Roster Update - Who's In Who's Out This Weekend, The Importance of the ECHL from Sharks Perspective, Weekend Promotions & More

As the Allen Americans prepare to take on the Rapid City Rush on Friday and Saturday night the big question is will coach Martinson have enough players or will the team have to play shorthanded. Here is my take on who's in and who's out for the weekend.

Vincent Arseneau:  OUT - Arseneau was suspended for two additional games for leaving the bench during an altercation in the game in Idaho Friday night. He missed the Idaho game on Saturday and will now miss both games against Rapid City this weekend. This is one of those incidents that you could say "where you sit is where you stand" as Allen fans may see a three game suspension as harsh given the circumstances and miscues by the on ice officials. The ECHL, however, probably would say they gave Arseneau a break as leaving the bench under rule 70.1 normally comes with an automatic five game suspension.

Spencer Asuchak: IN - Asuchak has returned to Allen after playing one game for the San Jose Barracuda. Spencer, who is under contract with San Jose, was called up because of injury and the injured player has now returned.

Zach Hall: OUT - Zach hasn't played since November 19 and based on his injury I do not expect him to play this weekend.

Alex Schoenborn: IN - Alex was a full participant in practice so expect to see him back in the lineup this weekend.

Zach Pochiro: OUT - Zach has not played since being injured in a game on November 5th. Best case scenario was four weeks to heal. It is possible he could be back after this weekend.

Jonathan Lessard: IN - Lessard played injured last weekend in Idaho but should be ready to go this weekend.

Dalton Thrower: OUT - Another player that has been playing hurt and will most likely not play against Rapid City.

Riley Gill: OUT - There is still no return date for Gill who is recovering from an injury he sustained on October 21st. Stephon Williams and Jeremy Brodeur will be the netminders against Rapid City and both have been playing well.

Peter MacArthur: DOUBTFUL: MacArthur was injured when he got slew footed in Idaho in the game on Friday. He missed the game on Saturday.

Making assumptions on who is in or out of the lineup two or three days prior to a game is always iffy at best. Players can be injured in practice, guys can get sick, there can be call ups and hockey players can make miraculous recoveries from injuries. Bottom line is there may be changes from what I observed at practice on Tuesday to when the team takes the ice Friday night. It is possible Allen could go into the game with nine forwards and six defensemen which would leave the team short one forward. The good news is the Americans have a week off after the games this weekend.



- I will have a complete game preview in the blog tomorrow but don't expect to see the same Rapid City Rush team this weekend that Allen outscored 13-6 in two lopsided wins in Rapid City on opening weekend. Rapid City is still mired in last place in the Mountain Division but the Rush has played much better hockey recently. Over the last 10 games Allen is 6-3-0-1 while Rapid City is 6-4-0-0.   


- Here is story written by Missy Zielinski who works in the San Jose Sharks PR department that talks about the ECHL being a development league for the Sharks organization, how Barracuda coach Roy Sommer started his coaching career in the ECHL and all that is required of an ECHL coach. The article ends by saying this about the Allen Americans, "As for San Jose's double-A affiliate, the Allen Americans, they will continue to play an integral part of the organization's development system. Having won two Kelly Cups over the last three years and four championships in the last five, the Sharks hope breeding a winning culture in the ECHL has a trickle up effect where they have the right staff to keep players' careers on the upward trend."  Check it out as it is a great read: https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/barracuda-head-coach-sommers-echl-past-propels-success-in-sharks-development/c-293492466
 


- There will be a lot going on at both games this weekend it is hard to keep everything straight. I heard Jack Gulati will be in attendance so you can expect him to be on the concourse before the games to meet and greet everyone. Make sure to stop and thank Jack for all of the support he has provided since buying the team last February.

On Friday night it is Ladies Night, with  Hockey 101 with coach Steve Martinson before the game. It is also Autograph Friday with Connor Reilly, Colby McAuley, Josh Thrower and Stephon Williams signing autographs by the team store following the game.

Saturday night features SpongeBob on the first ever Nickelodeon Night so look for SpongeBob on the concourse before the game and on the ice during intermission. Saturday is also the annual Teddy Bear Toss game so make sure to bring a teddy dear to the game (unwrapped) to toss on the ice after  the Americans score their first goal. Saturday is also Boy Scout Night so look for scouts in attendance. The first 1500 kids through the doors get a Biscuit ornament so make sure to arrive early. Here is the front and back of the specialty jersey the team will be wearing on Saturday.

