.
• Allen had a 21-15 advantage on blocked shots.

 

- Since these two teams played on opening night, Allen swept Idaho on the road, and Tulsa lost 5-1 in Wichita. The game today is important for both teams. The Americans thought they were the better team in the loss to Tulsa. They have a chance to prove that with a win today. The Allen vs. Tulsa game is the only one in the ECHL today. An Allen win will move the Americans into first place in the Mountain Division with a .750 points percentage. A Tulsa loss will drop its point percentage to .333 and put it in last place in the Mountain Division. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Here is the ECHL Stats post from yesterday. FYI, Allen's shooting percentage is 11.5%. Allen has scored 13 goals and allowed 10.

Best and worst shooting ECHL teams thus far in 2026-27, as measured by shooting percentage. Total goals scored are in parentheses: 

 

BEST

20.4% - Trois Rivières (29)

16.8% - South Carolina (19)

13.5% - Trenton (10)

13.0% - Toledo (13)

12.6% - Wichita (12)

 

WORST

3.4% - Savannah (6)

5.3% - Atlanta (7)

5.9% - Greensboro (6)

6.0% - Jacksonville (6)

6.8% - New Mexico (14)

 

 

- Trois-Rivières is undefeated (5-0-0-0) and is averaging 5.80 goals per game. The top three scorers in the ECHL with 10 points in five games are all from the Lions. 

 

 

- The best defensive team in the league is Florida. The Everblades have allowed just four goals in four games and are a perfect 4-0-0-0.  

 

 

  

DID YOU KNOW: I was asked about leave for players for the birth of a child. Here is the CBA language on Family Leave:

 

A Player may request leave for the birth of a child, a family emergency, or illness, and the Player shall get four (4) days leave with pay provided the Player has received prior approval from the League. Before approval, the League may require appropriate documentation to support the request for family leave.