Allen Flips the Script in 2-1 OT Win, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Division Schedule Ahead and More

 

The Allen Americans beat Utah 2-1 in overtime last night, flipping the script after losing in overtime to the Grizzlies on Friday. Both teams can claim success, earning three of four points in the series.

 

- It looked like Allen had broken a streak of giving up the first goal when Lukas Sillinger put the puck in the net early in the first period. However, when the officials conferred, after the goal was scored, the referees decided to call a retroactive offside, even though there was no whistle for offside on the play. I couldn't find anyone who had heard of a retroactive, no whistle offside after a goal was scored. All ican say about that call is C'MON MAN!

 

- As fate would have it, right after the no whistle offside goal, Utah scored to take a 1-0 lead. It was the fifth time in the last six games that the Americans gave up the first goal of the game. Utah took its 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

 

- Allen tied the score 1-1 at the 12:41 mark of the second period on the power play. Michael Gildon scored his 13th goal of the season, assisted by Andre Anania and Brayden Watts. It was the only goal of the second period. There was no scoring in the third period, even though Allen had the better opportunities and outshot Utah 12-6. Allen headed to its third straight overtime game.

 

- Friday night, Utah took advantage of a defensive mistake by Allen on the overtime goal. Last night, the Americans flipped the script. Ironically, the Utah player who scored the OT winner on Friday made the critical mistake. He pinched down the boards only to have Brayden Watts chip the puck past him to Andre Anania and create a 2-on-1 break. Anania buried the puck to win the game at 2:27 of overtime, on his fourth goal of the season. Here are the video highlights. Notice birthday boy Watts assisted on both goals, and leads the team in points with 48 (17G, 31A). https://echl.com/videos/utah-grizzlies-vs-allen-americans-feb-21-2026

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-recap-americans-beat-utah-2-1-in-ot 
• Utah Grizzlies: https://utahgrizzlies.com/news/2026/02/allen-defeats-utah-2-1-in-overtime 

 

STEVE MARTINSON COMMENTS

"I thought we played well in the first period, even though we were behind 1-0. We had a lot of good chances."

"Colby got hit with a shot, and Sillinger hit his head when he was pulled down, so we had to play with nine forwards. We will see how they are on Monday. We will bus to Kansas City on Tuesday for games on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday."

"On the disallowed goal, I just told them you can't do that. When you don't blow the whistle, you can't go back after the goal and say it was offside. If you missed the play, it doesn't matter. You can't go back and call it offside."

"Simmons-Fischer should be back on Wednesday, and Murray is a week away. I expect to add a couple of players next week. 

"Utah only had five defensemen, and I thought we could have taken more advantage of that. They are playing desperate hockey, their contracted guys can all skate, and their forwards have good speed."

"The video we looked at today was about getting pucks to the net with traffic in front. I thought we did a good job of that tonight."

"I have been looking forward to playing Kansas City for some time. We have to make sure everyone is on their "A" game. They play a very disciplined game. We need to make sure that if we are not scoring, we are defending."   

"Did you see Katic smoke that guy after the OT goal? The guy had high-sticked Danny coming into the zone, just before the goal." 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen's penalty kill hasn't given up a goal in the last three games and is sneaking back up the rankings. The PK percentage is 84.9%, which is ranked #4 in the league.

 

- The Mountain Division winners last night were Allen, Kansas City, Rapid City, and Tahoe. Idaho, Wichita, Utah, and Tulsa lost. Here are the points earned in the last 10 games. This shows how hard it is to gain ground in the standings. Other than Kansas City, no team stands out. 

• Points earned (last 10 games)
• 20 points - Kansas City
• 11 points - Idaho
• 11 points - Allen 
• 11 points - Wichita
• 11 points - Rapid City
• 11 points - Utah 
• 9 points - Tahoe
• 7 points - Tulsa

 

- There are only six games on the ECHL schedule today. The only Mountain Division team in action is Tulsa at Greenville. Here are the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-22 

 

- Next week will be critical in the Mountain Division as it is getting down to crunch time. Most teams will be below 20 games remaining after the upcoming week. Here are the matchups:

• Allen at Kansas City - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
• Wichita at Idaho - Wednesday, Saturday 
• Tahoe at Utah - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 
• Rapid City at Tulsa - Friday, Saturday, Sunday 

 

-  I will have the series preview on Wednesday, but here is what the Americans will be up against next week in Kansas City. The Mavericks won again last night. They have lost one game in two months. One loss sandwiched between a 14-game win streak and an 11-game win streak. The Americans have played Kansas City three times this season (twice at home) and lost them all. They were outscored 14-5 in the three losses.  