Allen Americans jersey for Saturday night

- Nine of the SpongeBob specialty jerseys are posted on the Allen Americans auction site (BidPal). The auction ends Saturday night and the minimum bid for the jerseys is $249. Here is the link to browse the auction items and make a bid if you are interested. https://one.bidpal.net/goamericans/welcome



 - After trailing 3-1 the Idaho Steelheads came from behind, scoring the game tying goal with 93 seconds left in the game and beat the Tulsa Oilers in a shootout last night. With the win Idaho leapfrogged Allen in the Mountain Division standings. Allen is in fourth place with 23 points, Idaho is in third place with 24 points and Colorado is in second place with 25 points. Wichita is solidly in first place with 30 points.



 
DID YOU KNOW: If you are in the camp that believes Allen plays Tulsa and Wichita too many times this season keep in mind the ECHL plays unbalanced schedules with a disproportionate number of games with teams that are geographically close as a cost savings effort. The Americans play Tulsa 13 times and Wichita 12 times which amounts to 35% of the schedule with these two teams. However, that is a big improvement from just three years ago (2014-15) when close to half (46%) of the games on Allen's schedule were with Tulsa (16 games) and Wichita (17 games).

Zach Hall - Player Profile

Another in a series of player profiles from Ted Hosterman today. This time Ted catches up with Allen Americans center Zach Hall. Thanks to Ted for filling in and yes I am heading back to Lake Texoma this morning on a fishing trip, thus the posting of this story at 4:00 am.

Zach Hall

Zach Hall joined the Allen Americans in December of 2016 when he was traded to Allen from the Reading Royals for Matt Willows. Zach started the year in Reading as a rookie.  From 2009-2014 Zach played in the OHL with the Barrie Colts having been drafted in the third round of the 2009 OHL priority draft.

Over his 5 years in the OHL, Zach appeared in 221 regular season games, scoring 68 goals and 156 assists for 224 total points.  In 33 playoff games he added 42 points.

After juniors Zach spent two years in the USports (AUA) with St. Thomas University in New Brunswick.

Here is Zach's profile:

Tell me a little about your family

I grew up in Belleville Ontario - My parents are Peter and Sandra.  I have an older sister, Victoria and an older brother who works in Belleville with my dad who is a bread distributor for Canada Bread.  My sister is married to Matt Belesky of the Boston Bruins.

Did you have a pet growing up? How about now?

I had a cat growing up - Snowflake.  All white, lived 26 years.  No pets now but if I had a choice I would have a dog.

Describe your training regimen, formal/informal, type of training

Off season I train back home at a local gym - normal hockey training regimen with a local trainer

Favorite number, (how did it become your favorite number).

#28 - Miles Liberati has it now.  I have had #8 since I have been in Allen and am pretty fond of that number also.  I wore #28 for all five years in juniors.

Your nickname

Hallsie; Hallie - I prefer Hallsie

Hockey hero

Will have to go with Sidney Crosby

Most vivid/exciting hockey memory

My year in minor midget AAA, I was 15 years old- we played over 100 games that year including playoffs and beat a team we had not beaten all year to win the championship

Age you started skating

Two years old - with full gear; still have it on video!

Describe your style of play

Skilled player - good defensively - playing the body a little more this year.  My brother is a golden gloves boxer so I can hold my own if I have to.

Favorite Actor

Adam Sandler - a lot of sports movies

Favorite type of music

Hip Hop/ Rap

Current Favorite Singer or Group

Migos - a little bit different but coming along this year

What is a song or artist you hope your teammates don't catch you listening to

Taylor Swift, maybe Justin Bieber

If you could have lunch with anyone living who would you pick (not family)

Donald Trump

One thing people would be surprised to learn about you

I am really into cars - fixing them up.  Right now I am also into NHL 18- me and Eberle were playing it constantly

What chore do you hate to do

Cleaning the toilet

What do you have that is of great value to you but little value to anyone else

My necklace with a golden horseshoe on it.  My grandfather used to race horses.  He and my father and brother have one also.  I have had mine since I was 7.

Who do you admire as a leader (can be hockey or non hockey)

My father

Where is the most interesting place you have ever visited    

California - Newport Beach area

If you could live in another country for two years where would you pick (other than US or Canada)

Sweden or a Scandinavian country would be cool - observing their customs and culture

If you could be anything besides a pro hockey player what would it be

Professional baseball player

Any pre-game routines, rituals or superstitions

I put on my equipment left side before the right side.  I've done it so many years it's automatic. If I mess it up, I correct it immediately.

