Allen vs Utah series Preview, Anania Returns, Prefontaine Suspension Voided, Lukas Sillinger Player Profile, Attendance Stats and More

 

It is game day for the Allen Americans as the Utah Grizzlies invade the CUTX Event Center for two games. Allen plays Utah 10 times this season with some interesting sequencing. The teams played six times in a row (3 in Utah and 3 in Allen) between November 26 and December 6. After the two games in Allen this weekend, the Americans will make the long haul to Utah for two games at the end of March to complete the 10-game schedule.

 

- Allen's turnaround after a slow start to the season started when they played Utah six straight games around Thanksgiving. The Americans had lost six straight games (3 to Tulsa, 3 to Idaho) when they rolled into Utah on November 26. The Americans won two of three in Utah, followed by two of three in Allen, and it started the turnaround.

 

- Here are some comparison stats between Allen and Utah:

• Allen's record is 26-18-4-0, Utah's is 18-25-6-0. 
• Allen is 6-4-0-0 over the last 10 games, Utah is 3-4-3-0.
• Allen is 14-7-1-0 at home, Utah is 14-12-2-0 on the road.
• Allen's goal differential is +18 (167-149), Utah's is -16 (167-181).
• Allen's team plus/minus is +20, Utah's is -167.
• Allen's team save percentage is .912, Utah's is .878.

 

- Here is the more traditional statistical comparison between the two teams.

• Goals scored average: Allen (3.5) - Utah (3.3)
• Goals allowed average: Allen (3.1) - Utah (3.8)
• Shots for average: Allen (33.3) - Utah (31.7)
• Shots against average: Allen (35.3) - Utah (31.2)
• Power play percentage: Allen (21.2%%) - Utah (22.3%)
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen (84.6%) - Utah (77.6%)

 

- When you look at the overall stats for Utah, they are very deceiving. The Grizzlies have the worst home record in the ECHL, and it is not even close,  4-13-4-0 (.286). However, Utah has a winning road record of 14-12-2-0 (.536). There isn't a team in the league with a bigger discrepancy between home and road records. Let's take a look at home versus road stats, and you see some of the differences above disappear:

• Goals differential: Allen +20 at home, Utah +4 on the road.
• Power play percentage: Allen 15.7% at home, Utah 23.9% on the road.
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen 88.2% at home, Utah 76.1% on the road. 
• Leading after the 1st period: Allen 4-0-0-0 at home, Utah 8-3-2-0 on the road.
• Leading after the 2nd period: Allen 10-0-0-0 at home, Utah 10-1-2-0 on the road.

 

- Here are some individual stats that will give you players to watch in this series. Players from both teams are in the top 5 in the ECHL in the following stats:

• #1 PP Goals - #59 Tyler Gratton, 9, Utah
• #1 Shots - #26 Danny Dzhaniyev, 204, Utah 
• #1 Shooting % - #9 Danny Katic, 27.2%, Allen 
• #2 PP Assists - #23 Sam Sedley, 21, Allen 
• #2 Goals - #23 Reed Lebster, 28, Utah
• #4 Assists - #67 Hank Crone, 33, Allen
• #4 Assists - #23 Sam Sedley. 33, Allen
• #4 PP Assists - #67 Hank Crone 17, Allen
• #4 PP Points - #23 Sam Sedley 22, Allen
• #4 Shots - #23 Reed Lebster 162, Utah 

 

- Scoring first is a big advantage, especially for Allen. The Americans have scored first in 46% of their games with a record of 17-2-3-0 (.841). When they give up the first goal, the Americans' record is 9-16-1-0 (.365). Utah has scored the first goal in 51% of its games, with a record of 14-9-2-0 (.600).

 

- If either game goes to overtime, both teams have struggled. Allen is 1-4 in overtime, but is 2-0 in shootouts. The Americans' lone overtime win came last Sunday in Tulsa. Utah is 1-6 in overtime and has not been in a shootout yet this season. 

 

- I won't get the lineup until later today, but here is what I expect:

• Lukas Sillinger, just acquired from Florida, will be in the lineup.
• Andre Anania, just returned from his PTO in Iowa will be in the lineup.
• Ty Prefontaine's suspension has been voided by the ECHL, and he will be in the lineup.
• Matt Register - with the unexpected return of Anania and Prefontaine, my guess is Matt will be behind the bench tonight.
• David Tendeck is available, but has only had a couple of practices. I assume Costantini will get the start in goal. 

 

PLAYER PROFILE - LUKAS SILLINGER

 

Lukas Sillinger

Lukas Sillinger is a 25-year-old,  5''11", 170-pound, left-shot forward from Regina, Saskatchewan. He played his junior hockey in the BCHL where he had 104 points (43G, 61A) in 146 games. Sillinger played his college hockey at Bemidji State University (2 years) and Arizona State University (3 years). He played in 171 NCAA games and totaled 160 points (51G, 109A). Last season Lukas had 38 points (8G, 30A) and led his team in assists. He was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award in 2023-24 and served as an alternate captain for Arizona State from 2023-25.

To say Lukas comes from a hockey family would be an understatement. His dad, Mike, had an 18-year NHL career with 1,049 games played for 12 different teams. Mike Sillinger still holds the NHL record for being traded nine times in his career. 

