Every week is important during the hockey season but you can certainly make the case that this week is very important for the Allen Americans. They have a record of 11-12 and will complete the first third of the season with the home game against Missouri on Wednesday. The Americans will then travel to Wichita for back to back games on Friday and Saturday to complete the week.
- Allen won three of four games this past week, is playing a better brand of hockey and is building momentum. They haven't won more than two games in a row all season and have been below .500 since the beginning of November. This is the week to show the improved level of play can be sustained by finishing the week at or above the .500 mark.
- The formula for the recent success by the Americans is pretty straightforward. The team is playing a more physical and defensive game which has improved their puck possession time. Add in a much improved power play and penalty kill to go along with excellent goaltending and you account for the recent success.
- The three games this week will be special because Allen has no bigger rivals than Missouri and Wichita. Both teams have had devastating playoff loses to Allen over the years which creates extra intensity whenever the Mavericks and Thunder take on the four time champs. Wichita in particular, with a new coach and a new team, will want to to get a win after losing all 13 games against the Americans last season.
- The bottom line is the Americans need to win the week to prove to themselves and Allen fans that the recent success is sustainable and they can win on a more consistent basis. Anything less than four points this week will be an indication things still aren't turned around.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
- Below are the team leaders in various statistical categories with the league rank in parentheses:
Points:
31 - Chad Costello (1st)
22 - Greger Hanson (13th)
16 - Spencer Asuchak (56th)
Goals:
10 - Greger Hanson (15th)
9 - Spencer Asuchak (22nd)
7 - Chad Costello (39th)
Assists:
24 - Chad Costello (1st)
12 - Greger Hanson (25th)
10 - Joel Chouinard (57th)
Plus/Minus:
+12 - Joel Chouinard (7th)
+3 - Kale Kerbashain (139th)
Penalty Minutes:
115 - Derek Mathers (1st)
42 - Bryan Moore (20th)
33 - Dyson Stevenson (39th)
Shots On Goal:
97 - Greger Hanson (1st)
62 - Chad Costello (21st)
54 - Spencer Asuchak (52nd)
Points By Defensemen:
12 - Eric Roy (15th)
11 - Joel Chouinard (17th)
5 - Aaron Gens (87th)
5 - Micheal Brodzinski (87th)
- Riley Gill is ranked #11 in GAA (2.44), #6th in save percentage (.926), #2 in wins (9), #1 in shutouts (2), #5 in minutes (835) and #4 in saves (428).
- In addition to leading the ECHL in overall points and assists Chad Costello is #1 in power play points (10) and #2 in power play assists (8).
- Derek Mathers leads the league in penalty minutes with 115 which is 45 more than second place. Derek has 13 major penalties, second place has seven. According to the website dropyourgloves.com Derek has 12 fights this season which is four more than anyone else in the league. He also has the best win percentage in the league. He has not lost a fight all year but four have been rated a draw.
- Eric Roy is still among the scoring leaders for defensemen even though he has only played in 16 games. He is ranked #15 with 12 points (4 goals 8 assists).
- The most amazing individual stat on the team is Joel Chouinard's plus/minus of +12. The rest of the team combined is -20.
TEAM RANKINGS
Here is how Allen ranks in the ECHL in most every category the league tracks. The list will show the category, the rank and the raw number. Some numbers are average per game.
League Standings: #15 (11-12-0-0)
Penalty Minutes: #2 (18.52)
Overtime & Shootout Record: #1 (5-0)
Record When Scoring First: #10 (8-2)
Overall Power Play %: #23 (10.6%)
Home Power Play %: #21 (12.5%)
Road Power Play %: #24 (9.3%)
Overall Penalty Kill %: #16 (82.8%)
Home Penalty Kill %: #12 (86.7%)
Road Penalty Kill %: #20 (79.6%)
Shorthanded Goals For: #16 (2)
Shorthanded Goals Against: #27 (6)
Goals Scored Per Game: #19 (2.91)
Goals Against Per Game: #14 (3.13)
Shots For Per Game: #9 (32.57)
Shots Against Per Game: #19 (32.83)
Attendance: #10 (4248)
DID YOU KNOW: In the 2004 NHL draft two future Allen Americans' champions were drafted five spots apart in the second round. Drafted #46 overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets was Adam Pineault. Drafted #51 overall by the New York Rangers was Bruce Graham. Incidentally, Adam's agent for the draft was NHL legend Bobby Orr.
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