Who is your number one fan

My girlfriend, Dora back in Belleville

What do you like to do to kill time on the bus

Watch Netflix, listen to music, sleep, kill time with the boys

Favorite childhood toy

I built a table size hockey rink from plywood as a kid, I set it up with nets and played miniature hockey using marbles and hockey sticks from action figures.  I would bring the set to school and play with my classmates.  I still have the sticks somewhere at home.

Favorite TV show

Ballers

If you could choose someone as a mentor who would you choose

Wayne Gretzky                                                                                    

What do you like to do away from the rink

Fishing, video games

What is your impression of the Allen fans

Best fans in the league; they care and are there for us both on and off the ice.

A Look at Allen's Record and Schedule, Is Goal Differential a Proxy for Good Hockey, Former Player Update, Team Sin Bin Interviews ECHL Manager of Officiating

The Allen Americans players arrived back home yesterday after a tough three game series in Idaho and now enter a part of the schedule where they play only four games between November 26 and December 16. This after playing three games within 48 hours on three consecutive weekends in the last month for a total of 10 games in 17 days. Thus is the nature of the ECHL schedule. The Americans have plenty of injuries so it is a perfect time to have a lot of off days to get healthy again.

-  The only two home games for Allen fans to attend between November 13 and December 18 take place on Friday and Saturday as the Rapid City Rush come to town. Friday night is Ladies Night and their will be a post game autograph session. Saturday is Teddy Bear Toss and Nickelodeon Night with the team wearing SpongeBob specialty jerseys.


- The Allen Ice Angels have their calendar release party after the game on Saturday. They do such a good job with their calendar each season and it will be out just it time for Christmas gifts.

  


- The season seems to be moving along at a very fast clip. The Americans have already completed 26.4% of their regular season games. With November now in the books here is the month by month record.

October - 3-2-2-0
November - 7-4-0-1

The December schedule looks favorable with eight home games and five road games. If you are looking ahead the last week of December will be not miss hockey. The Americans will play Wichita four times in five days. The four game series opens in Allen on Wednesday (December 27), then moves to Wichita for games on Friday and Saturday before returning back to Allen for a game on Sunday afternoon. Anytime you play the same team four times in five days there are always fireworks. Add in all of the subplots between these teams and it should be a great series to attend all four games. They have split the four games they have played so far this season.


- Wichita has gone 4-0-1-0 over their last five games to open up a seven point lead on Allen with the Thunder having one game in hand. With their current streak Wichita is now tied with Florida for #1 in the ECHL in points (30) and winning percentage (.833). The Thunder has only lost four games all season and just two of the losses came in regulation time. Both regulation losses came at home against Allen.


- Besides wins and losses a stat that is telling about how good a team is playing is goal differential. Here are the ECHL teams with a positive goal differential which is defined as goals scored minus goals allowed. The team's rank by winning percentage is in parentheses.

+24 - Wichita (#1)
+21 - Toledo (#3)
+19 - Florida (#1)
+16 - Manchester (#13)
+12 - Wheeling (#6)
+11 - Colorado (#5)
+10 - Reading (#8)
+9 - Fort Wayne (#15)
+7 - Idaho (#9)
+7 - Greenville (#9)
+6 - Cincinnati (#7)
+5 - Allen (#12)
+5 - South Carolina (#4)


- Allen's overall record after 19 games stands at 10-6-2-1 which is the seventh best record in the ECHL in points (23) and the 12th best record by winning percentage (.605).  Last year at this time the Americans hit the low point of the season. After 19 games Allen's record was 8-11-0-0, they were in last place in the division, 11th place (out of 14) in the conference and 20th place (out of 27) league wide. The current team will have to play much better to match what the team from last season accomplished from this point forward. They went 41-6-4-2 and finished #1 in the division, #2 in the conference and #2 league wide.


- The Iserlohn Roosters, the team Chad Costello and Jack Combs play for in Germany has been on quite a streak lately playing much better hockey since making a coaching change. The Roosters have won seven of their last eight games and moved from close to last place in the 14 team league to fifth place. Combs leads the team in scoring with 22 points (11 goals 11 assists) in 25 games. Chad missed 11 games with an injury and has 10 points (5 goals 5 assists) in 14 games.


