Allen Advances, Game Recap, Martinson Comments, Plans For Practice, Possible Schedule, Katic's Hat Trick Records and More

 

Idaho owned the Allen Americans for the last two regular seasons, 6-0-0-1 this season and 6-0-0-0 last season. Regular-season frustration turned into playoff domination when the Allen beat the Steelheads 6-3 last night and eliminated Idaho 4-1. The Americans will now wait for the winner of the Kansas City vs Tahoe series to see their opponent for the Division Finals. 

 

- Resilience and refusal to allow Idaho to gain momentum is the storyline of the win last night. Three times Allen fell behind (1-0, 2-1, 3-2) and three times they answered. Danny Katic scored to tie the game 1-1, and Brayden Watts scored to tie the score 2-2.

 

- The emotional turning point came with seven seconds remaining in the second period when Allen tied the score 3-3. Coach Martinson put Spencer Asuchak out with Hargrove and McAuley to take an offensive zone faceoff with 18 seconds remaining. Spencer has been one of the best faceoff players in the ECHL for years. He won the draw and went to the front of the net along with Hargrove. McAuley took a shot from the high slot, and it went in off Asuchak into the net to tie the score 3-3. If you watch the replay, notice all the traffic in front of the net. The goal was an emotional gut punch to Idaho that lifted the Americans and drained the building. That late-period goal proved to be the backbreaker. 

 

-  The Americans were not going to be denied in the third period. As one player texted me, "There was never a doubt on our bench that we were going to get it done." Mark Duarte gave Allen the lead (4-3) at 8:20, Danny Katic scored an insurance power-play goal at 14:38, and tallied his fourth hat trick of the season with an empty-net goal at 15:54 to make the final score 6-3. 

 

- Goal scorers for Allen were Katic (3,4,5), Watts (4), Asuchak (1), and Duarte (1). Sedley had three assists, McAuley two. The home team is supposed to post highlights to the ECHL website, but for some reason, Idaho hasn't done that. 

 

-  Here are the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-moving-on-to-round-2  
• Idaho Steelheads: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2026/04/steelheads-eliminated-in-6-3-loss-to-americans  

 

MARTINSON COMMENTS

I had a chance to check in with Coach Martinson this morning as he was celebrating the victory by working out at the fitness center. He was on the bike as he shared these thoughts:

"Going into this series, we were playing good hockey and added some first-line players from Belleville We will be even better in the next round as the team has more time to work together."

"The goal at the end of the second period was a real backbreaker. The plan worked great. I put Asuchak out to win the draw, and then we had big bodies going to the net. Asuchak and Hargrove were both in front of the net, screening the goalie. When those two guys get set up in front, you can't move them. After five games in six days, Idaho gave up the lead with seven seconds left in the period. All of the momentum swung to us on that goal.  

"Everybody played well, but the guys you count on in an elimination game really stepped up."

"We made some adjustments to the power play, and it worked for two goals. We had some things we wanted to try, and the guys did a great job incorporating those ideas."

"Our power play will get better for the next round because we will have time to work on it over the next 10 days. We haven't had time to work on the power play very much with all the new guys."

"With so much time before the start of round two, there is a need to balance rest and practice. I will talk to the strength and conditioning coach in Ottawa, who is an expert on dealing with rest, conditioning, and recovery, and we will come up with a schedule. There will be one day with a competitive game for lunch, where the players pick the teams. I will have the players run practice by themselves without me one day, with all new drills. I have learned over the years that you want to stay active but not overwork the players. There is a lot more science in conditioning and recovery now than when I played. Getting advice from the Ottawa strength and conditioning coach, a real expert in the field, will drive our schedule."

"It is fun to see a group of guys, many of them have not played with each other very much, come together and excel. It is a fun group of guys to coach. It was nice going into the locker room after the game last night and seeing them enjoying themselves."      

 

 

 OTHER COMMENTS

- The Americans will have to wait up to 10 days for the start of the second round. The league sets the start and end dates for each series, and the participating teams must determine how to fit up to seven games within that time frame. The earliest the second round can start is May 8th. Kansas City is leading Tahoe 2-0 with the next three games in Tahoe (tonight, Thursday, and Saturday). If the series goes past five games, the sixth and seventh games, if necessary, would be in Kansas City on Monday, May 4th, and Wednesday, May 6. 

I will go out on a limb and make the assumption that Kansas City, the best team in the ECHL during the regular season, will win this series against Tahoe, the 16th-ranked team during the regular season. That would mean the Kansas City vs Allen series, which will be a 2-3-2 series, would start in Kansas City. Since the series can't begin before May 8, it is likely the first two games will be the weekend of the 8th. The teams would then travel to Allen for games 3, 4, and 5. Since teams try to maximize weekend games, you could expect the Allen home games to include a couple of weekend games. For sure, Allen will have to play its three home games between May 12 (Tuesday) and May 17 (Sunday).    

 

- Danny Katic's hat trick last night covers a lot of milestones. 

• First-ever playoff hat trick.
• Fourth hat trick this season, all-time single-season record.
• 11th team hat trick this season, breaking the all-time record of 8. 
• Danny's four hat tricks also tie him for Allen's career hat tricks with Costello and Crone. 

 

- Here is the updated list of hat tricks this season.

• 4 - Danny Katic 
• 3 - Harrison Blaisdell 
• 1 - Hank Crone 
• 1 - Mark Duarte 
• 1 - Colton Hargrove 
• 1 - Brayden Watts

- During his Allen coaching career, Steve Martinson has been involved in 21 playoff series. His record after the series win last night is 17-4, with four championships.

