First Game of Gulati Cup Goes to Reading, Rematch Tonight, Game Recap, Rematch Preview, Allen Signs Forward Ryan Bourbonnais & ECHL Records for Worst Team

I received a message yesterday from a friend and big fan of the Allen Americans that said, "I need to thank you for the ongoing tedium you must force yourself through as the team continues to play so poorly. I do not see a way out of this type of play and as you point out, losing breeds negativity and that leads to a bad clubhouse."  After reading this message I decided this morning I would take my own advice to the team from the blog post a couple of days ago. That advice was to re-frame all of the negativity into positive thoughts.  So today's game recap will be written with that advice in mind. When I get to the preview for tonight's game all bets are off. Here goes:


- The Allen Americans played much better in a close loss to their sister team, Reading Royals, last night. The game was much closer than the final score of 5-3. Owner Jack Gulati said the first game ever between the two teams he owns would be entertaining and exciting and a crowd of 2259 at Santander Arena got their moneys worth.


- Allen staged a great comeback after allowing the first goal of the game and falling behind 2-0 after the first period. Two power play goals in the first half of the second period allowed the Americans to tie the scored 2-2. Zach Pochiro opened the scoring for Allen with his 12th goal of the season. Spencer Asuchak tied the score 2-2 at the 11:22 mark of the second period with his eighth goal of the season.


- After two Reading goals made the score 4-2 at the second intermission the Americans fought back again in the third period on Zach Pochiro's second power play goal of the game and his 13th goal of the season. Zach is tied for seventh in the ECHL in goals scored. Allen continued to apply pressure on the Royals down the stretch but could not get the equalizer. The outcome wasn't decided until Reading scored an empty net goal late in the game. The Americans out shot the Royals 25-22 over the last two periods of the game.


- The Americans power play was spectacular against Reading as all three Allen goals came with a man advantage. Allen was 3-5 on the power play, the best power play production of the season. Reading also scored three power play goals but it took them 10 opportunities.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Reading Royals: https://royalshockey.com/en/news/2018/9/royals-capitalize-on-americans-penalties-5-3
 


ALLEN VS READING REMATCH PREVIEW


- Allen and Reading square off again tonight in game two of their three game series. Here are three keys to the game.

1. Get off to a better start. Allen is 4-3-0-1 when they score first. However, in 20 of their 28 games this season Allen has allowed the first goal to their opponent. Their record when they don't score first is 2-17-0-1. Allen was trailing after the first period last night 2-0. The Americans record on the road when leading after the first period is 3-0-0-0. When trailing after the first period on the road Allen's record is 0-6-0-1. Pretty easy formula for success, get off to a good start.

2. Stay out of the penalty box. The Americans gave up three power play goals last night on a season high 10 power play opportunities. The ECHL average (per team) for minor penalties is 122. Allen leads the league with 170. With the exception of Rapid City, who has 160 minor penalties, no other team in the league has more than 149. Reading is at the other end of the spectrum with only 98 minor penalties. The power play opportunities last night were 10-5 in favor of the Royals. Allen will not win if they don't do a better job of staying out of the penalty box.

3. Play better defense - One of Allen's problems is they haven't had enough offensive firepower to overcome their league worst goals allowed average of  3.96. The Americans scored three goals last night but none of them came even strength. During their current five game losing streak Allen has allowed 24 goals (4.8 per game). Even though the fifth goal last night was an empty net goal if Allen expects to win tonight they need to tighten up defensively. 


- Here is a great game preview that was issued by the Reading Royals. In addition to stats about both teams you can get the details on the game promotions tonight which include the annual Teddy Bear toss, food drive, Salvation Army fundraiser, Holiday ornament giveaway and the Ugly Christmas Sweater jerseys the Royals will be wearing. There is also information about Jack Gulati's career and his purchasing of two hockey franchises. It is a good read:  https://royalshockey.com/en/news/2018/9/game-25-preview-allen-at-reading



OTHER COMMENTS

- The Allen Americans made a trade yesterday acquiring forward Riley Bourbonnais from the Maine Mariners in exchange for forward Greg Chase. Coach Martinson said this about the trade, "We were looking for a top six forward that can score and kill penalties. Riley has that reputation."

Riley is a second year pro who played his college hockey at RPI. The 5'11" 195 pound left shot forward was RPI's captain and leading scorer as a senior in 2016-17. He led his team in goals (17), points (31, power play goals (10) and was second in assists (14).

Bourbonnais played in Wheeling last season and had 42 points (23G, 19A) in 67 games. This season Riley followed his Wheeling coach to Maine. He had eight points (4G, 4A) in 14 games for the Mariners.

Riley was just as successful in the classroom as he was on the hockey rink at RPI. He had a dual major in Industrial and Management Engineering as well as Business and Management. He was on the Dean's List and was a member of the RPI's Student-Athlete Honor Society. Riley's dad played college hockey for RIT and won the 1985 Division III NCAA championship.

Here is a video interview with Riley from a couple of years ago when he was a senior at RPI. You can get to know him in his own words: https://cbs6albany.com/sports/beyond-the-games/beyond-the-games-riley-bourbonnais


- Bourbonnais has not yet reported to the Americans so I would not expect him to be in the lineup tonight against Reading.


- Just when you think the Mountain Division standings couldn't get any tighter it does. After last night's action there are only two points separating first place Utah with 32 points and fifth place Kansas City with 30 points.


- If you want some offensive inspiration here is 28 minutes of magic of the top goals in the NHL last season. I never get tired of watching the talent of the best hockey players in the world. If you are a defenseman it may be best you skip this video.