Lukas' older brother (28), Owen, plays for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, and his younger brother (22), Cole, plays for the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets. Cole was the Blue Jackets' first-round (12th overall) draft pick in 2021. As a 22-year-old, he has already played in 341 NHL games.

If you look at Sillinger's collegiate stats, it is clear he is more of a playmaker than a goal scorer. He had twice as many assists (109) as goals (51) in college.    

When you look at scouting and other reports on Lukas, you see the same things over and over again, which include some version of the following:

• His pedigree comes with a high hockey IQ and creative puck play.
• A player who creates space through puck control and decision making rather than explosive skating. 
• Effective in tight spots and in one-on-one plays. Good vision, quick release, and able to find teammates and make smart passes. 
• Top skills are vision, passing, awareness, and hockey IQ. 

 

Here is a video interview with Lukas just before his final season at Arizona State. You will notice he had a pronounced limp at the time. He eventually had hip surgery, and his recovery caused him to start this season late. He signed with the AHL Iowa Wild in December on a PTO and played five games before being released. He then signed with Florida, where he played seven games before being traded to Allen. Coach Martinson has tracked Lukas since he was the leading scorer at Arizona State.  

 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Every week is important as Allen tries to maintain third place in the Mountain Division with Tahoe, and Wichita nipping at their heels. The Americans will hit the 50 games played mark this weekend with the prospect of three games in Kansas City next week. 

 

- There are 12 games on the ECHL schedule tonight. The Mountain Division match-ups, in addition to Utah at Allen, are Wichita at Kansas City, Worcester at Rapid City, and Idaho at Tahoe. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-20

 

- Don't forget that the Allen Americans alumni game will take place before the Allen vs Tulsa game on March 7. Lots of players are returning from the early years and the championship years. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the ECHL Stats post for today, which is about attendance. FYI, Allen's average attendance is currently 4715. Last season, Allen's average was 4573. 

ECHL average attendance by category. The leaguewide average is 4879. The average for all of last season was 4984.

 

9153: JAX

8052: TOL

7000-7999: FW, SAV

6000-6999: CIN, FLA, ORL, TUL

5000-5999: GSO, GVL, IDH, SC

4000-4999: ADK, ALN, ATL, IND, KC, MNE, NOR, UTA, WIC

3000-3999: KAL,TAH, RC, WOR

2000-2999: BLM, REA, TR, WHL

1443: IA

 

 

Average attendance by league in 2025-26:

17,369 - NHL

5768 - AHL

4879 - ECHL

4198 - SPHL

2783 - FPHL

Who's In, Who's Out, Who's Coming, Who's Going - Latest Update On the Allen Americans Roster

 

I will post a series preview tomorrow on the two games against Utah this weekend, but so many of you have asked questions about the roster, so I want to provide this one-topic blog with the latest roster update:

 

Matt Register - I attended practice yesterday, and Matt was in a player role, not a coach role. It would take an entire page to list all of  Matt's records, but three-time ECHL Defensemen of the Year and three-time Kelly Cup champion says a lot. As the Americans head down the stretch and into the playoffs, Matt's veteran experience could be invaluable. Matt is the ECHL all-time leader in career playoff games (156), playoff points (118), and playoff assists (89). I expect you will see Matt activated for the series with Utah this weekend.  

 

Ty Prefontaine - Ty will not be going to Europe as I reported on Monday. Coach Martinson suspended him based on Ty informing Martinson that he was leaving to go to Europe. To make a long story short, there are International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules for transferring from the ECHL to Europe, and a deadline was missed, so Prefontaine can't go to Europe. Since he never left, the condition for which he was suspended never happened, so you would think the suspension should be voided. Martinson requested that the suspension be voided, but the league opted to not rescind the suspension. The rules for a suspended player returning to the roster don't allow it to happen for 45 days. Prefontaine could be traded, and the suspension would be lifted. But the way it stands right now, he can't rejoin the Allen roster for 45 days. My understanding is that the PHPA is appealing this decision that also impacts a defenseman from Bloomington. They are friends and college teammates and were headed to the same team in Europe. Hopefully, this will be resolved today, and Ty will be in the lineup against Utah.             

 

- Andre Anania - Andre was loaned to the AHL Iowa Wild on Tuesday. With the NHL resuming games next Wednesday, the Minnesota Wild recalled players from Iowa so they could hold practice. Minnesota has eight players participating in the Olympics, with the finals taking place on Sunday. Iowa has games tonight, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. It is expected that, as the NHL players return from the Olympics, Iowa will get players sent down from Minnesota, and Anania will return to Allen. However, as Coach Martinson always reminds us, when a player gets loaned, you just never know when he will return.

UPDATE: Anania has been released from his PTO with the Iowa Wild and is returning to Allen. He will be in the lineup this weekend against Utah. 

 

- Jaxson Parsons - Jaxson was recalled to Belleville on Sunday and served as the backup to Leevi Merilanien on Monday and last night. Belleville has four goalies on its roster, including Psrsons. Mads Sogaard played for Denmark at the Olympics and was injured, and Hunter Shepard is injured. Parsons will return to Allen as soon as one of the injured goalies returns, which could be soon.

 

- David Tendeck - David left the Allen game on February 1 after being injured. He was a full participant in practice yesterday and will be available against Utah.