 

- Six of the seven first-round playoff series still being contested are in action tonight. South Carolina vs Atlanta is idle, and Allen has already advanced. Toledo is leading Bloomington 3-0 and is the only team that can punch its ticket to the second round tonight. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-april-29   

 

- Danny Katic leads the playoffs in points with 10 (5G, 5A). Brayden Watts is second with eight points (4G, 4A) and has at least one point in all five playoff games. Sam Sedley leads all defensemen with six points (1G, 5A). 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Nine playoff teams don’t have playoff-eligible players in the AHL (ADK, ALN, BLM, FLA, FW, IND, REA, SAV, TOL). Here are the six teams that are waiting for players once their affiliates are eliminated from the playoffs. The first number is the number of players on the playoff-eligible list. The second number is the number of ECHL slots being saved for a playoff-eligible player. For example, Wheeling has six playoff-eligible players in the AHL, but can only add one when they become available.

 

Wheeling, 6 players, 1 slot

Kansas City, 5 players, 4 slots

South Carolina, 4 players, 1 slot

Atlanta, 2 players, 1 slot

Maine, 1 player, 0 slots (already at max 25 player roster)

Tahoe, 1 player, 1 slot

 

Idaho, which was eliminated by Allen last night, had one slot saved for their top goalie, but he never became available. The Steelheads ended up playing one goalie for five games in six days and lost the series 4-1.

Idaho Top Line Burns Allen 5-1, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Playoff Standings and More

 

If you go by the stats sheet, it is hard to explain Allen's 5-1 loss to Idaho last night. The Americans held a 3-0 series lead and were looking to sweep. Instead, they gave up four unanswered goals over the first two periods and were never in the game. 

 

- Allen outshot Idaho in the first period and had three power play opportunities to none for the Steelheads, but were outscored 2-0. Allen outshot  Idaho in the second period, but Idaho outscored Allen 2-0. Allen also outshot Idaho in the third period and got one on the scoreboard with a power play goal by Colton Hargrove, but the Steelheads responded with a power play goal of its own to make the final score 5-1. 

 

- Comebacks are rare in the playoffs; teams trailing after the second period are 1-15 thus far. Allen is the lone exception with its comeback on Sunday, but last night the Americans paid the price for giving up the first goal of the game and falling behind 2-0 midway through the first period. It was a lead they could never overcome. The Steelheads have scored 11 goals in this series, five of them in the first period.  

 

- In addition to giving up the first goal and trailing after the first period (2-0), and the second period, which all spell defeat, Allen also lost the special teams battle. It is rare for Allen to get more power-play opportunities than the Steelheads when playing in Idaho. There was a game in November when power plays favored Idaho 9-2. Last night, Allen had seven power play opportunities and converted on one (14.3%). Idaho has six power play opportunities and converted on two (33.3%).

 

-  If you want to read a goal-by-goal recap of the game, here is the game recap from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-drop-game-4

•  Idaho Steelheads: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2026/04/idaho-stays-alive-with-5-1-win-in-game-4

- The Americans need to re-group for the game tonight and finish off this series in Idaho. Here is some food for thought:

•  Looking at the analytics, you can make the argument that Allen had its best scoring chances of the series, dominating in shots 42-29 and puck possession, 59% to 41%. The Americans also had a 23-8 advantage in blocked shots.   
• Allen has to get off to a better start after giving up the first goal in the last two games and being outscored 5-0 in the first period (2-0 & 3-0). 
• Who gets the start in goal tonight? Mirwald has started the last two games and has been pulled in both. On Sunday, he gave up three goals on 13 shots (.769) and was replaced by Jackson Parsons to start the second period. Parsons stopped all 25 shots he faced and earned the win in Allen's comeback. Last night Mirwald gave up four goals on 15 shots (.733) and was pulled in the second period. Marco Costantini played the final 30:44 of the game and gave up one goal (power play) on 15 shots (.938).
• Normally, Parsons would have gotten the start last night after his two-period shutout on Sunday. If, for some reason, he can't go tonight, Costantini will get the start. Having three goalies, all with regular-season save percentages at .917 or above, is a real benefit. Idaho, on the other hand, is rolling the dice with one goalie (Jake Barczewski), who has played every minute of the series. If he starts again tonight, it will be five games in six days, and he faced 40 shots last night.
• Andre Anania was given a game misconduct last night. The rule cited in the box score (23.9) says, in part, that any player involved in an altercation with a spectator who throws or shoots any object at a spectator or out of the playing surface shall automatically incur a game misconduct penalty, and the referee shall report the infraction to the Commissioner, who shall have full power to impose further penalty as he deems appropriate. In Anania's case, the thrown "object" was water that he squirted after receiving verbal abuse. A fan then threw a beer on Andre. Based on what I have seen in the past, these types of situations don't end well for the player. It will be a big loss if Anania misses the game tonight. UPDATE: Anania suspended one game..
• When Brenden Hoffmann returned from the AHL on Saturday, it was clear he would have an impact on this series. After all, he had 32 goals in 44 games when he was loaned to the San Jose Barracuda in early February. In two games, he has four points (2G, 2A), and the two goals came in the win last night. Allen has to find a way to account for Hoffmann, or he will become a one-man wrecking crew.
• Special teams couldn't be more even in this series. Both teams are 4-18  (22.2%). Allen lost the special teams battle last night (1-7 vs 2-6), and they need to turn that around tonight.  

  

  - I had a chance to talk to Coach Martinson this morning. This is what he shared:

"I told the guys after the game that we had the best scoring chances in any of the games in the series, with a bunch of point-blank opportunities, and their goalie stood on his head." 

"Idaho shot the puck better, and the first line did all of the damage. They stacked the first line, and it worked. You can't give their top goal scorers the time and space we were giving them."

"Whoever is playing against the top line has to defend harder, has to back pressure, and the defensemen can't give them that kind of time."    

"We will make adjustments to the power play, which was 1-7 last night. We have to find a way to get it going.

"I will spend this morning breaking down their scoring chances, and ours, as well as the power plays, and use the video in our pregame meetings."

"Parsons is not available today. I am not sure if Anania will be available (UPDATE: suspended for one game). I will also make other lineup changes today."