- It was a great week for three former Allen players now in Wichita. Dyson Stevenson had five points (2 goals 3 assists) in four games including a Gordie Howe hat trick in the Wichita win over Kalamazoo on Sunday. Dyson was the #1 star of the game. Defenseman Travis Brown had two goals on Saturday in a Thunder 4-2 win over Quad City. Travis was the #1 star of the game. Joel Rumpel was the starting goalie for Wichita on Friday and Sunday and came away with two wins. Joel's save percentage on Friday was .944 and on Sunday was .974. Joel got the #1 star on Friday and the #2 star on Sunday. Now that is some good hockey by three former Allen Americans. Hope they all keep up the good work except when they play the Americans.


- There is a new podcast from Team Sin Bin that includes a discussion with Mike Pearce who was recently selected as the ECHL's Manager of Officiating. It is a very informative and candid conversation about officiating in the ECHL, the impact the emphasis on slashing calls and faceoff violations is having along with several other topics. Definitely worth a listen. http://thesinbin.net/in-the-corners-podcast-episode-26-down-with-the-sickness/


DID YOU KNOW: I frequently talk about the importance of scoring the first goal in a game because Allen is almost unbeatable when scoring first. Every season the Americans are ranked at or close to the top of the ECHL in winning percentage when scoring first. This season Allen is 8-0 when scoring first and the only team in the league that has not lost when scoring first. Since joining the ECHL four seasons ago the Americans record when scoring first is 109-10-5-5.

Getting to Know Mike Gunn - Positive Attitude & Positive Energy

Mike Gunn

I have done many player profiles and interviews over the last six years and the most enjoyable part for me is to get to know each player's story in a way you don't understand until you have a chance to sit down and talk with them in depth. I used to have a very structured set of questions and the interview was strictly question and answer. What I have learned over the years is to ask fewer questions and just let the player tell their story in their own words. Such was the case when I sat down with Allen defenseman Mike Gunn recently. I have never come away from an interview more impressed with a personal story. Mike was open, honest and talked about the good times and bad but what came through was his absolute passion for playing hockey and how proud and fortunate he feels to be able to come to the rink every day and make a living playing the sport he loves. His positive attitude oozes out him when he tells his story and you hear that from his teammates who talk about how good he is in the locker room, the front office who talks about how good he is in helping out in the community, his willingness to do media and public relations and you hear it from fans because Mike takes the time with fans, especially the young fans. My only hope is the feeling I got from interviewing Mike comes across in his story because it is compelling. 

Mike was born and raised in Livonia, Michigan which is a suburb northwest of Detroit. As he describes his childhood and neighborhood, "I grew up and had the best childhood ever in Livonia. It was a massive neighborhood and I had tons of friends with tons of street hockey games. My mom and dad where the definition of perfect hockey parents. They never let me miss a practice, they would take off work to take me to tournaments, my dad got a second job to pay for my hockey, they did everything so I could play hockey.  My mom (Sue) works at the school with special needs children and my dad (Don) works at the Livonia Transmission Plant. I have a very beautiful sister named Kelly who is two years younger and she stole every book smart gene in the family. She is an absolute genius and impresses the hell out of me all of the time. She is studying to be a physicians assistant."

Mike started playing hockey when he was around three. His dad never played organized hockey, just pond hockey but his uncle (mom's brother) was a hockey player and influenced his mom to put Mike in hockey. Mike recalls the first time his mom took him skating, "My mom thought she had ruined my chance of liking to skate because the very first time she took me to a class she just brought me in jeans. The Zamboni had just finished cleaning the ice so the ice was still wet. I took two steps onto the ice and fell and I am sitting in a puddle of water and I start crying. My grandfather was there and gave my mom grief for ruining the experience as I sat in the water with wet jeans and no gloves crying." The fact is Mike loved hockey right from the beginning and it is all he ever wanted to do.

One of  Mike's earliest memories from organized hockey was when he was five or six and played for a team called the Villanova Villians. "There are four or five kids from that team that I am still close with today. My neighborhood was packed with kids and everyone of them had a hockey stick and we would play street hockey all of the time." 

How did Mike become a left shot defenseman? My dad was a left shot and I am sure when he showed me how to hold a stick it was just like he held the stick. As for playing defense it is all I ever remember playing and to be honest I was literally the slowest kid when I was younger. I think the coaches thought because I was dead last on every drill let's put him on defense. I could skate backward almost as fast as I could go forward.