 

- Brett Budgell - Budgell is a forward Coach Martinson just acquired from Bloomington as a future consideration in the trade that sent Brad Morrison to the Bison. Budgell had 21 points (7G, 14A) in 25 games in Bloomington before recently signing with a team in Austria. There is a small chance he could return before the overseas deadline in a month, but Allen will retain his rights for next season even if he stays in Europe. Brett played his junior hockey in the QMJHL and in his last season (2021-22) scored 40 goals in 67 games.  

 

- Trades - Coach Martinson has made a future considerations trade with Florida for forward Lukas Sillinger. Lukas is a 25-year-old,  5''11", 170-pound, left-shot forward from Regina, Saskatchewan. He played his junior hockey in the BCHL where he had 104 points (43G, 61A) in 146 games. Sillinger played his college hockey at Bemidji State University (2 years) and Arizona State University (3 years). He played in 171 NCAA games and totaled 160 points (51G, 109A). Last season, Lukas had 38 points (8G, 30A) in 35 games and led his team in assists. I will have a complete player profile tomorrow.     

 

- Canadian Colleges - This has always been a source of recruiting for Coach Martinson. The playoffs are just getting underway, and teams in some leagues will start being eliminated as soon as this weekend. Stay tuned!

Allen Wins Series With 2-1 OT Victory, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, PIMS and Championships and More

 

Anytime you win a road series in the ECHL it is a good week, and that is what the Allen Americans accomplished in Tulsa Sunday afternoon. A 2-1 overtime victory over the Oilers sent the Americans back to Allen, winning two of three games from Tulsa and solidifying their hold on 3rd place in the Mountain Division.

 

- Allen overcame some obstacles to secure the win:

• The Americans gave up the first goal for the 26th time in 48 games (54%).
• Americans trailed 1-0 after the 1st period. Their record when trailing after 1st period (3-14-1-0).
• Allen's OT record was 0-4 before yesterday.
• Allen spent almost half of the 2nd period (9 minutes) on the power play and failed to score a power play goal, after scoring four power play goals on Saturday.

 

-  Tulsa scored the only goal of the first period (13:48) while outshooting Allen 14-6. Allen scored the only goal of the second period while outshooting Tulsa 17-14. Danny Katic scored his 22nd goal of the season, assisted by Hank Crone and Kevin Gursoy. Katic is 5th in the ECHL in goals. Crone is 2nd in the league in assists (34).

 

- Shots were even in the third period (10-10), but there was no scoring. Allen had to kill off two penalties, including one late in the period (17:07), to force overtime. Neither team had been very successful in winning games in overtime. Allen was 0-4, and Tulsa was 1-3. At 3:21 of overtime, Brayden Watts took a pass from Katic just inside the blueline and took a shot from the slot that just trickled past the goalie for the game winner. 

 

- Here are the video highlights. Something to watch for on all three goals. Tulsa's lone goal was scored from behind the goal line when Josh Nelson shot the puck off Costantini's back. On Allen's game-tying goal, Danny Katic was at the goal post and did what he does so often, get the puck in the net from close range. On Watts' overtime goal, notice how he is late getting into the offensive zone, but enters with speed to take a perfectly timed pass from Katic and takes a shot that just sneaks through the goalie. https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-tulsa-oilers-feb-15-2026

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/watts-ot-winner-lifts-allen-over-tulsa
• Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/news/2026/02/oilers-end-neck-and-neck-weekend-with-allen-on-overtime-loss 

 

- I had a chance to swap messages with Coach Martinson as the team was headed home last night. This is what he had to say:

"Tulsa is playing desperate hockey in that they competed hard."

"I thought we played our best game on Friday, when we lost."

"Tulsa has gotten a few guys back, and they have good speed."

"We played four games in five days, and that makes a difference in the fourth game."

 "Our offense will pick up again." 

 

- Next up for the Americans are the Utah Grizzlies. Luckily, the Americans play only two games this week, so there's some time to rest and heal those sore bodies before taking on Utah Friday and Saturday. (7:10 pm).

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen managed two wins in Tulsa this weekend despite scoring just one even-strength goal in three games against the worst team in the league. The Oilers were giving up an average of  3.8 goals per game entering the series. Allen's power play was spectacular on Saturday, but it was 0-5 on Friday and 0-3 on Sunday. In its last seven games, the Americans have scored zero or one goal in regulation four times.

In the 12 games before the last seven, Allen's goals scored were:

• 7 goals - 1 time
• 6 goals - 1 time
• 5 goals - 4 times
• 4 goals - 3 times
• 3 goals - 2 times
• 2 goals - 1 time 

 

- Allen has the #6 penalty kill percentage (84.6%) and #7 power play percentage (21.2%) in the ECHL. The only other team in the league in the top seven in both is Kansas City. The Mavericks have the #1 penalty kill percentage (89.8%) and the #5 power play percentage (21.8%).  

 

- Kansas City has opened up an eight-point lead over Idaho and has two games in hand over the Steelheads. The Mavericks play in Orlando today (1:00 pm EST) in a school day game. Wichita beat Idaho by a score of 4-1 on Saturday and Sunday to close the gap in the race for the playoffs. Here are the Mountain Division standings with games remaining in parentheses:

• 76 points - Kansas City (25)
• 68 points - Idaho (23)
• 56 points - Allen (24) 
• 52 points - Tahoe (24)
• 49 points - Wichita (26)
• 45 points - Rapid City 26)
• 41 points - Utah (24)
• 30 points - Tulsa (27) 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW:  Proof that two very different styles of play can lead to regular-season success in the ECHL:

Idaho is ranked #3 in points percentage (.694) and #2 in penalty minutes (768 minutes).