 

- I will update the blog with the lineup later today. UPDATE:

Allen’s lineup tonight against Idaho:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

18 Blaisdell - 55 Hookey - 11 Barbashev

26 Asuchak - 44 Dubois - 67 Crone

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

22 Costantini - 40 Toure

21 Decker - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

33 Costantini

32 Mirwald (backup)

 

 

- Here are the video highlights, which show what Coach Martinson was talking about in his comments above: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-apr-27-2026-game-4 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 - Here are the game notes from the Allen Americans for the game tonight: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-5-tonight-in-boise-810-pm-cdt 

 

 - All of the #1 seeds are 2-0 and looking to sweep the first round. The #2 vs #3 seeds series are closer. Toledo is the only #2 seed looking to sweep. Here is the status:

• 3-0: #2 Toledo leads #3 Bloomington (Game #4 is tomorrow) 
• 3-1: #2 Allen leads #3 Idaho (Game #5 is tonight)
• 2-1: #2 South Carolina leads #3 Atlanta (Game 4 is tonight)
• 1-1: #2 Maine is tied with #3 Adirondack  (Game 3 is tomorrow)

 

 - The average ECHL playoff attendance is 5056 after 20 first-round games. That is an excellent average when you consider teams don't have much time to market the first round games. 

 

-  It is another light night on the playoff schedule with only three games being played. Allen at Idaho, Fort Wayne at Indy, and South Carolina at Atlanta. Allen can become the first team to advance to the second round with a win. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-apr-28

 

- It is a small sample size, but two players lead the league in average playoff  points per game at 2.50:

• Brenden Hoffmann - Idaho (2G, 3A)
• Matthew Quescia - Wheeling (2G, 3A) 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The four #1 seeds in the Kelly Cup playoffs are undefeated. Will they all sweep their first-round series? Goals for and against for the #1 seeds are in parentheses:

 

2-0: #1 Fort Wayne vs #4 Indy (8-1)

2-0: #1 Kansas City vs #4 Tahoe (6-2)

2-0: #1 Wheeling vs #4 Reading (9-1)

2-0: #1 Florida vs #4 Savannah (6-1)

A Comeback Worth Savoring, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Tonight's Preview, Most and Fewest Team Shots

 

The boxscore says the Allen Americans beat the Idaho Steelheads 4-3 in overtime on Sunday to take a commanding 3-0 series lead, but that doesn't tell the story. 

 

- For a while, it looked like the game belonged to Idaho. Inside the sold-out Idaho Central Arena, the Americans found themselves in the worst kind of playoff trouble, down 3-0 in the first period on the road, chasing a game that seemed to be slipping further away with every shift. 

 

- Losing 3-0 anytime in a playoff game is not a good sign. Losing 3-0 on the road usually means defeat. Not with this Allen team that is 14-0-1-0 in its last 15 games. Midway through the second period, the tone of the game changed, not gradually, but abruptly. In just 59 seconds, Allen scored twice, slashing Idaho's comfortable 3-0 lead to 3-2 before the building could fully process what had just happened. This sudden burst of scoring didn't just change the scoreboard; it changed the psychology of the game. A deficit that once felt safe suddenly felt fragile. 

 

-  Danny Katic scored the first goal, and as usual, it was from the blue paint. It was his 40th goal of the season. Assists went to Landon Hookey and Michael Gildon. Sam Sedley didn't get an assist but made the play with a diving save at the blueline to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Djibril Touré scored the second goal on a nifty give-and-go with Jax Bubois, with all kinds of traffic in front of the net.

 

- The second period ended with Idaho leading 3-2, and there was still a daunting task ahead for the Americans. For reference, when Allen had a second-period lead during the regular season, their record was 30-0-2-0.  Plus, in the current playoffs, no team had trailed after the second period and gone on to win the game (12-0-0-0).  

 

- It didn't take long in the third period, just 2:25, for Allen to complete the climb, tying the game 3-3 and turning a once-comfortable Idaho lead into a dead-even fight. Katic made a stretch pass to Watts to spring him on an odd-man rush with Gildon. The defenseman gave Watts an open shot, and he buried it. 

 

- There was no scoring for the remaining 17:35 of the game. Jackson Parsons, who replaced Brett Mirwald at the start of the second period, made some great saves to help Allen get the game to overtime. Four minutes into overtime, Colby McAuley deflected a Sam Sedley shot from the point into the net for the game winner. It was a great deflection by Colby as he was at the faceoff dot when he tipped the shot. When the puck hit the net, the comeback was no longer improbable; it was complete. 

 

- Here are the goal scorers with totals, including the regular season. Katic (40), Touré (1), Watts (27), and McAuley (27). The video highlights show some great effort, passes, and shots that led to goals. Take some time to watch these a few times and appreciate the great plays that led to one of the more memorable and critical playoff wins in recent years. https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-apr-26-2026-game-3 

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans: "Americans Take 3-0 Series Lead with OT Winner."  https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-take-3-0-series-lead-with-ot-winner
• Idaho Steelheads: "Steelheads Fall Into 3-0 Series Hole With Game 3 Overtime Loss." https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-take-3-0-series-lead-with-ot-winner 

 

- There is no rest for the weary, as game four of this playoff marathon is tonight (8:10 pm CDT). Allen has a chance to sweep the series and get some much-needed rest before round two. The fourth win in a series is always difficult, and you know the Steelheads don't want to get swept at home. The Americans defied the odds yesterday, coming back from a 3-0 deficit. That won't happen again. Allen needs a much better start tonight, and can't afford to play from behind. Allen scored a power play goal, but struggled getting the puck in the zone and getting shots on goal. 

 

- I had a chance to check in with Coach Martinson this morning to get his take on the games and series.

"I felt we could come back even when we fell behind 3-0 because we have done it before this season. It is more difficult on the road against a good playoff team, but I did feel like we could come back and win it."