Mike progressed through house leagues to AA to AAA hockey. Mike played for a team called Compuware from his first year in Squirts (9) until he was 15. Mike played his junior hockey in the NAHL for a couple of years and in the USHL for a couple of years before getting a scholarship to play college hockey at Northeastern University. He suffered many setbacks along the way. From his first year in juniors (2008) through his sophomore year in college (2013) Mike underwent seven knee surgeries and a lung surgery. I asked Mike if he ever thought of quitting with all of the injuries. In his endearing open and honest answer he speaks to his love and passion for hockey, "I think in my last year in juniors when I was out for months with another knee surgery some doubts crept in but I said to myself there is nothing else I like to do, it is the funnest thing to do and it was all I knew how to do. It is not that I wasn't good at school but I just hated school. All my buddies still played and hanging out with my buddies in the summer was all about skating and training."


After junior hockey Mike moved on to college at Northeastern University where he played for three years. Mike describes it as the best college experience somebody could ask for. He actually had committed to Michigan State before he started having knee injuries but they withdrew the offer after a new coaching staff arrived and the knee problems kept reoccurring. Here is how Mike described that time, "Michigan and Michigan State hockey is all I knew growing up. What I really wanted to do was go to Canada and play major junior hockey. That is what everyone by me did and I wanted to go the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) so bad but the knee surgeries ended up setting me back.

So after I was de-committed by Michigan State in my last year in juniors I went to a USHL showcase and did well. I had several colleges interested in me and after making some visits decided to attend Northeastern as I fell in love with that place. I don't know why Northeastern University isn't the number one place kids want to play college hockey. It is right in the heart of Boston and it was so much fun. I have nothing but great things to say about that school. The coaching staff is unbelievable and the people they bring in are unreal. It is a school that makes you grow up more because it is not the kind of environment with 10 hockey players living in one house type of thing. The coaching staff wants you to be the best hockey player but I know their thing is they want the best humans leaving the program. Even if you didn't want to mature you would mature in that program and that happened to me."

Mike's goal as soon as he got to college was to turn pro and he had teams interested right from his freshman year. He never got a contract offer after his freshman year because he had another knee surgery so he had to come back to school another year. The same thing happened after his sophomore season. It got to a point with all of the knee surgeries Mike said to himself he was going to prove he could overcome all of the adversity of dealing with injuries. Going into his junior season at Northeastern Mike made a decision that he was there to play hockey and turn professional and an education was secondary. He acknowledges it may not have been the best decision but it was the right decision for him. He signed up for classes but never attended. His day consisted of the following in Mike's own words. "I would wake up at 4:30 am and go to the rink and the rink guy would let me in. I would work out until 6:30 am and then I would hop on the ice with an alumni beer league skate at 7:00 am. I would finish at the rink, get something to eat and go back to my dorm room and sleep for a couple of hours. I would then go to our official practice followed by the team workout. I would work out after practice for two hours and then on top of that I had physical therapy and rehab for my knee. I would go to sleep and wake up the next day and do the same thing.

The reason I got away with not going to class is I told them every year I was leaving because I was hockey, hockey, hockey. So the deal I had was as long as I passed they would back off my study hall hours and nobody would be down my back. As it turned out the coach was taking a recruit around and stopped by a class I was enrolled in and called me to see why I wasn't in class. This was in February and the coach called me into his office and to make a long story short I had 48 hours to move because technically I was no longer a student.

All Mike ever wanted to do is play hockey and he was out of school and his advisor was trying to find him a job in the ECHL but nothing was happening. Mike got a call from a SPHL coach who was a Northeastern graduate and told him to come and play for him which Mike did against his advisor's advice because he though that would hurt Mike's chances of getting an ECHL contract the following season.

That summer Mike was back home in Michigan with no options for playing pro hockey in 2015-16. His advisor was not talking to him because he opted to play in the SPHL, he didn't have the best relationship with his college coaches because they were pissed at him for leaving and no pro teams were contacting him. He was still training hard but was not sure what to do next. As Mike told me. "I am thinking to myself how does a random person try and turn pro. So I decided to sign up for the Toledo Walleye free agent camp where you pay your own way along with something like 200 other players. There were guys at that camp that literally looked like they got stuff from a garage sale and tried to skate for the first time. The deal was Toledo would take five players from this camp to their main training camp and they ended up taking only two and I was one of the two. I did well in camp but I was so low on their depth chart they released me the Thursday before their first preseason game. I can remember driving back home to Detroit thinking I have absolutely nothing so maybe I am done with hockey. I ended up calling my SPHL coach and asking him if I could play for him and he said absolutely so I decided I would go and try to grind it out in the SPHL. The vary next morning I woke up and had a call from Clark Donatelli who was the coach in Wheeling (ECHL) who said he would love to have me play for him so I drove to Wheeling. I was in Wheeling for a couple of months before I was traded to Allen in December 2015."

