TULSA GAME PREVIEW - PLAYER INTERVIEW

While Barry is on vacation, the views contained in this blog do not represent Barry, or those of the Allen Americans Organization.


Game Preview -

Allen better be prepared to play 3 periods on Wednesday night against the Tulsa Oilers.  Tulsa has won all of their games played, 2 in regulation, 1 in OT, and 1 in a shootout.  Tulsa is ranked #1 in the league and Allen #3.  Although these stats do not hold much water at this early mark of the season, it will be our first regular season road game and starting off on a right skate may prove to be of importance at a later date.  Tulsa, in the past, has always played hard against us, and we are sure this game will be no different.

Despite a GAA of 2.66 and SV% of .894, Oiler goalie Jamie Phillips leads the league in wins with 4.  Points leaders for Tulsa are Emerson Clark with 7, and rookie Darcy Murphy with 6. Clark also leads the ECHL with 25 PIMs.  (Former Allen player tough guy Reid Halabi is ranked #3 with 21). You can expect a physical game with Allen ranked #2  averaging  22.5 PIMs, and Tulsa is 6th with 17.25.

Both teams are undefeated when scoring first, so needless to say, Allen must strike first!

On the power play Tulsa ranks 5th (21.1%) and Allen ranks 18th (11.1%).

On the penalty kill, Allen leads the league with 100% (26 straight penalties killed), and Tulsa is 18th (84.6%).

Thus far, this season, Tulsa has outshot Allen 150 vs. 143 and has allowed fewer shots 104 vs. 153.

Points leaders for the Americans are Chad Costello with 6 (1G, 5A), Greger Hanson - 5 (3G, 2A), Greger leads Allen with 3 goals.

In goal, Jamie Murray and Riley Gill are almost equal with .955 SV% vs. .954 SV%.

Jamie Murray leads rookie goalies with 1.53 GAA, where Phillips is ranked 18th in GAA.




Meet Travis Brown:

"And my jersey comes with this awesome smile, and I know it says #3, but don't let that fool you, I am really #47"
(courtesy of Dianne Webster Photography)

Tell us a little about yourself, family:
     Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  My Dad - Ty Brown, my Mom- Carrie Brown, my mom is a teacher's aid working with autistic children in an elementary school, and my dad is a financial manager at a Ford dealership in Winnipeg. I have an older brother who just bought a house, and I am happy for him and his girlfriend,  I have a girlfriend that I have been dating for about 4 years now, also from Winnipeg, her name is Sarah.

Did you have a pet growing up, now, and is it coming with you?
     (laughing) I was into lizards and snakes growing up, I had a pet lizard.  No pets now, so guys do not have to worry about finding a snake or lizard roaming about.
   
What are you planning to do during the summer?
     I will be going back to Winnipeg, nothing beats home.

Describe you training regimen, type, and with who?
     I train with a group called Richard Burr fitness, a pretty intense fitness schedule, about 5X a week.  We have a great group of guys we train with, a couple that play in the NHL, we push each other and always finish feeling good.

What is your favorite number?
     My favorite number is 4, it was taken and ended up getting 47, it has a 4 in it so I will take it!

Do you have a nickname?
     Yes, I have the typical nickname, Browny, but back home a lot of guys like to call me Tony.  I don't know why, one of my buddies, joking around, called me that and it just stuck.
 
Do you have a hockey hero?
     My dad, he played growing up in Winnipeg, he, for sure, is the one who got me in to playing, he is the one I look up to and still go to for advice.
 
Your earliest hockey memory?
     It is really cold in Winnipeg, so we have ice rinks all over, had one across the street and every day I would go over there, Take my skates, tell my mom I'm going and she would pack me up some hot chocolate.  I would skate until I could not feel my feet anymore, skate some more then head home for dinner.

At what age did you start skating?
     Probably 4 years old.  

Describe your style of play:
     I think I am a 2 way defenseman, I like to move the puck, like to shoot the puck when I can and try to help my teammates.

Favorite actor/actress?
     Denzel Washington, he's been a favorite of mine ever since "Remember the Titans".  For actress I would probably go with Natalie Portman, like the way she rolls.