"The shots from our analytics software show Idaho had a big first period (13-9) because they had three power plays. The shots were 12-9 in the second period. Where we got outshot mainly was the third period (11-6)."

"We had a minute more of puck possession even-strength. The shots on goal, even-strength were 27-24. The big difference in shots on goal was the power play; they outshot us 11-1. Some of that is because they had more power plays, but sometimes we don't shoot the puck enough on the power play. We will make some adjustments to the power play tonight." 

"Idaho's defense played pretty solid last night. To be successful tonight, we have to work hard, get pucks in deep, win battles for pucks, and get movement in the offensive zone. We are a bigger team, so getting pucks in deep and working the walls is to our advantage in the offensive zone."

"We have a lot of depth, and those guys that haven't been scoring just need to stay positive as they are ready to break out. We have more goals in the tank." 

"We can't give up power plays in the first period and let them get off to a good start. I thought we were much more disciplined last night, because we didn't want to take penalties. It is frustrating when our player responds after an obvious penalty isn't called and then takes a retaliation penalty. Players who instigate something and then hide behind the officials should be given penalties. They initiate and then stop, and it has worked in their favor the whole series. When challenged, they will never drop the gloves."

"I will have to check in with the players this morning before determining the lineup for tonight. We may have some changes." 

UPDATE

Allen’s lineup tonight against Idaho:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

26 Asuchak - 55 Hookey - 18 Blaisdell

77 Sillinger - 44 Dubois - 11 Barbashev

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

86 Anania - 40 Toure

22 Costantini - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

32 Mirwald

33 Costantini (backup)

 

 

OTHER COMMENTS 

- If  Allen happens to wrap up this series tonight or tomorrow, there will be a long layoff before the start of round two. The first round series could go until May 6th, which is a Wednesday, so the second rounds will likely start the following Friday or Saturday (May 8 or 9). Allen may be in one of those rest vs rust dilemmas if they can win the game tonight.

 

- Brayden Watts (3G, 2A) and Danny Katic (2G, 3A) are leading a contingent of seven Allen players averaging 1.00+ points per game after three playoff games. Watts and Katic are averaging 1.67 points per game. Watts is on a 12-game points streak dating back to April 2. Four Allen players (Watts, Katic, Sedley, Hookey) have points in all three playoff games.

 

- Allen at Idaho was the only game on the schedule yesterday. It is not much better tonight, with just three games. Joining Allen at Idaho will be South Carolina at Atlanta and Toledo at Bloomington. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-april-27      

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL stats post today is about shots. Notice Allen appears on both lists. Another example of the turnaround from last season to this season. Last season, Allen set an all-time record for fewest shots in a game. This season, the Americans had the most shots in a game, and it wasn't even an overtime game:

 

Most and fewest shots by a team in an ECHL game this season (2025-26):

 

MOST

63: Allen

58: Toledo

57: Indy

56: Cincinnati

 

70: All-time record, Gwinnett (2010)

 

 

FEWEST

9: Iowa

10: Kalamazoo

12: Tulsa

12: Wichita 

 

7: All-time record, Allen (2024)

 

Spotlight Squarely on Allen vs Idaho, Game Preview, Keys to the Game, Lineup, Playoff Stats, Martinson Climbs the Ladder and Point Increases/Decreases

 

While eight first-round Kelly Cup series are taking place across the league, only one game is scheduled today, and that puts the spotlight on Allen at Idaho. The marathon of five games in six days, which is actually five games in just over five days (122 hours) continues today (5:10 pm CDT) with Allen leading the series 2-0. 

 

- Playoff hockey always tests skill and depth, but this series will test stamina just as much. With travel, quick turnarounds, and the possibility of five games in only 122 hours, the margin for error shrinks with every shift. Martinson will talk systems, and players will talk matchups. But somewhere behind the scenes, the real MVPs of this series might be trainer Jordan Dutton and equipment manager Matt Miletich. and coffee machines. Five games in 122 hours doesn't just test playoff toughness; it tests laundry cycles, recovery time, and who can bounce back the fastest when the puck drops again.

 

-  Now that the playoffs are underway, it is easy to forget Allen has been playing the best hockey in the ECHL for over a month. The last time the Americans lost a game in regulation time was March 21. Since then, Allen's record is 13-0-1-0. In those 14 games, the Americans scored 72 goals (5.14 average) and allowed 30 goals (2.14 average). In any month, if you can average two more goals than your opponent, you know you are playing excellent hockey. 

 

- With all of the recent success, I am reminded of what you always read in a stock prospectus: "past performance is no guarantee of future results." That is definitely true as Allen takes the ice this afternoon. If Allen wins today and takes a 3-0 lead, the likelihood of Idaho coming back falls to less than 2%. If Idaho wins this afternoon, the odds of winning the series increase to just over 30%.

 

- Here are the stats after the first two games of the series:

• Allen scored first in both games.
• Allen outscored Idaho 9-3.
• Allen outshot Idaho 65-53.
• Allen was 2-8 (25%) on the power play; Idaho was 1-7 (14.3%).
• Allen took 18 penalties for 44 minutes, Idaho 19 for 46 minutes.
• Allen has not trailed in the series. The score after the 6 periods was 2-0, 3-2, 5-1, 0-0, 2-0, 4-2.   

