The game followed what has been a familiar pattern lately against Wichita with Allen giving up an early goal, battling back to take the lead and then trading goals with the game ending up in overtime. The last three games against Wichita were not decided in regulation with the visiting team winning all three games. Allen has come back from 5-3 deficits in the last two games with the Thunder with both going to a shootout which they split.
Gary Steffes had two goals for Allen including the tying goal with .9 left in the game. Gary now has 33 goals to lead the ECHL and is one goal away from tying the all time single season goal scoring record for the Americans jointly held by Nino Musitelli and Bruce Graham.
The other goal scorers last night were Justin Baker (8), Chad Costello (25), and Greger Hanson (17).
STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS
- I am not very happy with that comeback. I thought we should have shot the puck more in the shootout as that is how we had success against then before.
- Five goals against is unacceptable for us. We are going to loan two more players to the American League tomorrow and I basically told the guys if we can't figure out a way to play better defensively I am going to have to make some moves. We are not going to win going forward and especially in the playoffs giving up these kind of plays, giving up odd man rushes, breakaways, taking stupid penalties and allowing power play goals. Something has to change.
- Greger Hanson is going to Oklahoma City (AHL) tomorrow but will return for the game on Sunday. Spencer Asuchak is heading back to Providence (AHL) and who knows when he will return. With Ian Schultz in Iowa (AHL) we have three scorers on loan so it is unlikely we will be getting five goals a game so we need to make a commitment to defense if we expect to win.
- These young guys come to Allen to do well and get loaned and their hard work has paid off. It might hurt in the short run but it will help us in the long run.
- San Jose is assigning a goalie to us and he will be here and will start the game on Friday. Gill needs a break both mentally and physically from how our team is playing in front of him right now with all of the breakaways and odd man rushes.
- Patrik Valcak was good on faceoffs and good down low considering he has only been able to hold his stick for a week. He hasn't had a full practice with us yet because of the schedule. I think he will be a good player for us.
- We will only have 16 skaters for the game on Friday so everyone will play. Barr will be on the trip and I will move Clarke back to forward. We will get Hanson back for Sunday so if we don't get anyone hurt there will be one healthy scratch on Sunday.
- I have no idea how long Schultz and Asuchak will be gone. It depends on how they do, how the team is doing and what the team needs. I learned a long time ago it is not predictable. I have loaned guys to the AHL for a day and they were in the NHL a year later. I never saw them again after a one day loan.
- We will have a practice tomorrow before we leave for Missouri.
- Kevin Colley (former Arizona coach) who has been helping out this year in practice and behind the bench went home for a couple of weeks but is now back in town and will be back with us on Sunday.
OTHER COMMENTS
- Greger Hanson scored the only goal for Allen in the shootout on a great move in the fifth round to keep Allen's hopes alive. Wichita got the game winner in the seventh round.
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| Greger Hanson had the only shootout goal for Allen on a sweet move - scenebykimberly.com |
- With all of the skill players on the Allen team you would think overtimes/shootouts would play into their strength. Not the case as with the loss last night the Americans have a record of 3-6 in overtime/shootout games and in shootouts are 2-3. They have one of the worst shootout stats in the league ranked #22 having scored on only seven of twenty eight attempts.
- The loss last night was the fourth home loss in a row. The Americans haven't lost four games at home since late November and early December of 2013.
- Tommy Daniels mentioned on his broadcast last night that the Gary Steffes goal with .9 seconds remaining in the game was the latest a goal has been scored by the Americans in team history.
- With a goal and two assists in the game last night Chad Costello now has 81 points to lead the ECHL by a hard to believe 22 points. Chad has more assists (56) than every other player in the league except one has points.
- Allen has given up 25 goals in the last six games (4.17 average) and has a record of 5-3-1-1 in the last ten games.
- With all the doom and gloom lately if you look at the glass half full instead of half empty the Allen Americans have played 21 games since the first of the year and have gotten points in 17 of them. That's right, only four regulation losses in 21 games. And with just 23 games remaining in the regular season the Americans still have an 18 point lead in the standings.
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| Allen has scored points in 17 of 21 games since January 1st |
- Rapid City beat Missouri for the second night in a row last night to put the Mavericks deeper in a hole for a playoff spot. Missouri has now lost four games in a row and is in sixth place in the standings, nine points behind fifth place Rapid City and ten points behind fourth place Tulsa.
DID YOU KNOW: Riley Gill should finally get a rest tomorrow night but has already logged 2205 minutes in goal this year. If he plays in just six of the remaining twenty three games he will break the all time single season minutes played record of 2561 set by Chris Whitley in the first year of the franchise (2009-2010).
Glad we are getting another goalie, Gill needs a break!
ReplyDeleteI wondered about Kevin too! Thanks for the update. Even though we lost last night, that late goal by Steffes was beyond exciting!
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