I was struck by a couple of things while listening to Mike tell his story from the day he was sitting on the ice soaked in water in his jeans to being traded to the Allen Americans. His love and passion for the game comes through loud and clear. I am sure it is true for most pro players but with Mike you get the feeling it is in every fiber of his body. He has had a focus on hockey that is evident all through his story. I was also impressed with how open and honest Mike was. Despite the up and downs he always saw the best in others.


Because of the struggles Mike Gunn has endured just to become a professional hockey player it comes across when talking to him how much he appreciates each and every day he comes to the rink or represents the team in the community. I have heard from his teammates how important he is in the locker room. I asked him about this positive attitude even when things don't go his way and his response was very insightful, "It is easy for me to look back and remember I had to sign up for a free agent open camp and grind from there to where I am now. I will never say it but when I hear a teammate complain because they are taken off the power play or not getting enough ice time I think to myself how much I appreciate being able to do something I love. The other thing I always keep in mind is to stay positive. It is something I get from my mom who is the most positive vibe and angel you will ever meet. She is the greatest human and anyone that meets her will say the same thing, I promise you. Some guys get down in the dumps if they are not playing or not playing in certain situations. I have always promised myself that no matter what a coach does to a player you need to treat all of your teammates the same. The other players don't make the decisions so why should I have a grouchy attitude in the locker room. I always remind myself I am clocking in at the rink to play hockey which is the most fun thing in the world, how can you be in a bad mood at the rink. Honestly, if someone is in a bad mood at the rink I want to grab them by the shoulders, spin them around and remind them they are walking in to play hockey, the sweetest thing ever."

To Mike the best compliment he can get is that he is the best teammate. It is something he remembers his coaches stressing all the years he played for Compuware when he was a kid. It is something Mike has always believed in and says being a good teammate always should come first.


I asked Mike about how playing in Allen is different from other teams he has played on and he said it comes down to one word and that word is expectaion. Mike sees Allen like the Patriots, Red Wings and Yankees where the culture and expectation is something you can feel when you arrive. "Coach Martinson does such a good job of recruiting players that understand that culture. Accountability is not talked about but it doesn't need to be because the guys he brings in understand that. One of the other traits of the players Marty recruits is they don't shy away from criticism, they actually want it. If I have a teammate slacking Marty doesn't have to point it out because he has 20 guys in the locker room that will tell that guy to get going. He doesn't just bring in the best players, he brings in the best team. The culture in Allen is we are going to win when you push each other, work your asses off, do the right thing and play the right way."


I heard this when I interviewed Allen captain Joel Choiunard and it was reinforced by Mike Gunn, "Joel and the others that wear the "A" do the best job of making sure everyone in the locker room understands it is not just them. Whether it is a guy that has played one game or 1000 games everybody has the same say and everybody has a role in leadership. Every single guy in that locker room is a leader in one way or another."


I asked Mike if he was surprised after seven knee surgeries his knees have held up as a pro. His response was what makes him the player he has become. "No, I am not surprised at all. I work by butt off doing rehab, getting bigger, stronger and faster. I put in so much work I am not surprised at all. It has become an obsession with me to get bigger stronger legs and to skate faster. It is a competition I have with myself  to improve. I work with our skating coach (Luke Chilcott) and love to watch him skate. He has helped me improve my skating for sure. I remember in a recent game I went to retrieve a puck and used this cutback move Luke showed me. I was able to shake the defender and dish the puck to Asuchak in the middle. As I was skating back to the bench I said to myself, damn Luke, you are so right.


I asked Mike who he admires as a leader and the conversation came back to his mom. You can tell she has had a big impact on the type of person he strives to be every day. In his own words, "The reason I say my mom is the best leader is she points me in the right direction. She has instilled things  in my brain that has helped me in every aspect of my life. Her positive vibe and good energy make her the best leader. All of my tattoos come from a place of love, having fun and positive energy."


I want to close by talking about what Mike does to help the Americans off the ice. He sees that as an important aspect of his job. He describes it as the difference in making people think you care and making people know you care. Whether it is asking equipment manager Tim Abbott if he needs help, stopping by the front office to say hi and see if they can use any help, visiting hospitals, delivering tickets, interacting with young fans or helping with promotional videos he is always there for whoever needs help. Here are a few examples including a hospital visit, Mike participating in a lip sync challenge promotion and video selling playoff tickets:

Mike talking to a young patient on an Americans hospital visit

                          

In closing I want thank Mike Gunn for the the candid conversation and sharing his story. His passion for the game is obvious and I now better understand why he cherishes every time he steps on the rink and why he is loved by his teammates, the front office and the fans. He exhibits the positive attitude he learned form his mom each and every day. What a great representative for the Allen Americans on and off the ice.  