 

-  Keys to the game today:

• As usual, scoring first will be critical. It is easy to predict that the team that scores first will win the game, since that has been the case 88% of the time in the playoffs. Idaho has a history of good starts against Allen, so the Americans have to be ready. 
• Playing with the lead is another key. Playing from behind in the third period will not be successful for either team.
• After the whistle scrums have become commonplace in this series. Coach Martinson is tired of Idaho players taking shots after the whistle with no repercussions from the referees. If the referees want to avoid all of the scrums, they need to penalize the instigator. Martinson's feeling is, play within the whistle or drop your gloves; it is as simple as that. Allen players will be reminded to stay away from the post-whistle scrums, but if the officials don't take control, it could get ugly. 
• Special teams will likely be the difference maker in the game today. Win the special teams battle, win the game.
• Idaho got two players assigned yesterday, who were playing in the AHL (San Jose).  The Barracuda were just eliminated from the playoffs.. Brendan Hoffman (#9) was leading the league in goals when he was loaned to San Jose in February. Despite missing 28 games, Hoffman led the Steelheads in points (51) and goals (32). His goals per game average of .727 is the best in the league. Allen will have to account for Hoffmann today. 

 

-  I don't have the lineup for the game today, but I will be surprised if it isn't the same as the lineup on Friday. That lineup was great in earning a 2-0 series lead, and with a day of rest, you might see them again.  What will be interesting to watch is how Coach Martinson might change up his lines, because Idaho will have last change. No doubt, he will have a couple of tricks up his sleeve to counter Idaho's last change advantage.  

 

- Here is the game day preview/ notes from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-day-preview-the-series-moves-to-boise  

 

OTHER COMMENTS 

- After last night, each of the eight playoff series has played two games. The higher seeds/home teams are 14-2. The two series that are tied 1-1 are  #2 Adirondack vs #3 Maine in the North Division and #2 Atlanta vs #3 South Carolina in the South Division. Here are some other playoff stats:

• Defenses continue to dominate. In 16 playoff games, the losing teams have scored only 20 goals, averaging just 1.25 goals per game.
• Penalty minutes continue to be much higher in the playoffs than in the regular season. The regular-season average was 12.24 minutes per game. So far in the playoffs, the average is 19.91 minutes per game.
• There have been 19 misconduct penalties (10 minutes) in 16 games. Reading has five of them.
• Toledo had the best power play percentage in the regular season (29.9%). and they are #1 in the playoffs  (37.5%). 

 

 - Steve Martinson has won championships in four different leagues, WCHL (5), UHL (1), CHL (2) and ECHL (2). With the two wins against Idaho this week, Martinson has moved into #2 all-time in ECHL career playoff wins (56). He needs three more games coached to move into #2 all-time in that category. The 2026 playoffs are the 11th time Martinson has taken an ECHL team to the playoffs. That is tied for #1. 

 

DID YOU  KNOW: ECHL teams that gained or lost more than 20 points from 2024-25 to 2025-26. Teams on the upswing and teams in decline:

 

Point Increases

+49: Allen (4th largest year-over-year increase of all-time)

+28: Atlanta

+28: Adirondack

+23: Maine

 

Point Decreases

-27: Iowa

-27: Wichita

-25: Tulsa

-23: Norfolk

-23: Jacksonville

-22: Trois Rivières

-21: Orlando

   

Allen Takes 2-0 Series Lead, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Playoff Stats in Rarefied Air, Allen Connection to DEL Playoffs Finals and More

 

The Allen Americans took a 2-0 series lead with a 4-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads before a crowd of 5466 at the CUTX Event Center last night. After the win on Thursday, Coach Martinson said the focus for game two would be playing like the first period of game one for 60 minutes, avoiding all of the after-the-whistle retaliation penalties, and making adjustments on the power play. How did it work out last night?

• Allen played more consistently last night, outshooting Idaho in every period (14-11, 12-7, 12-10) for a total of  38-28, and was the more physical team.
• Allen scored the first goal of the game for the 12th time in the last 14 games and have won them all. Last night, the first goal didn't come until early in the second period (2:50) when Andre Anania scored from the blueline on the power play. The Americans' record this season when scoring first is now 34-2-4-0 (.850).
• Allen took a 2-0 lead later in the second period (9:56) when Landon Hookey deflected an Anthony Costantini shot into the net. Allen took the 2-0 lead into the second intermission, and the win was all but insured, given Allen's record when leading after the second period is 32-0-2-0.
• When Colton Hargrove stretched the lead to 3-0, 51 seconds into the third period, the only remaining question was whether Brett Mirwald would get his third shutout of the season in his ninth pro game.
• Idaho made the game interesting, scoring twice in 45 seconds (one on the power play) to cut the score to 3-2 with eight minutes remaining. When Allen took a slashing penalty with 2:09 remaining and Idaho pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, you could cut the tension with a skate blade. It was survival mode for Allen. Four defenders against six attackers, and 5000 fans barely breathing.
• And then Karma struck. Sam Sedley, who took the penalty that allowed Idaho to cut the lead to 3-2, just cleared the puck out of the zone. It wasn't a shot, it was a slow-motion miracle. Rolling on its side like it had a mind of its own, in a slow arc towards the empty net and crossing the line just before an Idaho player slammed into the net in desperation.
• After the strangest empty net goal of the season gave Allen a 4-2 lead, there were still 18 seconds remaining on the clock. Still time for a pushing-and-shoving convention that produced nine roughing penalties. An Idaho stick even found Coach Martinson on the bench. 

 

- Special teams played a big role in the game, and it was to Allen's advantage. Only two of the six goals were scored at even strength, one by each team:

• Allen was 2-5 on the power play and scored a shorthanded goal 
• Idaho was 1-3 on the power play. 

 

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

• Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-apr-24-2026-game-2 
• Allen Americans recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-take-2-0-series-lead
• Idaho Steelheads recap: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2026/04/idahos-comeback-falls-short-in-game-2-loss

 

COACH MARTINSON'S POST-GAME COMMENTS

As he does after every game, Coach Martinson met with a standing room only crowd of season ticketholders after the game.  There was a lot of energy in the room among the fans and the coach on the nine roughing penalties called with 12.5 seconds remaining in the game. Here are Martinson's comments about the game:

"This is a great start at home, being up 2-0 in the series and getting a 3-0 lead tonight. It was kind of a lucky goal right off the faceoff on their first goal after Asuchuk won the faceoff. Then they got a second goal on the power play 45 seconds later and turned the game into a nail-biter."