Toledo is ranked #5 in points percentage and #30 in penalty minutes (386 minutes).

 

 

High penalty, physical teams tend to dominate the Kelly Cup championship. Only two of the last 10 Kelly Cup champions had less than 1000 PIM in the regular season.

 

 Here is the penalty minute rank and penalty minutes for the last 10 Kelly Cup champions:

#7 (1012 PIM) - Trois Rivières (2025)

#19 (865 PIM) - Florida (2024)

#11 (1016 PIM) - Florida (2023)

#8 (1071 PIM) - Florida (2022)

#1 (1300 PIM) - Fort Wayne (2021), adjusted for 72 games

#25 (786 PIM) - Newfoundland (2019)

#2 (1377 PIM) - Colorado (2018)

#2 (1415 PIM) - Colorado (2017)

#5 (1189 PIM) - Allen (2016)

#1 (1644 PIM) - Allen (2015) 

Allen Scores Five Power Play Goals, Wins 5-3, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Today's Preview, ECHL Points Leaders and More

 

 The Allen Americans have played over 1200 games in franchise history, so fans have seen a lot of strange games over the years. Last night's 5-3 win over the Tulsa Oilers certainly makes the all-time list. The Americans have been struggling to score goals; they had scored just one goal in seven periods when they were given a gift by the Oilers at the end of the first period last night. A five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for head-butting that carried over to the second period. Allen scored two power-play goals off that major penalty at the 1:17 and 1:59 marks of the second period, and the goal-scoring drought was snapped. 

 

- The major penalty was just the start of the uniqueness. By the time the second period ended, Allen had a 4-0 lead, and all four goals were on the power play. In Allen's last 10 games, they had four power-play goals. Last night, the Americans scored four power-play goals in less than 15 minutes (14:42). 

 

- Allen took a 4-0 lead into the second intermission, and certainly the game was over. After all, the Americans' record with any second-period lead is 18-0-1-0, so a four-goal lead seemed like a lock. Not for this strange game. The score was 4-0 with less than eight minutes remaining in the game when Tulsa erupted for three goals in three minutes, and it was game on. Allen had to fight through the last five minutes of the game, nursing a 4-3 lead. 

 

- The Americans got a break when Tulsa took a slashing penalty right after the Oilers pulled their goalie. Allen kept the puck in the Tulsa end until the Oilers were able to pull the goalie with 18 seconds remaining in the game. Five seconds later, Allen scored its fifth power-play goal of the game into an empty net. The final score was 5-3, with all five goals scored on the power play. The most power-play goals in a single game in franchise history.

 

- Goal scorers for Allen were Sam Stange (4,5), who now has five goals in six games played in the ECHL (he had 3 goals in four games with Florida). Other goal scorers were Harrison Blaisdell (15, 16) and Colton Hargrove (16). Sedley, Watts, Crone, and Anania had two assists each. Here are the video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-tulsa-oilers-feb-14-2026  

 

- Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-recap-americans-hold-on-for-5-3-win-in-tulsa 

 

MARTINSON COMMENTS

"It was a disappointing third period. Some defensive breakdowns and a lucky bounce let them back in the game."  

"We had great chances in the third period and just shot the puck wide or over the net." 

"I thought we should have scored more goals, and we need to clean up some things defensively today."

"It is nice to see the power play clicking again. Now we need some even-strength goals." 

"Costantini will start in goal today, and we might have one other change."

 

TODAY'S PREVIEW

- The third game in less than 48 hours will take place this afternoon with a 3:05 pm puck drop. Allen needs to win this game to win the series and keep pace with Tahoe and Wichita. 

 

- The only change in the lineup today, other than Marso Costantini starting goal, is Jackson Decker replacing Trevor LeDonne on defense.   

 

- The formula from last night will lead to victory tonight. Score first, play with the lead, and win the special teams battle. The team that scored first won games one and two of the series; it will likely be the same today. Allen went 0-5 on the power play in game one and lost. The Americans went 5-6 last night and won. Those are extremes, but the team that wins the special teams battle today will likely win the game. 

 

- It is the same for both teams, but a game like this afternoon often becomes will over skill. Everyone is sore, and heavy legs are the norm. The team that is in better shape and has the will to persevere usually comes out on top. 

 

- The referee for the game will be #7 Will Kelly, who worked the first two games of the series. Allen has taken three penalties for six in two games. Tulsa has taken 11 penalties for 33 minutes. The major for head-butting and game misconduct was 15 minutes.