Allen Loses 5-1 to Idaho in Penalty Filled Game, Game Recap, Video Highlights Including Brawl, Martinson's Comments, Online Auction, Arseneau Suspension, Asuchak Recalled & More

 A sold out crowd of 5147 at CenturyLink Arena sure got their money's worth last night as the hometown Idaho Steelheads beat the Allen Americans 5-1. The game had 34 penalties for a staggering 148 penalty minutes including six fighting majors and seven misconduct penalties of which three were game misconducts.


- The main event which resulted in 94 of the 148 penalty minutes happened at the 8:55 mark of the third period. Whenever brawls like this happen there is always a little bit of "where you sit is where you stand" that comes into play. I watched the replay of this sequence at least 15 times as ECHL TV has a great view from behind the play. The play started with Mike Gunn stepping into Idaho captain Jefferson Dahl as he carried the puck into Allen's zone. To me it looked like a good check (shoulder to chest) but you can see referee Andy Howard immediately raise his hand for a delayed penalty. Dahl passed the puck to his left wing before Gunn delivered his check so the penalty may have been for interference. No penalty was called because Idaho scored. The left wing took a shot that trickled through Stephon Williams for a goal. Idaho broadcaster Brian McCormack described what happened like this, "There was a delayed penalty before the Merchant goal went in. It was Gunn that got a good hit on Jefferson Dahl and that looks like what sparked all of this. Gunn went into Dahl, Dahl got knocked down, (Henrik) Samuelsson  gave Gunn a shot (in the back) and then Lessard went after Samuelsson to defend Gunn."

Everything broke loose from that point including Allen goalie Stephon Williams and Idaho captain Jefferson Dahl fighting. When the dust settled there were 94 penalty minutes called and three Allen players (Lessard, Josh Thrower and Williams) were tossed out of the game. When you watch the entire incident from beginning to end it is hard to see how the penalties were so one-sided.


-  I had a chance to talk to coach Martinson about the game and he acknowledged with so many skilled players out of the lineup and the top players logging so many minutes the team was tired. The penalty kill was bad with sticks not in the right place on several of the Idaho power play goals. The brawl in the third period was the culmination of the style of play Martinson saw from Idaho over all three games. The slew foot that resulted in Peter McArthur getting injured is a prefect example of a cheap play that wasn't even called a penalty in the game. McArthur also had a tooth broken when he was hit with a highstick by the Idaho captain while being held by another player.  When teams hit from behind, knee players and dive and then aren't willing to back up their play when challenged you end up with incidents like last night. Martinson saw just what the video shows, Gunn delivered a clean check and then was crossed checked from behind after the goal was scored and the play was over. To quote coach Martinson, "After three games of all of the talk and cheap shots our guys had enough. I have no idea why three of our guys were taken off and none of theirs."

Allen plays Idaho in Boise in January and March but they don't play again in Allen until the last two games of the season on April 6th & 7th. Those games are a long way off but plan on attending  because I am certain the Americans have already circled those games on their schedule. 


- Allen's only goal in the game was scored by Eric Roy midway through the first period which tied the score 1-1. It was Eric's fourth goal of the season which leads all Allen defensemen. Here is a highlight video so you can check out all of the goals and the third period brawl:

- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-idaho-involved-wild-saturday-night-affair/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Idaho Steelheads: http://www.idahosteelheads.com/events/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-8/#gametab-2


- Allen came out on the short end of the score last night but full credit to the team who was playing hurt and playing shorthanded. There were only seven forwards dressed for the game rather then the usual 10. The list of missing forwards would be the nucleus for a top notch team. Olivier Archambault and Spencer Asuchak are in San Jose, Zach Pochiro and Alex Schoenborn didn't make the trip because of injuries, Zach Hall and Peter McArthur are with the team but could not play because of injuries and throw in a couple of players that were game time decisions and played. The Americans don't have any points for their effort last night but showed what doing anything for your team and teammates is all about.


- Despite the loss last night it was a great trip for Allen winning two of three games against a very good Idaho team. The players have the day off in Idaho today and will fly back to Allen Monday morning. They will get some much needed rest as they don't play again until Friday and Saturday when they take on the Rapid City Rush at the Allen Event Center.