"It was good getting a couple of power-play goals tonight after our struggles last night. We had a lot of traffic in front of the net on the goals."

"The other thing for us is that the guys played more together and are starting to get more chemistry."

"We are going on three different flights in the morning. Management is going earlier because we don't have to play. We are going at 8:40 am. Then a bunch of guys are leaving at 10:40 am, and some of the veteran guys don't leave until 8:30 pm. 

"We did a better job staying out of the after-the-whistle stuff tonight until the game was decided with a few seconds remaining. I didn't like the way the scrum at the end of the game that resulted in nine roughing penalties was handled."

"The big thing on Sunday will be that they are going to come at us with everything. Nobody wants to go down 3-0. We know we have to be ready for their best game."

    

OTHER COMMENTS

 -  I know it is early, as there have only been nine playoff games played thus far, but here are some numbers rarely seen in ECHL playoffs. Running laps around historical averages. 

• Higher seeds are 9-0.
• Home teams are 9-0.
• Average penalty minutes are twice as high as in the regular season, 24 vs 12 minutes.
• There have been 14 10-minute misconduct penalties in nine games. 
• The teams that scored first are 8-1.
• There have been five shorthanded goals in nine games.
• Winning teams are allowing an average of 0.89 goals per game.   

  

- The Allen vs Idaho series is the only one that has played two games, so no surprise the Americans have the playoff leaders in a bunch of stats:

• #1 in points: Watts  (4)
• #1 in goals:  Watts and Hargrove (2)
• #1, #2, #3 in plus/minus: Sedley (+5), Prefontaine (+4), Gildon (+3) 
• #1, #2 in points by defensemen: Anania (3), Sedley (2)

 

- Allen and Idaho are idle today, but the other seven series will be in action. The higher seeds have had their way so far; I would expect that will change today. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-april-25

 

- The top league in Germany and one of the elite leagues in Europe is the DEL. They are in the finals of the playoffs with Eisbaren Berlin leading Adler Mannheim 1-0 in the best-of-seven finals. There is a rooting interest for Allen fans as two former players, goalie Jake Hildebrand and defenseman Les Lancaster, play for Eisbaren Berlin. Lancaster was the ECHL Defenseman of the Year when he played for Allen in 2020-21. He had twice as many goals (26) as any other defenseman in the league. Hildebrand was part of the 2016 Kelly Cup championship team. It takes 16 wins to earn the Kelly Cup. In 2016, Riley Gill at 12 of the 16, Hildebrand three, and Joel Rumpel one.  Game two of the DEL finals is tomorrow.  

 

 

DID YOU  KNOW: Welcome to ECHL playoff hockey. There have been nine games thus far, and the higher seeds have won all nine with great defense. Here are the goals allowed in the nine games by the winning teams:

 

0 goals - 3 games

1 goal - 4 games

2 goals - 2 games

 

That’s right, nine games all won by the higher seeds, allowing an average of 0.89 goals per game.

Allen Takes Series Lead With 5-1 Win, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Tonight's Lineup, 70+ Point Scorers Declining and More

 

 The quote of the night, as I walked around CUTX Event Center between periods and after the game, was "Now that is Martinson hockey." In a game reminiscent of the championship years, Allen overwhelmed Idaho in the first period with a combination of physicality and skill. Every Allen player was finishing every check, and they weren't those running into the player type of checks.  

 

- It took just 32 seconds after the opening puck drop for Allen to get on the scoreboard. A great pass from Andre Anania to Brayden Watts in the slot, and the puck was in the net on the first shot of the game. Scoring first has been a magic elixir for the Americans this season. After last night, their record when scoring first stands at 31-2-4-2.

 

- Danny Katic made it 2-0 at the 16:31 mark of the first period. Sam Sedley walked the puck to the front of the net, and Katic was in his office (blue paint) to tap the goal into an open net. When the dust settled on the first period, Allen had outshot Idaho 14-7, outscored them 2-0, and delivered 15 big hits (5 by Danny Katic).  

 

- The back-breaker goal was scored by Colton Hargrove early in the second period (2:14). Allen had killed off a carryover penalty from the first period. Allen grabbed the momentum when Landen Hookey sprung Hargrove on a breakaway with a great cross-ice pass, and Colton did one of his patented moves of fake right, go left, and tap the puck into an open net. With a 3-0 lead, the game was pretty much over at that point.

 

- Hargrove's goal was scored on the first shot by either team in the second period. At that point, Allen had a 15-7 shot advantage. From that point, Allen had only 12 shots over the remaining 38 minutes of the game, and two of them were open-net goals (McAuley & Watts). Idaho scored a goal in the second period to cut the score to 3-1., Allen took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission, and that was pretty much lights out for the Steelheads. Allen's record with a second-period lead is now 31-0-2-0. 

 

- Here are the video highlights and game recaps. Pay attention to the primary assists on the goals, as there were some good ones. 

• Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-apr-23-2026-game-1
• Allen Americans recap: https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-apr-23-2026-game-1
• Idaho Steelheads recap: https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-apr-23-2026-game-1  

 

- What are the keys to the game tonight? 

• A repeat of the first period from last night. Score the first goal and accentuate the physical play. 
• Keep the foot in the gas for all three periods.
• Stay out of the penalty box, especially avoiding retaliation penalties after the whistle.
• Win the special teams battle. 

 

- Coach Martinson outlined the plan for tonight when he talked about the 5-1 win with the season ticket holders last night: 

"It was a great start, at one point we were outshooting them 18-5, and then the BS started, and we were biting into it, and retaliating. What irritates me with the stuff after the whistle is how they hand out the penalties. When all of the after-the-whistle stuff started happening, and they got some back-to-back power plays, our lines got all messed up, and we ended up losing momentum."