DID YOU KNOW: You know the season is not going well for the Allen Americans when you start getting asked questions about the worst seasons in ECHL history and whether the Americans are threatening any of those records. After several of you asked about this I decided to look up the records. While I am confident things will improve, if Allen maintains their current losing pace they will make the all-time record book for poor seasons. Allen's winning percentage is currently at .250 which would rank them fifth on the all-time lowest winning percentage list. The record is held by the Roanoke Valley Rampage at .227 which was set in 1992-93. Fifth place on the list was more recent as the Evansville IceMen finished with a winning percentage of .271 in 2014-15.

Fewest wins in a season is 14 and fewest home wins is five. At their current pace Allen would finish with 15 wins overall and seven wins at home. If Allen finishes with 15 wins it would place them tied for fourth place on the fewest wins list. Seven home wins would be the second fewest all-time.

I not big on predictions but I will say with some confidence Allen will not be on any worst lists when the season comes to a close. 

Allen vs Reading Series Preview, Makowski Suspended, Steve Martinson & Jack Gulati Share Thoughts on Series, Connection Between Reading & Allen Kelly Cups

When the ECHL issued the 2018-19 schedule Allen fans took note of the three games this weekend. The Americans would be playing the Reading Royals. The two teams owned by Jack Gulati will be going head to head for the first time.


- I am sure nobody believed the Americans would arrive in Reading 27 games into the season as the worst team in the ECHL. When I asked coach Steve Martinson if he approaches the games in Reading this weekend differently he said, "Not other than we need to win. We have been playing teams with the same owners ever since we have been in the league. It is a fun weekend for Jack (owner Jack Gulati) but all business for me."


- Allen arrives in Reading with a record of 6-19-0-2 and a league low winning percentage of .259. Reading's record is 10-7-2-4 with the #12 ranked winning percentage of .565. In an interesting dichotomy the Royals have the best road record in the ECHL (8-1-0-3) but are tied for last (with Allen) with the fewest regulation wins at home (2). Reading's home record is 2-6-2-1.


- Reading has won their last three games, all on the road. Last weekend the Royals visited Newfoundland and beat the top points team in the ECHL 7-5 and 5-3. They have not had the same success at home as they have lost their last six home games.


- Allen will be trying to snap a four game losing streak. The Americans have been outscored 19-9 over the last four games.


- In addition to missing Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Josh Atkinson, Thomas Frazee and Kevin Sundher who are all out with injuries and C.J. Motte who is called up to Iowa (AHL) the Americans will be without defenseman David Makowski. Makowski was given a three game suspension yesterday as the result of an unpenalized infraction for an illegal check to the head in the game in Wheeling on Wednesday.


- Allen scores fewer goals and gives up more goals than Reading. The Americans are ranked #26 in average goals scored per game (2.48) and #27 in goals allowed (3.93). Reading is ranked #10 in goals scored (3.26) and #20 in goals allowed (3.43).


- Special teams start with how many penalties each team takes. Allen leads the league in minor penalties (160) while Reading has taken only 93 minor penalties. In total penalty minutes Allen has 570 and Reading has 271. Allen's road power play percentage is 14.5% and the penalty kill percentage is 82.0%. Reading's home power play percentage is 17.3% and their penalty kill percentage is 77.3%.  Special teams will be a key in this series and for Allen to be successful they cannot give up more power plays then they receive. Penalty discipline has to be emphasized.


- Another key in this series will be goalie play. Team defense has been lacking and those deficiencies have not helped, but for Allen to win this weekend the goalies will have to make some stops they shouldn't make. They will need to make big saves when the defense breaks down. The Americans goalie stats are not good. Jeremy Brodeur has a record of 0-8-0-0 with a GAA of 4.08 and save percentage of .888. Kyle Hayton's record is 2-5-0-0 with a GAA of 3.70 and save percentage of .887.


- There is a pretty good chance one or more of the games this weekend end up going extra time. Reading has gone to overtime in 30% of their games. If games go past regulation time Allen has the better record. The Americans are 1-0 in overtime and 2-2 in shootouts. Reading is 0-2 in overtime and 1-4 in shootouts.  


- Here is a series preview issued by the Reading Royals. In addition to some great stats about both teams you can get start times, promotions info including Teddy Bear toss, SpongeBob specialty jerseys and Ugly Christmas Sweater jerseys. It is a good read:  https://royalshockey.com/en/news/2018/9/game-24-preview-allen-at-reading


- I had a chance to check in with Jack Gulati and ask him what it will be like to watch the two teams he owns face off for the first time. Here is what Jack had to say,

 "The games this weekend between Reading and Allen are going to be the most exciting games one can watch. For me, I will be at the arena watching all three games."

"Clearly, I will not be rooting for either team which will be most unusual for me. I guess all I must do is sit on my chair and just take it all in and watch two tough and very talented teams play each other. It is going to be exciting."

"Last night I took the Allen Americans team out to dinner and everybody was in high spirits. Clearly, I could not give them a motivational talk but I could tell they were in high spirits to do their job, that they take it very seriously."



OTHER COMMENTS

 - There are 11 ECHL games on the schedule tonight with all seven Mountain Division teams in action. The top five teams in the division are separated by just three points so there can be plenty of shuffling. For example, if everything goes right Rapid City could go from fifth place to second place with a win tonight. Allen, Tulsa and Wichita are all on the road playing teams outside the Mountain Division. Here is the schedule:

Allen at Reading
Tulsa at Indy
Wichita at Fort Wayne
Rapid City at Utah
Kansas City at Idaho


- Braylon Shmyr and Spencer Asuchak lead the Americans in scoring with 19 points. Both have seven goals and 12 assists. The team leader in goals is Zach Pochiro with 11 and the team leader in assists is Alex Breton with 13.