 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

-  The Mountain Division winners last night were Kansas City, Allen, Wichita, and Rapid City. The losers were Idaho, Utah, and Tulsa. There are nine ECHL games on the schedule today. Allen at Tulsa and Idaho at Wichita are the only Mountain Division teams in action. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-15   

 

- How do the Mountain Division teams rank among all ECHL teams? Two in the top 10 and three in the bottom 10, including the best and worst teams in the league. Here is how each team ranks based on points percentage:

•  #1 - Kansas City (.809)
• #3 - Idaho  (.708)
• #11 - Allen (.574)
• #16 - Tahoe (.542)
• #18 - Wichita (.522)
• #21 - Rapid City (.489)
• #26 - Utah (.427)
• #30 - Tulsa (.330) 

 

- The last-place team in each division has long been out of the playoff picture. Here is the point difference between the first and last-place teams in each division:

• Mountain Division - 47 points
• 76 points - Kansas City
• 29 points - Tulsa 

• North Division - 32 points 
• 64 points - Wheeling
• 32 points -  Greensboro

• Central Division - 26 points
• 60 points - Toledo
• 34 points - Iowa 

• South Division - 22 points
• 64 points - Florida
• 42 points - Jacksonville 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Defenseman Les Lancaster had an amazing year for Allen in 2020-21. He scored 26 goals, #3 all-time by an ECHL defenseman. His accolades from the ECHL that season included:

• Defenseman of the Year 
• Most goals by a defenseman (26)
• Most points by a defenseman (64)
• Most game-winning goals by a defenseman (4)
• ECHL Player of the Month (May)
• All-ECHL 1st Team 

 

 

Here are the current ECHL leaders in points. #1 on this list is a defenseman. A defenseman has never won the ECHL scoring title. In the last 20 years, only one defenseman has finished in the top 10 in points. In 2020-21, defenseman Les Lancaster, playing for the Allen Americans, finished #5 in points. Lancaster left for Europe the following season and has played in two of the top European leagues ever since (Liiga - Finland & DEL - Germany). Here are the ECHL leaders in points:

 

 

58: Marcus Crawford, Kansas City

56: Brandon Hawkins, Toledo

51: Brendan Hoffmann, Idaho

50: Reece Newkirk, Orlando

49: Simon Pinard, South Carolina

 

 

Allen Shutout 2-0, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Tonight's Preview, Kansas City and Idaho Checkout and More

 

The Allen Americans entered this week as the third-ranked offense in the ECHL, but have managed a total of one goal in two games. Last night, the Americans were shut out 2-0 by the Tulsa Oilers despite putting 44 shots on goal. At Allen's season-long shooting percentage (10.3%), 44 shots would normally yield four or five goals.

 

- The loss was eerily similar to Allen's 2-1 loss on Wednesday. In both games, the Americans gave up the first goal and found themselves trailing by a goal after the second period. Both nights, the Americans dominated the third period, but could not score the equalizer. Last night, Allen outshot Tulsa 23-7 in the third period; only twice all season has an ECHL team had more third-period shots. Last night's loss was even more painful because Tulsa was ranked #28 in goals allowed, giving up an average of 3.8 goals per game.

 

- What really hurt Allen was their power play. They had five chances, compared to just one for Tulsa, and the Americans were blanked. The Allen power play had scored at least one power-play goal in the last six games against Tulsa. 

 

- Jaxson Parsons was great in goal for the second time this week and has two losses to show for his effort. Last night, he stopped 22 of 23 shots, including a penalty shot. Allowing one goal (the 2nd was an empty net) should earn a victory. His save percentage was .957.

 

- In Allen's last four games, one team has scored first, led after the second period, and won the special teams battle. Unfortunately, in the last two games, it has been Allen's opponent. The 2-0 loss to Tulsa last night was just the second time the Americans have been shut out this season. Too bad it was against the worst team in the ECHL. What is even worse is that Tulsa has lost 12 of its last 14 games dating back to January 4. The two wins both came at the expense of the Allen Americans.

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams and the video highlights:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-recap-americans-blanked-2-0-by-tulsa 
• Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/news/2026/02/buteyets-halts-44-lagrone-registers-100th-echl-point-as-oilers-blank-americans 
• Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-tulsa-oilers-feb-13-2026 

 

- The formula for success tonight is straightforward. Get off to a better start by scoring the first goal. Don't wait until the third period to put the pressure on Tulsa. In the two games this week, Allen has more shots in the third period (42) than in the first two periods combined (37). The Americans outshot Wichita 18-2 on Wednesday and Tulsa 23-7 last night. The Americans are taking plenty of shots, they need to get more of them earlier in the game, and they need to finish. 

 

- Special teams have been the secret sauce for Allen over the last couple of months. The Americans were 0-5 last night on the power play; they definitely need a power play goal tonight. Allen stayed out of the penalty box last night, killing the only power play opportunity Tulsa had. 

 

MARTINSON COMMENTS

I had the chance to check in with Coach Martinson this morning, and this is what he had to say:  

"Once I get the analytics stats, I am sure it will show more than 50 shots. I told the guys after the game to stay positive, and the goals will come."

"We had a lot of great scoring chances. The #1 star for Tulsa was the goalie. He stood on his head several times in the game."

"Stange was good, especially considering he hasn't been playing much recently. He had some great chances, and he moves the puck. I will switch a couple of guys around tonight to help get us going."

"We have to have better first periods. I am not sure if it is related to the time on the bus or not skating, but we need to be ready to go."

"Unfortunately, our power play isn't clicking right now, but we had some good opportunities. Some shots were saved, and some went over the net."

"Simmons-Fischer got boarded headfirst into the boards, and all that was called was a two-minute penalty. He will not play today."

"I will give Marco one more day of rest. Parsons will play again tonight, and Marco will play Sunday afternoon."   