"I told the guys what intimidates is the hard hits, and that is what we were doing in the first period. We know when the stuff after the whistle happens, like a glove in the face, it is just BS, and they are not going to fight."

"We have to be more disciplined after the whistle stuff was the difference in the game. We just didn't have that fluid play in the second half of the game. We have to learn from that."

"We padded our stats with the two empty net goals, which looks good on the stats sheet." 

"Mirwald was good again in goal. He still hasn't lost a game in regulation time. (6-0-1-0 &.952 save %).

"Our power play sucked, and we have to work on a couple of things for the game tomorrow. We have to get on the drawing board and get a little tighter on our power play. It was frustrating."

"It was a good start, and we will take it. We have to have the same kind of start tomorrow. That will be our focus: what we must do to repeat that start."  

"Our centers were good tonight on faceoffs. I had Jason keep track of how each center was doing against their centers, so if we got to a point when we really needed to win a draw, we could get the right center out." (FYI, final tally on faceoffs favored Allen 56% to 44%.)

 

- Allen’s lineup tonight against Idaho:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

77 Sillinger - 55 Hookey - 18 Blaisdell

26 Asuchak - 44 Dubois - 11 Barbashev

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

86 Anania - 40 Toure

22 Costantini - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

32 Mirwald

33 Costantini (backup)

 

- There will be a different pair of referees working the game tonight. Logan Gruhl (#29) and Emile Charron (#43). The linesmen will be Michael Miggins (#47) and Daniel Barnes (#76). 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- How important is winning the game tonight? History says teams that win the first two games at home go on to win the series almost 90% of the time. A split at home turns the series into a near coin flip and hands Idaho the momentum.       

 

- The playoffs really get going tonight with seven of the eight series in action. The only teams not playing are Bloomington and Toledo. Here are the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-april-24 

 

- If the Allen vs Idaho series goes seven games, it would end on May 3, the earliest of the eight first-round matchups. Three series have game seven on May 5th, and four have game seven on May 6. 

  

 

 DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the declining number of players reaching 70 points in a season. Allen's numbers are different. The Americans had two 70+ point scorers this season (Watts & Harrison), none in 2024-25 and 2023-24. In 2022-23, Allen had four players with 70+ points. Crone (105), Combs (95), Hargrove (85), and Finlay (70):

 

Why are 70+ point scorers in the ECHL declining? Here are the number of 70+ point scorers the last four seasons:

 

6 - 2025-26

9 - 2024-25

13 - 2023-24

18 - 2022-23

 

Here are the six 70+ point scorers this season:

86 - Marcus Crawford, Kansas City

78 - Brandon Hawkins, Toledo

75 - Brayden Watts, Allen

73 - Simon Pinard, South Carolina

73 - Danny Dzhaniyev, Utah

70 - Danny Katic, Allen

 

Allen Turnaround One of Best All-Time, Allen vs Idaho Series Preview, Tonight's Lineup, Martinson Statement on Affiliation Extension, Playoff Vets and Rookies

 

Steve Martinson and the Allen Americans begin the "Drive for Five" anew tonight, kicking off the Kelly Cup playoffs against the Idaho Steelheads. It is the beginning of a grueling five games in six days, with the lone off day spent traveling from Allen to Idaho.   

 

- Four years ago, Steve Martinson was shown the door after winning four championships in 10 years with the Allen Americans. He returned to the bench this season and rewrote the script, turning the league's worst team into the hottest (11-0-1-0) going into the playoffs. In the process,  Martinson authored the fourth-largest turnaround in ECHL history. Now comes the hardest part: proving that redemption stories end with a championship, not just applause. 

 

- The turnaround: Allen finished the regular season with 92 points (.639), 49 points better than the 43 points (.299) the team had last season. The +49 point turnaround has only been exceeded three times in the 38-year history of the ECHL:

• +58 points - Toledo from 49 points in 2013-14 to 107 points in 2014-15
• +50 points - Greenville from 33 points in 2003-04 to 83 points in 2004-05
• +50 points - Knoxville from 44 points in  1992-93 to 94 points in 1993-94
• +49 points - Allen from 43 points in 2024-25 to 92 points in 2025-26

 When I mentioned this 49-point turnaround to Coach Martinson, comparing this season to last season was not a big deal. His exact words were, "It's a nice stat, but the best part of this season was how we dialed it in the last month (11-0-1-0), and then added some skilled and gritty players for the playoff push."

 

-  I have heard from several fans that Idaho has to be the favorite in this series, based on the Steelheads beating the Americans six of seven times (6-0-0-1) in the regular season. I understand the sentiment. Here are the facts that mitigate the regular-season record and give Allen the edge:

• Three of the losses came before Thanksgiving when Allen wasn't playing well.
• Five of the seven games were on the road.
• Three of the seven games went to overtime.
• Allen's lone win was the last time the teams played.
• The last time Allen played Idaho, eight players on the playoff roster did not play (Asuchak, Barbashev, Crone, Duarte, Dubois, Hookey, Kidney, Sedley, Touré)
• Allen averaged 2.29 goals a game and allowed 3.29 in the seven games against Idaho.
• In the last month, Allen has averaged 5.25 goals per game and allowed 2.25, going 11-0-1-0.