- As a team Allen has a plus/minus of -151 which is the worst in the league. There is no player with a plus rating.



DID YOU KNOW:  Reading has one Kelly Cup in team history (2013) and Allen has two (2015 & 2016). One player was a member of all three teams and was a workhorse in all three Kelly Cups. Future Hall of Fame goalie Riley Gill played in 54 games while leading his team to three Kelly Cups. His combined record was 38-15-1 with a GAA of 2.12 and save percentage of .920. Riley Gill was made for the playoffs and that is why he is the winningest playoff goalie in the history of the ECHL. 

Angie & Riley Gill celebrate 2015 Kelly Cup championship

Third Period Costs Allen Again, Game Recap, Steve Martinson's Comments, Scoring Woes, Special Teams Historical Stats, A Day in the Life, Auction Items and More

A sparse crowd of 1140 in Wheeling last night watched the Nailers beat the Allen Americans 3-1. The game followed an all too familiar pattern. The Americans gave up the first goal of the game which they have done in 19 of their 27 games this season. Their record when allowing the first goal is 2-16-0-1. Allen trailed 1-0 after the first period, their record when trailing after the first period on the road is 0-5-0-1.


- As usual the Americans were out shot (36-27), had too many defensive breakdowns, took more penalties and lost the special teams battle. It is a pattern that Allen keeps repeating over and over again and the results are the same. The Americans have now lost four straight games, five of their last six, nine of their last 11 and 17 of their last 20 games. As the saying goes you can't keep doing the same thing and hope for a different outcome.


- To their credit the Americans came back from a 1-0 deficit after the first period to tie the score 1-1 in the second period on Zach Pochiro's 11th goal of the season. As has happened so many times this season the third period cost Allen the game. Two Wheeling goals in just over two minutes early in the period put an end to Allen's hope for a victory. The game winner came on a power play and the final goal was scored when the teams were playing four on four. Allen has been outscored in the third period 38-27 this season, the most goals allowed in the third period by any team in the league.
 


-  Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-fall-to-nailers-3-1/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Wheeling Nailers: https://www.wheelingnailers.com/en/news/nailers-punish-americans-in-the-third


- Here are the post game comments I got from coach Martinson:

"The Wheeling game winning goal came on the power play after a goalie interference call where I thought the goalie was barely touched."

"On the game winning goal we made a bad play on the draw that allowed them to come in and hammer the puck."

"We have to be better defensively. We're not scoring enough to give up three or four goals per game." 


- The Americans now head to Reading for three games in less than 48 hours starting on Friday night 6:00 pm CST. It won't be easy to get back in the win column. The Americans have the deadly combination of not being able to score, having the 26th worst average goals scored per game at 2.48 and they can't stop their opponent from scoring ranking dead last allowing an average of 3.93 goals per game. In my opinion the games in Reading will be more about will and want than skill. Losing breeds negativity and negativity leads to losing. If the Americans are going to have a better outcome they need to re-frame all of the negativity and outwork the Royals.



OTHER COMMENTS


- Since October 28 Allen has played 20 games with a record of 3-16-0-1. In 17 of the 20 games the Americans have scored three or fewer goals. They managed to scored four goals three times but lost two of the three games. Here is a breakdown of goals scored in the last 20 games.

4 goals:   3 times
3 goals:   6 times
2 goals:   4 times
1 goal:    3 times
0 goals:   3 times

You add it all up and the Americans have scored 41 goals in the last 20 games which is an average of 2.05 goals per game. This is not a formula for success when you consider even the best defensive team in the ECHL gives up 2.21 goals per game and Allen is far from best, allowing 3.93 goals per game.   


- This story, "A Day in the Life of a Professional Hockey Player" is a couple of weeks old. It is a good read if you haven't seen it. In the article David Makowski, Johnny McInnis and Kevin Sundher  talk about everything from travel to nutrition to injuries to what it is like playing in Allen. https://allen.bubblelife.com/community/allen_reporter/library/35662521/key/356934853/A_Day_in_the_Life_of_a_Professional_Hockey_Player


- Two rookies that started the season with the Allen Americans have left pro hockey to enroll in college. This is always a concern when signing rookies from major juniors in Canada because they have earned scholarships while playing junior hockey. If players enroll in college at this time they are eligible to play with their college team immediately without sitting out. Defenseman Tate Olson and forward Jordy Stallard will both attend Acadia University which is in Nova Scotia. Here is the press release announcing their move from pro to college. http://acadiaaxemenhockey.com/2018/12/08/axemen-add-jordy-stallard-tate-olson/


- The Americans are using a new online/mobile auction company this season called LiveSource. Once you download the application all you have to do is click on the Allen Americans button to see the items up for auction. You can watch the auction without entering your credit card info, however, you will need to enter this information to bid on an item. The current auction has many items including several different types of jerseys, pucks, photos, sweatshirts, toddler items, Ice Angel calendars and more. A few of the jerseys have bids as low as $45 and many of the items have reasonable prices. Here is the link:   http://www.livesourceapp.com/


- The race for the top spot in Mountain Division has tightened up recently with teams at the top like Tulsa losing and teams on the bottom like Wichita winning. Tulsa has lost six straight games while Wichita has won five straight. Three points now separate first place Utah and fifth place Rapid City. With their five game win streak Wichita is still in sixth place in the standings but only six points out of first place.