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen wasn't the only team shutout last night. Savannah, Worcester, and Wheeling joined the Americans in the skunk fest. In the Mountain Division, the teams even with and just behind Allen in the standings (Tahoe & Wichita) also lost. The other five division teams won last night: Kansas City, Idaho, Rapid City, Utah, and Tulsa. Here are the standings by points with points percentage in parentheses:

• 74 points - Kansas City (.804)
• 68 points - Idaho (.723)
• 52 points - Allen (.565) 
• 52 points - Tahoe (.553)
• 45 points - Wichita (.511)
• 43 points - Rapid City (.478)
• 41 points - Utah (.436)
• 29 points - Tulsa (.337) 

 

-  Kansas City and Idaho are running off and hiding from the other six teams in the Mountain Division. The only question is which team wins the division. Kansas City has won 21 of its last 22 games, but hasn't been able to shake Idaho. The Steelheads are six points behind. They play each other three times in Idaho on April 1, 3, and 4, and it shapes up to be a key series. Here are the points earned by the Mountain Division teams in the last 10 games (maximum points possible is 20). 

• 19 points - Idaho
• 18 points - Kansas City
• 10 points - Wichita
• 10 points - Utah
• 9 points - Allen
• 8 points - Rapid City 
• 7 points - Tahoe
• 7 points - Tulsa  

 

- It is another full schedule in the ECHL tonight with all 30 teams in action. The highlight game, if you are surfing FloHockey tonight, is Reading at Wheeling, the top two teams in the North Division. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews. https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-14

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Allen wasn't the only team struggling to score goals last night. The 15 losing teams last night averaged less than two goals per game:

Stick taps to great defenses and great goaltending stepping up in the ECHL last night. Here are the goals allowed by the 15 winning teams. Four shutouts and only one game with four goals allowed. The total goals allowed last night were 26, an average of 1.73 per game.

 

0 goals - 4 games

1 goal - 2 games

2 goals - 4 games

3 goals - 4 games

4 goals - 1 game

  

Allen vs Tulsa Series Preview, Forward Sam Stang Assigned to Allen Player Profile, High Save Shutouts and More

 

The Allen Americans took off this morning for yet another weekend where they will play three games in less than 48 hours. The series in Tulsa will start with a puck drop tonight at 7:05 pm and will end around 5:30 pm on Sunday. How important is this series? The Allen season is quickly winding down. It will be 67% complete by Sunday night. Tulsa is a team Allen has to beat to hold its position in the standings, and it is a team the Americans should beat. The Oilers are the worst team in the ECHL and have won only 12 games all season. Tulsa has lost seven straight games and 12 of its last 13.

 

- Allen's record against Tulsa is similar to its overall record. Before Thanksgiving, the Americans lost all three games against Tulsa. Since Thanksgiving, the Americans have won five of six. Even more impressive is that in the last six games against Tulsa, Allen outscored Tulsa 30-15, averaging five goals per game.   

 

- Here are some comparison stats between Allen and Tulsa:

• Allen's record is 24-17-4-0, Tulsa's is 12-27-3-0 
• Allen is 4-5-1-0 over the last 10 games, Tulsa is 1-6-3-0.
• Allen is 10-10-3-0 on the road, Tulsa is 8-13-3-0 at home.
• Allen's goal differential is +17 (160-143), Tulsa's is -58 (100-158).
• Allen's team plus/minus is +38, Tulsa's is -212.
• Allen's team save percentage is .910, Tulsa's is .892.

 

- Here is the more traditional statistical comparison between the two teams. The league rank is in parentheses: 

• Goals scored average: Allen 3.6 (#3) - Tulsa 2.4 (#30)
• Goals allowed average: Allen 3.2 (#20) - Tulsa 3.8 (#28)
• Shots for average: Allen 33.0 (#5) - Tulsa 32.6 (#7)
• Shots against average: Allen 35.5 (#28) - Tulsa 35.0 (#27))
• Power play percentage: Allen 20.0% (#10) - Tulsa 17.9% (#21)
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen 84.7% (#6) - Tulsa 76.1% (#28) 

 

- Here are the cumulative stats against Tulsa. The game tonight will be the 10th of 15 meetings between these teams this season. Allen's record in the first nine games is 5-3-1-:

• Allen outscored Tulsa 36-27
• Tulsa outshot Allen 300-282
• Allen was 25.0% on the power play (8-32)
• Tulsa was 19.0% on the power play (4-21)
• Allen scored 1st in 6 of the 9 games. 
• Allen took 42 penalties (107 minutes), Tulsa took 54 penalties (150 minutes)

 

- If you look at all of the stats above, it is clear that Tulsa has outperformed versus Allen this season. After all, 25% of the Oilers' wins (4 of 12) have been against Allen. However, this stat is skewed when you consider Allen lost three straight to Tulsa early in the season and is 5-1-0-0 since. The one loss was Allen's last game against Tulsa on January 17, a 5-2 loss in Tulsa (2 empty net goals).

 

- As usual, special teams will play a key role in this series. Allen has the advantage in overall stats, head-to-head stats, and road vs home power play stats. The Americans have the #3 ranked road power play  (24.4%), and the Oilers home power play is ranked #17 (18.6%). 

 

- Across the ECHL, the team that scores first wins 75% on the points. Allen is one of the best in the league with a points percentage of .833 (16-2-3-0) when scoring first. Tulsa is the worst in the league and one of two teams with a losing record when it scores first. The Oilers' record when scoring first is 7-8-0-0 (.467).       