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about records when leading or trailing after the second period. Allen follows the pattern. The Americans' record when leading after the second period is 18-0-2-0. When trailing after the second period, Allen is 2-14-2-0.  

 

3rd-period comebacks in the ECHL are very rare. A lead after the 2nd period is almost always a win. Trailing after the 2nd period almost always spells defeat. Here are the stats:

 

When leading after the 2nd period, the overall ECHL record is 508-30-35-10 (.910).

2 teams are Undefeated:

25-0-0-0: Kansas City

19-0-0-0: Wheeling 

 

 

When trailing after the 2nd period, the overall ECHL record is 75-457-41-10 (.172).

2 teams are winless:

0-21-2-0: Orlando

0-15-1-0: Savannah

 

Frustrating 3-2 OT Loss, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Tonight's Preview, PIMPG Leaders and More

 

The Allen Americans lost to the Utah Grizzlies 3-2 in overtime last night. The word "frustrating" gets used a lot whenever Allen loses at home, but losing last night was especially frustrating. Let me count the ways:

• Allen was playing a team in 7th place in the standings that had lost seven of its last 10 games.
• Allen gave up the first goal for the fourth time in the last five games. The Americans have lost 18 of 27 games this season when giving up the first goal.
• Allen scored just two goals on 41 shots on goal. At its season shooting percentage (10.2%). 41 shots should generate at least 4 goals for the Americans.
• How bad is the lack of scoring? In four of the last five games, Allen has scored a total of five goals (1.25 per game).
•  The one exception was a 5-3 win over Tulsa when the Americans scored all five goals on the power play. The five power play goals in that one game are the only power play goals scored in the last five games
•  Allen led 2-1 after the second period last night. They never blow second-period leads. The Americans' record before last night was 18-0-1-0. Utah was 4-22-2-0 when trailing after the second period. That added an extra layer of frustration. 
• Allen wasn't great in extra-time games before last night, winning 3 of 7 (1-4 on OT, 2-0 in SO) for a .429 win percentage. Utah, before last night, was the worst team in the league in extra time games, winning 1 of 6 (1-6 in OT, 0-0 in SO) for a win percentage of .167.  Losing in overtime to Utah was definitely frustrating.   

 

  - With all of the frustration, there were some positives in the game:

• Allen bounced back after trailing 1-0 at the first intermission with goals by Colby McAuley (17) and Michael Gildon (12) in the second period. 
• The Americans put 41 shots on goal.
• The penalty kill was perfect (0-3).
• Marco Costantini was great in goal, making several highlight reel saves. His save percentage was .923. 
• Here are the video highlights with all of the goals and one of Marco's super saves. On Gilden's goal, his move on the goalie was outstanding, but pay attention to the cross-ice pass from blueline to blueline right on the tape from Sam Sedley that was just as outstanding. https://echl.com/videos/utah-grizzlies-vs-allen-americans-feb-20-2026 

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams:

• Allen Americans - https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-recap-americans-fall-in-ot-3-2 
• Utah Grizzlies - https://utahgrizzlies.com/news/2026/02/grattons-ot-goal-wins-it-for-utah 

 

TONIGHT'S PREVIEW

- Top of the list of keys to the game tonight is a better start. The difference in the Americans' points percentage when they score first (.841) and don't (.370) is dramatic. Allen's goal differential by period tells the story:

• 1st period: -11
• 2nd period: +25
• 3rd period: +5

 

- Turnovers were costly in the game last night. One goal was a deflection, but two were off turnovers. Limiting the defensive breakdowns will be necessary to get a win tonight.

 

- 40 shots are more than enough to win, especially giving up only two goals in regulation like the Americans did last night. What needs to improve is more bodies in front of the net, screening the goalie, and scooping up rebounds. 

 

- Special teams are always a factor and will be tonight. Allen's penalty kill has given up goals in just two of the last eight games. The power play has scored in one of the last five games and three of the last ten. Another key to the game is winning the special teams battle. 