DID YOU KNOW:  How bad is Allen on special teams this year? The penalty kill (81.4%) is similar to last season (81.6%). The power play percentage is lower, 13.1% vs 17.1%. Allen is on pace to have the worst power play percentage in teams history and the worst penalty kill percentage in team history. Here are the numbers:

POWER PLAY %
2018-19:     13.1%  (after 27 games)
2017-18:     17.1%
2016-17:     24.4%
2015-16:     21.1%
2014-15:     21.9%
2013-14:     20.7%
2012-13:     20.5%
2011-12:     18.9%
2010-11:     23.9%
2009-10:     16.9%

PENALTY KILL %
2018-19:     81.4%   (after 27 games)
2017-18:     81.6%
2016-17:     84.4%
2015-16:     86.4%
2014-15:     87.5%
2013-14:     82.1%
2012-13:     85.7%
2011-12:     83.5%
2010-11:     82.8%
2009-10:     83.4%


    

  

 

Allen vs Wheeling Game Preview, Roster Update, Are Playoffs Out of Reach, Former Players Lighting the Lamp, Don't Blame Ownership or Affiliation for Losing Season

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they are in Wheeling, West Virginia to take on the Nailers with a puck drop at 6:05 pm (CST). The last game between these teams is a memorable one as it was on June 9, 2016 in Allen and the Americans beat the Nailers 4-2 to win their second straight Kelly Cup. The stars of that game were Eric Roy with a goal and two assists and Riley Gill who stopped 40 of 42 Wheeling shots.


- What happened back in 2016 has little bearing on the game tonight as Allen tries to snap a three game losing streak and improve on a 2-8 record over the last 10 games. In fact, few players on either roster remember the 2016 Kelly Cup finals. There will be just three players from that series in the game tonight, Spencer Asuchak and David Makowski for Allen and Dan Fick for Wheeling. Casey Pierro-Zabotel also played in that series but is back home in Allen on injured reserve. Mike Gunn was on the 2015-16 team during the regular season but was not on the playoff roster.


- Allen's roster is still missing some key pieces. Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Thomas Frazee and Josh Atkinson are all recovering from surgery and did not make the road trip. It was hoped Kevin Sundher would be back in the lineup but he too stayed home. Sundher has been out since October 20. Goalie C.J. Motte is still in Iowa (AHL) serving as a backup while one of the Wild goalies is out with an injury. Motte has been in Iowa for almost one month and has played in two games.


- The game tonight pits the last place team in the Central Division (Wheeling) with a record of 9-11-1-0 against the last place team in the Mountain Division (Allen) with a record of 6-18-0-2. Wheeling has won their last two games in strong fashion beating a good Toledo team on the road on Saturday by a score of 5-2 and Indy at home on Sunday 5-1. The Nailers have scored 14 goals in their last three games. Allen has lost their last three games giving up 16 goals in the process.


- Wheeling has a losing home record (4-6-1-0) while Allen has done better on the road than at home. The Americans have earned 10 of their 14 points this season on the road.


- It is hard to find any stat that doesn't advantage the Nailers. Wheeling averages 3.1 goals per game, Allen averages 2.6. The Nailers allow an average 3.1 goals per game, Allen allows 4.0. Wheeling has scored 65 goals and allowed 66 for a goal differential of -1, Allen has scored 66 goals but allowed 103 for a goal differential of -37.


- Wheeling has the top power play in the ECHL (22.4%), Allen is ranked #23 (13.4%). Wheeling is ranked #19 on the penalty kill (82.5%), Allen is ranked #23 at 81.3%. Even more than usual the Americans will have to stay out of the penalty box to be successful tonight. Allen has taken more minor penalties (156) than any other team in the league and when you are playing against the team with the best power play in the ECHL, taking penalties is not a recipe for success.


- Scoring first is usually a big key as league wide stats indicate the team that scores first wins 75% of the time. That is not the case with Wheeling and Allen who have two of the worst records when scoring first. Combined the are 9-7-0-1 when scoring first.


- Allen has not fared well on the road this season when trailing but have had great results playing with a lead. Allen's road record when leading after the first period is 3-0-0-0 and after the second period is 4-0-0-1. When trailing after the first period Allen is 0-4-0-1 and trailing after the second period their record is 0-9-0-1. 


- Officials scheduled for the game are referee Sean MacFarlane (#4) and linesmen Denny Urban (#97) and Zach Roberts (#84).



OTHER COMMENTS

- I wouldn't expect a very big crowd at the game tonight. Midweek games are always a tough draw and Wheeling has the worst average attendance in the entire ECHL averaging only 2155 per game.


- ECHL Player of the Week honors for last week was shared by two Wheeling players. In three games Cam Brown had two goals and seven assists while teammate Nick Saracino had four goals and four assists. A couple of players to keep an eye on in the game tonight.