- Playing with the lead is also a key to this series. Here is Allen's record that tells the story of why the Americans can't be playing from behind in this series.

• 9-1-2-0: leading after 1st period
• 17-0-1-0: leading after 2nd period 
• 12-3-1-0: tied after 1st period
• 5-4-1-0: tied after 2nd period 
• 3-13-1-0: trailing after 1st period
• 2-13-2-0: trailing after 2nd period

 

- Anyway you slice it, the Americans will be the favorite in all three games this weekend. A sweep would give Allen some distance between themselves and fifth-place Wichita, who beat the Americans on Wednesday. Wichita will play either Idaho or Kansas City in seven of its next eight games.

 

- The Allen roster will be improved tonight with the following additions:

• Andre Anania returns from suspension.
• Jake Chiasson returns from the AHL All-Star break 
• Sam Stange, a forward under contract with the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds has joined the Americans and will be in the lineup. (see profile below).

 

- Tulsa will be playing shorthanded after two players were suspended for a post-game melee in Kansas City last Friday. A total of five players were suspended. Cade McNelly, who leads Tulsa in penalty minutes, will miss all three games. In Allen's 5-2 loss to Tulsa on January 17, McNelly scored a hat trick, his only three goals in 59 games with Tulsa over the last two seasons. Tyrell Goulbourne was suspended for one game and will miss tonight's game. 

 

- Players to watch in this series for Allen, based on the nine games these teams have played this season, are Katic (9G, 7A), Watts (7G, 4A), Crone (2G, 7A), and Sedley (2G, 6A). No Tulsa player has more than three goals against Allen. The Oilers' leading scorer is #27 Easton Armstrong (15G, 8A).  

 

- The game tonight will be a one-referee game. The referee will be Will Kelly (#7). For what it is worth, Kelly was one of two referees in Allen's loss to Wichita on Wednesday. The duo called just two penalties in the game, one on each team.   

 

PLAYER PROFILE - SAM STANG

 

Sam Stang

 
Sam Stang has been assigned to the Allen Americans by the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds.  He is a 24-year-old,  6''1", 210-pound, right-shot forward from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He played his junior hockey in the USHL and his college hockey at the University of Wisconsin (4 years) and the University of Nebraska - Omaha for his final collegiate season. Originally a 4th-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2020, the rookie started this season with the Florida Everblades, where he scored three goals in the first four games, and was recalled to Springfield. He has played 31 games in Springfield and tallied four points (3G, 1A). Here are some facts and stats:

• In 2018-19, his last year of high school, he had 67 points (31G, 36A) in 24 games.
• 2019 Joe Pavelski award winner as top forward in Wisconsin.
• 2019 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year.
• 3-run homer in the 2019 state baseball championship led his high school team to championship 
• Hobey Baker Award nominee
• Named All-Academic Big 10 three times (college major - neurobiology)
• Named Big 10 distinguished scholar
• Big 10 regular season champion (2020-21)  
• 34 points (16G, 18A) in 36 games last season in Omaha (wore an "A")

Here are two videos with Sam Stang. The first is after he was drafted by Detroit in 2020, and the second is from last season. Both will give you an idea of the type of player Allen is getting in Sam Stang. 

 

 

 

 

   OTHER COMMENTS

 

 - Here is the series preview from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-day-preview-americans-open-weekend-series-in-tulsa 

 

 

 

- A full slate of 15 games is on tap in the ECHL tonight. For the teams fighting for a playoff spot, it is definitely go time as the schedule is about 67% complete. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-13

 

 

 

- Sam Sedley leads the ECHL in power-play assists (19) and is #3 in power-play points (20). Hank Crone is #4 in power-play assists. Danny Katic is #2 in shooting percentage (28.9%). 

 

 

 

- I was doing some research for the DID YOU KNOW post today and was reminded of this odd stat of the day. I am sure some of you will remember this game. On December 19, 2019, Allen goalie Zach Sawchenko had a 47-save shutout and lost the game. You see, in the ECHL, if regulation time ends with a 0-0 tie, both goalies get credit for a shutout. Idaho beat Allen 1-0 in a shootout. The Idaho goalie was Tomas Sholl. Sholl went on to win the ECHL Goalie of the Year that season. 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: ECHL goalies with the most saves in a shutout each season since 2017-18. All are still playing, led by 36-year-old Joe Cannata. Where they are currently playing is in parentheses:

 

2025-26:

46: Dylan Wells, UTA (ECHL - KC)

 

2024-25

52: Alexis Gravel, ORL (Northern Ireland)

 

2023-24

44: Kyle Keyser, MNE (AHL)

 

2022-23

46: Isaiah Saville, SAV (ECHL - GVL)

 

2021-22

46: Lukas Parik, RC (Czechia)

46: Daniil Chechelev, KC (Russia)

 

2020-21

44: Jacob Ingham, GVL (ECHL - GVL)

 

2019-20

47: Zach Sawchenko, ALN (AHL)

 

2018-19

47: Evan Buitenhuis, WOR (Finland)

 

2017-18

51: Joe Cannata, COL (Austria)

 

Offense Sputters in 2-1 Loss, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, ECHL Goalies Used, Division Standings and More

 

The smallest announced crowd of the season (1688) watched the Allen Americans' high-powered offense, ranked #3 in the league, sputter to a 2-1 defeat for the second time in a week, as woeful Wednesday struck again last night. The Americans have lost 2-1 just twice in regulation time all season. They happen to be the last two Wednesdays. 