 

- The referees tonight will be the same as last night, Luke Gagnon (#13) and Camden Fraser (#51). The linesmen will be Daniel Barnes (#76) and Aaron Schacht (#51). FYI, the referees called six penalties last night, three on each team.

 

COACH MARTINSON COMMENTS

Frustration was one of the calmer words Coach Martinson used when he addressed the STMs after the game last night. Here is what he had to say:

"It is frustrating when we have a 2-1 third-period lead at home, and we are a rested team, and we give up a couple of goals and lose."

"We came out of the penalty box one time and had three guys playing defense and nobody playing forward. We were just brain dead."

"In overtime, you don't force the puck, and you defend hard. We didn't do either one on the overtime goal."

"It is frustrating that we get 41 shots and aren't scoring right now. Sometimes we need to just shoot the puck and get traffic to the net. We had too many times when we had puck possession, but didn't get a shot off."   

"I really liked Sillinger tonight. He didn't skate for 10 days when he was at home. He made some good plays and was tough and physical. 

"I think for the most part we skated tonight, we had a lot of puck possession and took a lot of shots and had plenty of opportunities to score. We have to get more pucks to the net with traffic in front and fight for rebounds. Our scoring has been stagnant for the last couple of weeks. It's time to get more of those greasy goals."

"We turned the puck over on the first goal to give them a one-timer in front."

"It is so frustrating to give up an overtime goal like that, where we are standing around and not competing. We turned the puck over and were in the wrong position and gave up a 2-on-1 in front."

"The good thing is we don't have to wait long to do something about the loss tonight. We need to be ready to go. We are a better team than we showed tonight, and I expect a better effort tomorrow."

  

 

OTHER COMMENTS 

- The loss last night was frustrating, but earning the one point was big, given fourth-place Tahoe beat Idaho. The number of games played by Mountain Division teams varies from 51 (Idaho) to 46 (Tulsa). The best way to look at the standings is by points percentage with points in parentheses:

• .816 - Kansas City (80 points)
• .686 - Idaho (70 points)
• .582 - Allen (57 points) 
• .550 - Tahoe (55 points)
• .510 - Wichita (49 points)
• .479 - Rapid City (46 points)
• .440 - Utah (44 points)
• .337 - Tulsa (31 points) 

 

- Kansas City won again last night. The Mavericks have lost one game in two months. One loss sandwiched between a 13-game win streak and a 10-game win streak. Allen visits Kansas City for a three-game series next week. The Americans have played Kansas City three times this season (twice at home) and lost them all. With a tough series coming up next week, all the more important that Allen gets a win tonight. 

 

- There are 14 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 and Tulsa at Greenville. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/02/echl-today-feb-21 

 

- Here is the game day preview issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-day-preview-oreilly-mcdonalds-night-in-north-texas   

 

- Allen now has four players with 40 or more points. Most ECHL teams have none. No other team has more than two.

• 46 points - Brayden Watts (his birthday is today)
• 46 points - Hank Crone (his birthday was Thursday)
• 40 points - Colton Hargrove
• 40 points - Sam Sedley 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about leaders in average penalty minutes per game. Braidan Simmons-Fischer leads the Americans, averaging 2.71 penalty minutes per game. That is a lot different from back in the day (2016-17) when Derek Mathers had averaged 4.64 penalty minutes per game and had 29 fights.

ECHL leaders this season in average penalty minutes per game (PIMPG), minimum 20 games played:

4.14 - Spencer Kennedy, KAL

3.83 - Jason Horvath, IDH

3.57 - Sean Allen, FLA

3.56 - Jacob Graves, ADK

3.45 - Mikael Robidoux, BLM

 

 

Here are the PIMPG leaders for the last four seasons:

2024-25

5.80 - Spencer Kennedy, KAL

 

2023-24

5.74 - Mark Liwiski, NOR

 

2022-23

6.16 - Nico Blachman, NOR

 

2021-22 

6.14 - Mikael Robidoux, KC

    

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. 

UPDATE - Allen’s lineup tonight vs Utah:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 67 Crone

29 Watts - 44 Stange - 9 Katic

77 Sillinger - 91 Gildon - 18 Blaisdell

19 Maxwell - 14 Gursoy - 10 Spitserov

 

Defense

86 Anania - 22 Costantini

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

25 LeDonne - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

33 Costantini

32 Tendeck (backup)

 

 

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