- It is a busy schedule around the ECHL for a Wednesday night with nine games on tap. Here is the ECHL Today with a short preview on each game: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2018/12/echl-today-dec-12


- If you monitor boxscores around the ECHL as I do you have probably noticed a lot players that started the season in Allen have been scoring in bunches recently. Here are a few examples:

J.C. Campagna (Fort Wayne) - six games, eight points (7G, 1A)
Tyler Poulson (Rapid City) - six games, 10 points (5G, 5A)
Ben Duffy (Norfolk) - five games, seven points (3G, 3A)
Matt Foget (Orlando) - four games, four points (2G, 2A)
Miles Liberati (Indy) - four games, three points (1G, 2A)


- The Americans are now 12 points out of sixth place, 13 points out of fifth place and 18 points out of first place in the Mountain Division. They are the only team in the division below .500 with a winning percentage of .269. Here are the standings with games played in parentheses:

32 points - Utah (22 games)
31 points - Tulsa (24 games)
30 points - Kansas City (21 games)
27 points - Idaho (24 games)
27 points - Rapid City (27 games)
26 points - Wichita (24 games)
14 points - Allen (26 games)


- I had a question yesterday about whether Allen could still make the playoffs. The answer is yes the Americans could mathematically still make the playoffs. The reality is based on the average number of points it takes to make the playoffs the Americans would have to have a record of close to 31-12-2-1 the rest of the season. Yes, it is possible but highly unlikely.


- I have seen several comments on social media recently regarding the impact team ownership and the new affiliation have had on this season. I can say with some certainty neither can be blamed for the poor season. Owner Jack Gulati has improved conditions for the players since buying the team. The team is flying to away games with the exception of Tulsa and Wichita, they are living in topnotch housing and the team is fully funded. The affiliation with the Wild has seen five contract players (Salituro, Motte, Lang, Jenys, J. Thrower) assigned to Allen. The Wild have not taken any non-contracted players from Allen. Braylon Shmyr was loaned to the AHL but he went to Springfield. Coach Martinson is pleased with the relationship with the Wild and you can't expect them to send more players to Allen just because the Americans are losing.   




DID YOU KNOW: Three players on the Allen roster started their ECHL career with the Wheeling Nailers. Casey Pierro-Zabotel in 2009-10, David Makowski in 2014-15 and Mike Gunn in 2015-16.

Where Are They Now - Konrad Abeltshauser

Konrad Abeltshauser playoff goal celly with Kevin Young & Chris Crane - photo by Kevin Pyle

Today we continue the "Where Are They Now" Series by catching up with defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser who was a member of the Allen Americans 2015 Kelly Cup championship team. Konrad's time in Allen was brief but very impactful. The 6'5" 225 pound left shot defenseman is from Bad Tolz, Germany and played his junior hockey for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).  He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL draft.

Abeltshauser capped a great junior career by winning the QMJHL championship in his final season in Halifax (2012-13) and went on to win the Memorial Cup which is contested between the three top junior leagues in Canada (QMJHL, OHL & WHL). He was one of five players selected to the Memorial Cup All-Star team. In a story written last year by the Halifax Mooseheads called, "Memorial Cup Memories" they had this to say about Abeltshauser, "Championship teams have a #1 defenseman. He plays the first and last minute of every period. He is on the power play and kills penalties. He plays against the opponent's top line. He can play over 30 minutes if called upon. In 2012-13 that player was Konrad Abeltshauser."

The article went on to say, "Abeltshauser was one of the most affable players on the Mooseheads. Raised on a small dairy farm 50 kilometers from Munich he took an immediate liking to Halifax. He so immersed himself in the Mooseheads' charitable activities that he was named the QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year in his final season. He remains the only European player in the history of the QMJHL to be so honored."


Konrad turned pro for the 2013-14 season and was assigned to the San Jose Sharks AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks. How did he end up in Allen at the tail end of the 2014-15 season? Here is what coach Steve Martinson told me, "He had been sitting out some games in Worcester as a healthy scratch so he asked San Jose if he could come to Allen for the playoffs. He saw the value of playing in the playoffs."  He arrived in Allen the end of March and played the last six regular season games. He had an immediate impact scoring in five of the six games. His booming shot from the point ignited the power play. Konrad had four power play goals in the six regular season games. His regular season totals for six games was seven points (5G, 2A) and included a hat trick against Brampton on April 3, 2015.


- Abeltshauser led Allen defensemen in scoring in the playoffs playing in all 25 games with 16 points (5G, 11A). Maybe his most memorable game in the playoffs was in the opening round against Tulsa. Allen opened at home and handily beat the Oilers in game one by a score 6-2. However in game two Tulsa had a 4-0 lead midway thorough the second period before the Americans staged one of their patented comebacks. Konrad played a major role in the comeback with two goals including the goal that tied the game 4-4 with less than five minutes remaining. Here is how I described the game winning overtime goal.

- Sudden death overtime goals are always great but the one last night was extra special. The most important part of the play was made by a guy that got no credit in the box score. Justin Baker blocked a shot in front of Joel Rumpel which created an odd man rush for the Americans. A pretty tic tac toe pass from Konrad Abeltshauser to Dyson Stevenson  to Greger Hanson who put the puck in the net with his league leading tenth game winning goal this year.

 Abeltshauser to Stevenson to Hanson for the game winner - photo by scenebykimberly.com

Instead of heading to Tulsa tied 1-1 Allen took a 2-0 series lead and closed out the Oilers in five games on the way to their first Kelly Cup championship. Konrad finished that game with two goals and an assist.

Raising the Kelly Cup

Abeltshauser, Steffes & Gens take a knee to give thanks after 2015 championship - photo by JJ Grillette

During the summer of 2015 Konrad was traded to the St. Louis Blues by the San Jose Sharks and he spent the early part of the 2015-16 season with the Chicago Wolves, the Blues AHL affiliate. However, in January he and the Blues mutually agreed to terminate his NHL contract and he returned home to Germany and signed with Red Bull Munich in the top German league (DEL). He once again was on a championship team. His team has won three DEL championships in a row and are trying for a fourth title this season. In 2016-17 Abeltshauser was selected as the DEL Defenseman of the Year.