 

- Here is a statistical comparison between Allen and Idaho, looking at the stats from the 72-game regular season:  

Goals Scored (average per game)

• 3.72 - Allen  
• 3.49 - Idaho

Goals Allowed (average per game) 

• 2.90 - Allen
• 3.04 - Idaho

Goal Differential (goals scored minus goals allowed)

• +59 - Allen
• +32 - Idaho 
  

Shots For (average per game)

• 34.24 - Idaho
• 33.72 - Allen

Shots Against (average per game)

• 32.35 - Idaho
• 34.33 - Allen

Shooting Percentage (goals as a percent of total shots)

• 10.9% - Allen 
• 10.0% - Idaho

Power Play Percentage

• 21.7% - Allen 
• 18.5% - Idaho

Penalty Kill Percentage

• 84.1% - Allen
• 79.4% - Idaho 

Power Play Goals Scored

• 60 - Allen
• 50 - Idaho 
  

Plus/Minus 

• +169 - Allen 
• +133 - Idaho 

Goals Against Average (GAA)

• 2.87 - Allen
• 2.97 - Idaho

Save Percentage

• .915 - Allen  
• .906 - Idaho

Record Last 10 Games

• 9-0-1-0 - Allen
• 5-4-1-0 - Idaho

 THE ROSTER

- I am sure you have seen the 25-player playoff roster by now. Here is the list with height, weight, and left- or right-shot status. The height and weight data are from the Allen Americans website and may be inaccurate in some cases. NHL/AHL contracted players are marked with an asterisk.

Forwards

• #7 Colton Hargrove - 6'2"  205 lbs  left shot
• #9 *Danny Katic - 6'4"  222 lbs  left shot
• #11 *Maxim Barbashev - 6'1"  188 lbs  left shot 
• #18 Harrison Blaisdell - 5'11"  181 lbs  left shot
• #26 Spencer Asuchak - 6'6"  230 lbs  left shot
• #27 *Mark Duarte - 6'2"  187 lbs right shot
• #29 Brayden Watts - 6'0"  182 lbs  left shot
• #44 Jax Dubois - 6'4"  205 lbs  right shot
• #55 *Landon Hookey - 6'5"  225 lbs  right shot
• #67 Hank Crone - 5'9"  170 lbs  left shot
• #76 *Riley Kidney - 6'0"  190 lbs. left shot
• #77 Lukas Sillinger - 5'11"  170 lbs  left shot
• #91 Michael Gildon - 6'2"  196 lbs left shot
• #92 Colby McAuley - 6'0"  185 lbs  left shot 

     How do the forwards compare to Idaho? Allen has three players under 6'0, and Idaho has nine. Allen's average weight is 11 pounds heavier than Idaho's. Allen has recently added some right-shot forwards that helped even out what was a big imbalance. The split is now 11 left shots vs 3 right shots. Idaho is split 7 left shots vs 6 right shots.  

 

Defense

• #2  Quinn Warmuth - 6'4"  219 lbs  right shot
• #8 Ty Prefontaine - 6'3" 215 lbs  left shot
• #21 Jackson Decker - 5'11"  175 lbs left shot
• #22 Anthony Costantini - 6'1" 185 lbs right shot
• #23 Sam Sedley - 6'0"  185 lbs  right shot
• #25 Trevor LeDonne - 6'1"  205 lbs  left shot
• #40 *Djibril Touré - 6'7"  210 lbs right shot
• #86 Andre Anania - 6'1"  190 pounds  right shot 

How do the defensemen compare to Idaho? Average height and weight are the same. The big difference is on offense. Allen's top two defensemen have 97 points; Idaho's have 49. If you look at the top four, Allen has the edge, 140 points to 91.

 

Goalies

• #31 *Jackson Parsons - 23 games. 2.41 GAA, .923 save percentage
• #32 Brett Mirwald - 7 games, 1.58 GAA, .950 save percentage
• #33 Marco Costantini - 33 games, 2.83 GAA, .917 save percentage

How do the goalie stats compare with Idaho? The Steelheads only have two goalies on the roster, and one of them has played only one ECHL game. Their third goalie, an NHL-contracted goalie, is on the playoff-eligible list and currently recalled.   

 

- Here are the five players who will not play tonight: Crone, Decker, LeDonne (healthy scratches), Kidney (listed as day-to-day), and Parsons (cleared but not playing tonight).

- Allen’s lineup tonight against Idaho:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

77 Sillinger - 55 Hookey - 18 Blaisdell

26 Asuchak - 44 Dubois - 11 Barbashev

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

86 Anania - 40 Toure

22 Costantini - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

32 Mirwald

33 Costantini (backup)

 

 

- It has been a big week in the continuing relationship between Allen, Belleville, and Ottawa. The Americans have six players from the Senators' organization, and the teams have just signed a one-year extension to their affiliation agreement. I asked Coach Martinson what this means for Allen, and this is what he had to say:

"My last three years in Allen (2019-22) were with affiliations that weren't coming back, or in the case of Seattle, a team that didn't have any players. Minnesota wouldn't even send back our own guy. 
What we have now with Ottawa/Belleville is just the opposite. An affiliation that cares and wants players to play in Allen as part of their development. To win a Stanley Cup, you have to play about 100 games. I really don't have time for affiliations that don't see the importance of playoff games. You might as well say you are soft, and that is one thing I prefer never to be called. The renewed affiliation isn't just paperwork; it's a statement of trust and belief among Ottawa, Belleville, and Allen, reaffirming that Allen is a vital proving ground for prospects throughout the season and into the playoffs, where playoff intensity and ice time create valuable growth opportunities."

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: What is the best mix of rookies and veterans for success in the Kelly Cup playoffs? Are too many rookies and not enough veteran presence an issue in the playoffs? Here is the mix for the 16 ECHL playoff teams:

 

Adirondack - 6 rookies, 3 veterans

Allen - 7 rookies, 4 veterans

Atlanta - 9 rookies, 2 veterans

Bloomington - 13 rookies, 1 veteran

Florida - 2 rookies, 4 veterans

Fort Wayne - 6 rookies, 4 veterans

Idaho - 13 rookies, 4 veterans

Indy - 14 rookies, 1 veteran

Kansas City - 6 rookies, 2 veterans

Maine - 9 rookies, 3 veterans

Reading - 7 rookies, 1 veteran

Savannah - 4 rookies, 1 veteran

South Carolina - 7 rookies, 1 veteran

Tahoe - 10 rookies, 2 veterans

Toledo - 10 rookies, 1 veteran

Wheeling - 13 rookies, 1 veteran