What looked like an impending disaster of having a 0-3 weekend when Allen fell behind St.Charles yesterday turned into one of the best comebacks of the year. Still not a great weekend but it was nice to finish the three games in three days with a 6-4 come from behind victory over the last place Chill. Allen fell behind 3-0 in the first period and it looked like St. Charles was headed for back to back victories for only the second time all year. However, the Americans came roaring back led by the line of Bruce Graham, Greger Hanson & Phil Fox who had a combined eleven points (3 goals 8 assists). Goal scorers were Phil Fox with two goals and one apiece from Schaafsma, McMillin, Maiani, and Graham. Maiani's goal was his first since returning to the team and it was the game winner.
MARTINSON POST GAME COMMENTS:
- It was nice to get a win to end the weekend especially after the way that game started. We gave up three odd man rushes in the first five minutes of the game. I felt sorry for our young goalie.
- It was a combination of bad decision making, defensemen stepping up at the wrong time and the forwards not getting back that got us in trouble.
- We turned the game around when we stopped beating ourselves and quit gambling to try and score goals. Against the last place team you don't need to gamble to score. You have to just play your game.
- I was pleased the way Jamie Schaafsma played defense as he gives us more foot speed and has the ability to rush the puck. I will continue to use him at defense for the foreseeable future.
- The line of Graham, Fox, and Hanson had six of the nine goals we scored this weekend and really have a lot of chemistry together. In the three games they had sixteen points while the rest of the team had nine points. We need to get the other lines going next weekend.
- We will have some "battle drills" in practice this week to work on some of the problems we have been having in recent games.
- There will have to be some roster moves this week as we have a surplus of forwards and are short on defensemen. Kerbashian and Bootland should be cleared this week so we will see how things go in practice the next two days. I won't know until Wednesday who will be going on the road trip this week.
- This coming weekend when we play twice in Rapid City and then travel to Denver for a Sunday afternoon game we have to play well if we are going to improve in the standings.
OTHER COMMENTS:
- Allen won the special teams battle scoring two power play goals in five opportunities while allowing St. Charles only one goal in six opportunities. Allen's power play is now ranked #5 at 18.66% and the penalty kill is ranked #6 at 82.21%. The penalty kill percentage is the lowest in team history and the power play is the lowest since the Americans first year in the league (2009-2010).
- Leading scorers the last five games are Hanson with nine points (3 goals 6 assists), Graham with eight points (2 goals 6 assists), and Schaafsma with six points (3 goals 3 assists).
- Rapid City (73 points) and Denver (70 points) also won their games yesterday so Allen (68 points) remains in fourth place by themselves. They now have a four point lead over fifth place (Brampton & Quad City).
- Wichita found out why you don't take Rapid City to overtime or shootout as the Rush beat the Thunder 4-3 in a shootout. Rapid City now has a 10-1 record in overtime/shootout games. With the win the Rush have now clinched a playoff spot.
- Don't want to get ahead of ourselves regarding the playoffs as home ice advantage is still not assured but it is interesting to note that the Allen Event Center is not available for an Americans hockey game the first weekend of playoffs. The Allen Gun & Knife Show will be held April 5 & 6 with show setup most likely all day on the 4th.
- The team will have the day off today (Monday), will practice Tuesday and Wednesday and leave for Rapid City after practice on Wednesday. They will play Rapid City on Friday & Saturday and then travel to Denver for a game Sunday afternoon.
- The Quad City Mallards on Saturday teamed with the
Genesis Health Services Foundation and KWQC TV6 to raise $29,700 for the
Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation through a game-worn jersey auction
after the Mallards' game against the Arizona Sundogs at the iWireless
Center. The jersey
of goaltender Ty Rimmer went for the evening's high bid of $6,500.
DID YOU KNOW: Ohio high schools Northview and St. Ignatius met Saturday in Columbus
for the state title game, but the teams were inseparable after
regulation. There are no shootouts in high school hockey, so Northview
and St. Ignatius played never-ending sudden death hockey — until it was
decided that it was unsafe for the players to continue. Before the
eighth overtime began at the Nationwide Arena (home of the NHL’s Blue
Jackets), the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced that both
teams would be crowned co-champions after more than four hours of
hockey.
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