To recap what Konrad has accomplished since the 2012-13 season it includes a QMJHL championship, a Memorial Cup championship, a Kelly Cup championship and three DEL championships. Not bad for six years of hockey. Steve Martinson said this about Abeltshauser, "I am not surprised he has been on so many winning teams. He is a big guy that makes big plays."


 Here is an update from Konrad Abeltshauser in his own words.

Can you give us an update on your family and hockey team?
The summer after I left Allen I got engaged to my now wife, Erica. She is from Halifax and we met while I was playing for the Mooseheads. We have a dog named Luna, She is a Shiba Inu and almost three years old. We love Luna so much and enjoy taking her hiking in the Alps. Erica made Luna bandanas when she was a little puppy and since then has turned it into a little business. She has an Etsy Shop (an e-commerce website focused on handmade items) and makes dogs all over the world happy.

Konrad, Erica & Luna

After my time in Allen I spent a few months in Chicago playing for the Wolves (AHL). I moved to Munich (January 2015) to play for the Red Bull Munich and was fortunate to be part of the team that won their first DEL championship in franchise history and we have now added two more. I play for a team that really knows how to win, just like the Americans.

I really love playing here as I have some awesome teammates, great coaches and Munich is a beautiful city to live in. Another great thing about Munich is that it is only one hour away from my parents farm where I grew up and all of my family still lives. I feel truly blessed to be able to have my friends and family so close and them being able to watch my games.


Can you share something about your experience playing in Allen?
There are so many unforgettable moments that I fondly remember about my time in Allen. Winning my first professional championship and scoring my first and only hat trick ever. That Kelly Cup playoff run and how close the team was when we faced adversity was the most memorable. Going to a game seven showdown twice (Ontario and South Carolina), it doesn't get more exciting than that.


Who was your favorite/closest teammate in Allen?
It is really hard to single out someone as I am happy to have met so many amazing players, coaches and staff. I get to see former Allen teammates Chad Costello, Greger Hanson and Rylan Schwartz who also play in the DEL. 

Abeltshauser celebrating DEL 2017 championship

 


      

Battling Adversity - Fight Like You're the Third Monkey Trying to Get on Noah's Ark and It's Raining, Stats Explain Why Allen is in Last Place & Top ECHL Scorers (10 Years)

My plan this morning was to go through all of the ECHL stats and show why Allen has been the worst team in the ECHL this season. I will still do that but decided to start out differently after I saw a quote about fighting through adversity no matter what situation you find yourself facing. After all, having a losing hockey season pales in comparison to the fights many of our friends and family including our Allen Americans friends and family are battling with health issues, relationship issues, children issues, personal issues and a myriad of other issues. The quote I saw was, "Fight like you are the third monkey trying to get on Noah's Ark and it just started raining." So my message this morning as we approach Christmas and other holidays is to stay strong through adversity whether it is following the Allen Americans or in your personal life and remember:

"Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity"..... Og Mandino

"Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moment of your life"..... Ziglar Vault

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle"..... Charles D. Larson

"Real champions fight through diversity"

"You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life"

"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that is teamwork"..... John Wooden

"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in, That's what this storm is all about"..... Haruki Murakami

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength"


- I am sure nobody saw this losing season coming and the question I get asked more than any other is what is wrong with the Allen Americans. Is it lack of defense, lack of scoring, poor goaltending, not enough toughness, poor special teams, lack of leadership, too many penalties, too many injuries or many other reasons. The answer is obviously a combination of factors so here are the facts/stats that have led the Americans to have a winning percentage (.269) that is just 40% of Allen's average winning percentage over the last nine seasons (.666).


Goal Scoring: Allen started the season with so many goal scorers the main question was could they play defense but scoring goals was not an issue. At one point the Americans had five or six forwards that led their junior team in scoring with 40 goal scorers and 100 point seasons up and down the lineup. The realty is the team has struggled putting the puck in the net. Allen has been shutout three times, scored one goal four times and two goals five times. The Americans are averaging 2.54 goals per game which ranks them #22 in the league. Compare 2.54 goals per game over the last nine seasons and you can see how much the team is struggling to score.

2009-10:   3.28 (lost in finals)
2010-11:   4.20 (lost in third round)
2011-12:   3.21 (lost in first round)
2012-13:   3.18 (won championship)
2013-14:   3.77 (won championship)
2014-15:   4.05 (won championship
2015-16:   3.08 (won championship)
2016-17:   4.08 (lost in second round)
2017-18:   3.26 (lost in first round)
2018-19:   2.54 (after 26 games)


Team Defense: This was an area of concern at the beginning of the season but has been much worse than predicted. Last season was Allen's worst since joining the ECHL in goals allowed. After allowing 203 or 204 goals in their first three seasons, last season the Americans allowed 232 goals. This season they are on pace to allow a record 285 goals. Allen is allowing an average of 3.96 goals per game which ranks them #27 in the league and it isn't even close. The #26 ranked team is allowing 3.77 goals per game.


Goal Differential: When you are on pace for the worst offensive season in history and the worst defensive season in history goal differential (goals for minus goals against) is off the chart and this stat proves the point. Here are Allen's goal differentials since joining the ECHL. The number for this season is projected for the full season based on the first 26 games.