 

- Allen has hit the trifecta of assured wins/losses consistently over the last several games. The team that scores first, wins the special teams battle, and leads after the second period wins the game. Wichita checked all of those boxes last night on the way to its first win against Allen in seven tries this season. 

 

- The loss gave Allen a record of 4-3-0-0 for the just-completed seven-game homestand, well below Coach Martinson's goal of sweeping the seven home games and my goal of winning five of the seven games. The Americans now have a losing record over the last 10 games (4-5-1-0), and their quest to reach second place in the Mountain Division and secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs is a fading memory. Instead, Allen is now in a battle for third place in the division. 

 

- You can't complain about a defense that gives up two goals, as that would win most games. But to leave one of the league's top goal scorers, Kyle Crnkovic, all alone in front of the net to score the first goal of the game, less than three minutes after the opening puck drop, was the kiss of death. Allen's record when giving up the first goal has dropped to .354 (8-15-1-0).

 

- Allen bounced right back and tied the score just 97 seconds later on Harrison Blaisdell's 14th goal of the season, assisted by Spitserov and Gursoy. Unfortunately, the Americans were held scoreless for the final 55 minutes of the game. The difference in the game came down to special teams. There were two referees, and they pretty much let the players play, calling only two penalties, one on each team. Wichita converted on its power play at 15:03 of the second period. Allen's opportunity came in the third period and the Americans failed to convert. 

 

- To Allen's credit, they did everything but score in the third period, dominating play throughout. The Americans tallied more shots in the third period (18) than in the first two periods combined (16).  Ten of the 18 third-period shots came in the last 4:48 of the game, when the Americans peppered the Wichita goalie with quality shots, including three with the goalie pulled. The Americans went down swinging, but could not get the equalizer. 

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams and the video highlights:

• Allen Americans - https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-recap-americans-fall-short-in-2-1-loss-to-wichita
• Wichita Thunder - https://wichitathunder.com/news/2026/02/bates-davis-lift-thunder-past-americans-on-wednesday 
• Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/wichita-thunder-vs-allen-americans-feb-11-2026 

 

 

COACH MARTINSON'S COMMENTS

 "It was a slow start; if we played the whole game like we did in the third period, we would have had more goals."

"The puck was around the net a lot, and we missed some good chances." 

"It was a frustrating start. After we tied it up, I thought we would get going, but that didn't happen until the third period, and then we couldn't score. 

"On the game-winning power play goal, we lost the faceoff clean, and it is in our net five seconds later. We made a couple of mistakes on that play, which is the difference in the game."

"I thought our young guys all played well. They didn't score, but they had the puck a lot, made plays, and showed speed."  

"Our even-strength puck possession, according to the analytics, was an all-season high."    

"Asuchak has a high ankle sprain and will be out a minimum of six weeks."

"A while back, I told Deitsch the next time I don't play a goalie in the game after a shutout again, just punch me. After Jason found out Parsons was starting tonight, he asked me where I wanted him to punch me, since Marco had a 3-0 shutout on Saturday. The reason Marco didn't start is that he was a little sore, and resting him was best."

 

- Allen heads for Tulsa tomorrow for games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They really need a sweep of the Oilers, who have lost seven straight games and 12 of their last 13. Ironically, Tulsa's only win since January 3rd was a 5-2 win over Allen. 

 

- There is good news for the Americans on the roster front as they head to Tulsa:

• Andre Anania returns from suspension.
• Jake Chiasson returns from the AHL All-Star break 
• Martinson is still looking to add a player.    

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Kansas City won again last night and has won 20 of its last 21 games. The Mavericks points percentage has reached .800. Only two teams in the history of the ECHL have finished a season with a points percentage above .800.

• .826 - Idaho Steelheads  (2022-23)
• .806 - Louisiana IceGators (2001-02)

The Mavericks have been knocking on the Kelly Cup door for the last two seasons, losing in the Conference Finals last season and the Kelly Cup finals in 2024. One of these seasons, they will break that door down. Finishing fourth in the Mountain Division and facing Kansas City in the first round of the playoffs will be a daunting task. 

 

-  Here are the Mountain Division standings by points, with games remaining in parentheses:

• 72 points - Kansas City (27)
• 66 points - Idaho (26)
• 52 points - Tahoe (26)
• 52 points - Allen (27)
• 45 points - Wichita (29 )
• 41 points - Rapid City (28)
• 39 points - Utah (26)
• 27 points - Tulsa (30)

 

- I will have a complete series preview tomorrow, but this is one stat to contemplate as Allen heads to Tulsa for yet another 3-in-3 series. The Oilers are the worst team in the ECHL and have won only 12 games all season. However, 25% of Tulsa's wins (4) have come courtesy of the Allen Americans.

 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Was asked about the number of goalies used by each ECHL team this season. The ECHL has used 126 goalies so far this season. Here is the breakdown by team: 

 

6: TUL, UTA

5: GSO, IDH, KAL, *KC, NOR, ORL, RC, SAV, SC, TAH

4: BLM, CIN, FLA, GVL, IA, JAX, REA, *TOL, TR, *WHL, WOR

3: ADK, ALN, *ATL, FW, IND, WIC

2: MNE

 

*Current Division Leaders