Favorite type of music?
     I guess that depends on where I am, like all music, I like hip hop and all that but spent some time in Moosejaw playing juniors so I became fond of country music.

Current favorite singer or group?
     Passenger, alternative rock group, they just came out with a new album so I have been really enjoying it.
   
What song or artist you hope your teammates never catch you listening to?
     I don't know, I am a pretty confident guy, think I have good taste in music, but I know I have some Justin Timberlake songs and may have Britney Spears on my IPOD.  Classics are classics so I don't care what the guys say.
 
If you could have lunch with someone, not part of your family, who would you choose?
     I think it would be Mohhamed Ali, but someone who is still living, let's go with Denzel Washington again.  Would like to sit down with him and hear his story.
  
What is one thing people would find surprising about you?
     My mom had me in dance class when I was around 11.

What chore do you hate doing?
     I like cooking, but I don't like cleaning the dishes.

What do you have that is of great value to you, but would be of no value to someone else?
     I have a little angel statue with my birthstone that was given to me by my grandmother.  It means a lot to me and is above my bed.
   
Who do you admire as a leader? (hockey or non hockey)
     Jonathan Toews, Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.  He is from Winnipeg, I don't know him personally but he does a lot around the community, and when he wins the cup he brings it home.  Just the way he carries himself on and off the ice is very admirable.  

Where is the most interesting place you've ever visited?
     Other than hockey I don't travel too much, but I think it would be Los Angeles, went for vacation, people were very interesting, we had a blast.

If you could live in another country for 2 years where would you pick (other than US or Canada)?
     I think I would like Australia, I would move there for a couple of years for sure,
 
If you could be something other than a hockey player, what would you be?
     In the athletics I would like to be a soccer player, in the business world it would be entrepreneurial stuff, have my own business.

Any pregame rituals or superstitions?
     No! Eat as much as I can, nap as much as I can, like to give someone in my family a call the day of the game, just to get my mind off of it.

Who is your #1 fan?
     My mom, and my dad, and my girlfiend, followed by my grandparents, they would all be tied!
 
How are you going to spend your time on "Big Red"?
     Sharpen up on my music some more, and I like reading quite a bit. Coming from Brampton, I am used to long bus rides.  It is a second home, basically.

Favorite childhood toy?
     Yeah, I like my power rangers when I was a kid.
 
Favorite motto or saying?
     My dad always tells me the 5 "P"s, Proper planning prevents poor performance.  That's what he's tried to instill in me, and I have it in the back of my mind all the time.

Favorite TV show?
     Breaking Bad
 
If you could choose someone as a mentor, who would you choose?
     I have a pretty good mentoring group, my dad, my brother, my girlfriend's family.  I am blessed with a good group around me.  I will stick with the cast I have right now.
 
Did you know anyone from Allen before coming here?
     I played against Dyson and Roy in juniors, for three years in juniors I played with Tanner Eberle and we were really good buddies in Moosejaw, and we live together now and he is still driving me crazy (said kiddingly).

What do you like to do when away from the rink?
     Just hang out, mostly listen to music and read.  Facetime back and forth with the family.  Me and Tanner hang out, we are trying to get a ping pong table, something we both like to do.
 
What do you know or have been told about the Allen fans?
     I hear they're amazing!  Having played in many arenas with great fans, Tanner says they're nothing like Allen.  They are loud and they are proud! It is great playing with a winning team, great fans, great booster support (fan club),  Never had anything like it before and I've never seen anything like it.  It is truly a blessing to come into somewhere and have people other than the management and coaching staff for support. The fans here are real people with real jobs coming to support you, great support for a player so far from home.

How did you wind up in Allen?
     I was actually talking to Ebs (Eberle) on the phone and he asked where I was playing next season, I said I don't know.  The next thing Marty was on the phone.  Then I was signing a 2 way deal with San Jose, and here I am.
   

Next blog will be Thursday with game recap and Ft. Wayne game preview.

Did you know: The Adirondack Thunder are the only ECHL team sharing common ownership with their NHL affiliate (Calgary Sports and Entertainment).