2014-15:   +89
2015-16:   +18
2016-17:   +91
2017-18:   +3
2018-19:   -102


Special Teams - Allen special teams have historically been excellent but fell off a cliff last season and has been even worse this season. One way to measure overall special teams performance is a stat that combines power play and penalty kill percentages. In the NHL typically 10% of the teams exceed 105% which is considered excellent. The average for all teams is 100% and anything below 100% is considered poor performance by special teams. The Americans special teams were bad last season and have gotten even worse this season. Allen is ranked #22 on the power play and #23 on the penalty kill. Here is the combined total for Allen since they joined the ECHL with the power play and penalty kill percentages in parentheses.

2018-19:   94.7%    (13.4% PP & 81.3% PK)
2017-18:   98.7%    (17.1% PP & 81.6% PK)
2016-17:  108.8%   (24.4% PP & 84.4% PK)
2015-16:  107.5%   (21.1% PP & 86.4% PK)
2014-15:  108.2%   (21.9% PP & 86.3% PK)


Penalties: When you look at average penalty minutes per game Allen is in familiar territory ranked #2 averaging 21.04 penalty minutes per game. However, when you look behind the numbers the makeup of the penalty minutes is very different than in the past. Allen has taken the most minor penalties in the league (156) and given up the most power play opportunities (134). This is not a good stat when you have the #23 ranked penalty kill unit. When it comes to five minute major penalties, most of which are fighting majors, there are only 11 teams with fewer than Allen. The Americans have 13 major penalties compared to Rapid City who is leading with 35. The reason Allen has so few major penalties is they are ranked #22 in fighting majors (10) and five of the 10 fights came in one game. Since joining the ECHL Allen has averaged 75 fighting majors per season. They are on pace to have 28 fighting majors this season. Allen has way fewer major penalties than in the past but they do lead the league in undisciplined penalties such as 10 minute misconducts (7), game misconducts (8) and match penalties (2). There have been only four match penalties in the ECHL all season and the Americans have two of them.


Goaltending: Save percentage is about more than just goalie play as team defense plays a huge role. However, goalies play a huge part in this stat. Allen's team save percentage is the lowest since the Americans joined the ECHL and is below .900 for the first time. Here are the team save percentages by season, The differences may look small but goals allowed between a save percentage of .894 and .910 over the course of a season equates to between 40-45 goals.

2018-19:    .894
2017-18:    .912
2016-17:    .920
2015-16:    .909
2014-15:    .906


Injuries: There is no doubt injuries have played a major role in Allen being in last place. Only two players (Spencer Asuchak & Alex Breton) have played in all 26 games. The Americans have already lost 120-125 player games to injury which is an average of almost five players out of the lineup each game. One of the biggest losses has been Casey Pierro-Zabotel who has been out of the lineup since the beginning of November and it is unknown if and when he will return. Casey has been a top scorer in the ECHL for the last 10 years and plays in all situations for the Americans.


 - You put all of these stats together and it is easy to see why the Americans are in last place. The real challenge is how does the team work through this adversity and get things turned around. There is absolutely no doubt they have the talent to play much better. The question is how hard will they fight to get the job done.




DID YOU KNOW: If you look at cumulative totals over the last 10 seasons (2009-10 to 2018-19) the top ECHL point scorer is Casey Pierro-Zabotel. Three of the top five have played for the Allen Americans. Here is the list:

504 points - Casey Pierro-Zabotel
489 points - Chad Costello
485 points - Trent Daavettila
450 points - Micheal Pelech
393 points - Mathieu Aubin




     

Allen's Comeback Falls Short, Game Recap, Humble Pie, The Season in Perspective, Stats of Note Around the ECHL and More

I am back from a week of stomping around the marshes, sloughs and grain fields of rural North Dakota in temperatures mostly in the single digits. I grew up pheasant hunting in a small town in South Dakota (Flandreau) as most of my relatives were dairy farmers. I got my first shotgun (a 20 gauge bolt action) when I was nine so hunting has been in my blood for a very long time. As you get older you appreciate the ability to still be able to get out in the fresh cold air and pursue a lifelong passion. Even better I was hunting with a lifelong friend, Dave Carter, who is so much fun to hunt with and has a great hunting dog named Jett. As usual we retold countless hunting stories from the past which is a long time since we have hunted together for 55 years. We have hunted geese on the Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba where we could watch polar bears from our blind and quail in west Texas but most of our lives it was duck, goose and pheasant hunting in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. We had so much fun this past week we are planning another trip to North Dakota between Christmas and New Year's when there should be more snow and even colder temperatures, both great things if you are a pheasant hunter.

Dave, Jett & myself enjoying another pheasant hunt in North Dakota

- I arrived home last night just in time for the Americans game against Kansas City. It was a hard fought game that went back and fourth with Allen coming from behind after trailing 2-0 at the start of the third period. The Americans scored three times in just over two minutes (6:38, 7:19 & 8:49) to take a 3-2 lead. Just when it looked like they might have a nice comeback win Allen surrendered two goals in 33 seconds and another loss was in the books. Not sure it is worth counting anymore but it was the third straight loss for Allen, the fourth loss in five games, the eighth loss in the last 10 games and the 16th loss in the last 19 games.


- The goal scorers for the Americans were Adam Miller (6), Dante Salituro (6) and Joel Chouinard (3). Miller has been a bright spot recently having at least one point in six of the last seven games. In those seven games he has eight points (5G, 3A).


- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans:  https://allenamericans.com/americans-comeback-in-kc-spoiled-by-two-late-mavericks-goals/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Kansas City Mavericks: https://kcmavericks.com/en/news/2018/12/postgame-snapshots-mavs-win-back-and-forth-affair-over-allen


- If you are looking for positives from last night it was a close game and Allen made a nice comeback but moral victories are pretty shallow when you find yourself in last place by 10 points and 13 points out of a playoff spot. The harsh reality is the Allen Americans will miss the playoffs this season for the first time in franchise history. I took a lot of grief when I said at Thanksgiving that Allen would not make the playoffs. I was basing that prediction on historical NHL data which shows if you are more than six points out of the playoffs at Thanksgiving it is virtually impossible to make the playoffs. Based on historical ECHL averages the Americans record the rest of the season will have to be about 32-13-1-0 to make the playoffs.


- One thing I know for sure is Steve Martinson will keep grinding until the team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and then he will start grinding for next season. If you are an Allen fan now is the time to show your support for the team. This is a team and coach that has had more success in AA hockey over the past seven years than any other AA franchise. Allen has been on top for so long this is the season for everyone to get their paybacks whether it is on the ice or on social media. I would encourage all Allen fans to be humble and respectful as the the Americans take the heat from fans that have been looking up at Allen for a long time. Support the players and the coaches each and every game and enjoy the hockey. Knowing Steve Martinson this team will play better.


- The team heads back to Allen today before continuing their road trip with a game in Wheeling on Wednesday and three games in Reading on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The games in Reading will be the first between the two teams owned by Jack Gulati and they will be important for the Royals who play in the very competitive North Division. Reading is currently in third place with 26 points but just three points ahead of last place. All seven teams in the division are at .500 or better and first place (Newfoundland) and seventh place (Worcester) are separated by only 10 points.


OTHER COMMENTS:


- The Mountain Division has two of the top three teams in the ECHL in winning percentage. Utah is #2 at .727 followed by Kansas City at #3 with a .714 winning percentage. The Western Conference has the #1 spot with Toledo (.762) and #4 Cincinnati (.705). These are the only four teams in the league with a winning percentage over .700.


- The last five Kelly Cups have been won by Western Conference teams and 2019 looks like the west will have some great teams again. The five Kelly Cups all came from teams in what is now the Mountain Division (Allen (2), Colorado (2) and Alaska). The Central Division usually wins in the regular season against the Mountain Division but then loses in the playoffs. Last season the Central had a record of 52-32-6-1 against the Mountain and so far the season is 10-5-0-0. Toledo has the best record in the ECHL this season and has never been lower than #2 in the last five seasons. The Walleye are always toward the bottom of the league in penalty minutes and struggle getting past tougher teams in the playoffs. With Colorado now in the AHL and Allen out of the playoff picture could this be Toledo's year to win the Kelly Cup or will the Eastern Conference prevail. The Mountain Division is going for a sixth straight Kelly Cup so don't count them out either.


- The top six ECHL teams in fighting majors this season all come from the Western Conference and four of the six are from the Mountain Division. Here are the top six according the dropyourgloves.com:

34 - Rapid City
26 - Idaho
23 - Utah
21 - Fort Wayne
18 - Cincinnati
17 - Wichita

The last four Kelly Cup champions have finished 1st, 3rd, 2nd and 7th in fighting majors. Is it a coincidence or does toughness along with skill in the regular season translate to playoff success?



- Here are a few stats of note from the ECHL daily report:

Reading has a great road record (8-1-0-3) but like the Americans have struggled at home. The Royals home record is 2-6-2-1.

Cincinnati has still not lost a home game in regulation time. Their home record is 9-0-2-1.

The top two scorers in the ECHL are from the same team (Utah) and are on the same line. Caleb Herbert leads the league in points (36) and goals (19). Cole Ully is second in points (31) and first is assists (22). Fittingly, they were selected as co-winners as the ECHL Player of the Month for November. For the month Herbert had 21 points (10G, 11A) in 12 games while Ully had 21 points (5G, 16A) in 11 games.

The top three rookie scorers all hail from the Newfoundland Growlers. Brady Ferguson and Giorgio Estephan are on top with 25 points and Scott Pooley is tied for third with 23 points.

Defenseman Matt Register is back in a familiar spot atop the list in scoring by a defenseman with 22 points (4G, 18A) in 21 games. Allen's Alex Breton is second with 19 points (5G, 14A).

The top three ECHL power play teams all come from the Mountain Division, maybe because they get a lot of power play opportunities in that division. The #1 power play unit is Wichita (22.1%), #2 is Kansas City (21.6%) and #3 is Utah (21.3%).

Former Allen forward J.C. Campagna, who now plays for Fort Wayne, had his goal scoring streak snapped last night in the Komets 5-2 loss the Indy. Campagna had scored at least one goal in the last seven games. That is the longest goal scoring streak in the ECHL this season.   


DID YOU KNOW: The Allen Americans are eating crow this season but they are still the only one of the seven teams that came to the ECHL from the CHL that has a championship in the last seven years and the Americans have four, two in the CHL and two in the ECHL. There has been lot of losing at the hands of the Allen Americans for these former CHL teams since Steve Martinson took over as coach and general manager. Against Allen's four biggest rivals, Rapid City, Tulsa, Kansas City and Wichita, Steve Martinson has never lost a playoff series and has beaten all four (Kansas City twice) on the way to a championship. Since joining the ECHL in 2014, Allen's regular season record against these four rivals is a combined 127-60-12-8 so it is understandable why some and I emphasize some because it is a small minority of fans want to take shots at Allen this season. They have been waiting a long time. Here are Allen's head to head regular season records (including this season) since joining the ECHL, against these four rivals.

Wichita:        41-12-4-5
Rapid City:   25-9-1-0
Tulsa:            35-22-3-3
Kansas City: 26-17-4-0