OTHER COMMENTS

- The Americans were whistled for 65 penalty minutes in their 5-4 win on Friday night and 95 penalty minutes last night by referee Andy Howard who officiated both games. The 95 minutes are the second most in the ECHL this season and the 65 minutes are the fourth highest total. Allen was called for 15 minor penalties last night which is the most in a game in the ECHL this season.


- The Allen penalty kill has gone from bad to worse over the last two games. Four of Idaho's five goals last night were on the power play. In the last two games Idaho went 6-16 (37.5%). The Allen road penalty kill has fallen to a season low 72.1% which is ranked #26 in the league. Hard to believe the difference at home where the penalty kill is ranked #2 at 91.8%.


- Don't forget the online auction through BidPal ends today at 9:00 pm CST. There are still a lot of items that you can get for the minimum bid which includes some great jerseys for only $149. Keep an eye on the auction items today and you could pick up a bargain. Here is the link: https://one.bidpal.net/goamericans/welcome


- Had a lot of questions about the suspension of Vincent Arseneau because the press release stated it was an indefinite suspension. Here is the press release issued by the ECHL yesterday: https://www.echl.com/echl-announces-fines-suspensions-72

The reason that the suspension is indefinite is the ECHL wants to do some fact finding before making a final decision so they suspended Arseneau for the game last night and will make a final decision next week. There is no question Vincent left the bench after he was escorted there by the linesmen but there are some questions as to why he was taken to the bench rather than the penalty box and why he was the only player taken off the ice at the time. The league will gather the facts and make a decision. It is not expected to be a long suspension and it is possible, though not likely, it will be the one game Arseneau has already served.


- Congrats to Spencer Asuchak who was recalled by the San Jose Barracuda yesterday. San Jose is ranked #26 in the AHL in goals scored per game (2.63).  Spencer is center with great net front presence and that may be just what San Jose is looking for. The Barracuda play on the road in Ontario this afternoon and Asuchak should be in the lineup.   


- Allen lost some ground in the standings losing to Idaho last night while both Wichita and Colorado won. Here are the current Mountain Division standings with games played in parentheses:

28 points - Wichita (17 games)
25 points - Colorado (18 games)
23 points - Allen (19 games)
22 points - Idaho (18 games)
17 points - Utah (19 games)
17 points - Tulsa (18 games)
14 points - Rapid City (17 games)
 



DID YOU KNOW: Allen and Idaho have vaulted to the top of the ECHL penalty minutes list after a total of 95 penalty minutes Friday night and 148 minutes last night. The Americans and Steelheads are tied for the league lead in minor penalties with 125 each. Allen is #1 in average penalty minutes per game (25.53) while Idaho is #2 (21.94).

Allen's 25.53 average penalty minutes per game is higher than any other season since the Americans joined the ECHL. Here are the numbers with the league ranking in parentheses:

2017-18:   25.53 (#1) - through 19 games
2016-17:   19.89 (#1)
2015-16:   16.51 (#5)
2014-15:   22.83 (#1)

Allen Wins 5-4, Game Recap, Allen vs Idaho Game Three Preview, Nickelodeon Night & Who is Playing Best in the Mountain Division

Anytime you get a victory on the road against a division rival it is a good day but the Allen Americans 5-4 win over the Idaho Steelheads last night before a sold out crowd of 5149 at CenturyLink Arena was extra special. It was special because a shorthanded, dinged up team found a way to win when the odds were stacked against them and three rookies played a big role in the victory. There weren't a lot of pretty tic tac toe plays, just hard work, greasy rebound type of goals. Here are a few examples of what was good about the game:

- Rookie Jeremy Brodeur was named the #1 star of the game despite giving up four goals. Allen was out shot 42-25 including 18-8 in the second period and 16-7 in the third. Brodeur came up big time and time again.

- Allen scored the first goal of the game for the fourth time in the last five games and is still undefeated when scoring first with a record of 8-0.

- Rookie Connor Reilly, who was called up from Birmingham (SPHL) and didn't arrive in Boise until after the morning skate, scored his first professional goal.

- Coach Martinson said in his pregame interview he tweaked the power play for this game and it paid off with two power play goals as the Americans went 2-6.

- Rookie Daniel Leavens scored the first goal of the game and had two assists including the primary assist on Miles Liberati's game winning goal. Leavens made a great pass from behind the net to Liberati who was all alone in the slot.

- Bryan Moore had a three point night with a goal and two assists. Bryan has six points in the last three games. Looks like he is starting to heat up.

- Spencer Asuchak scored his typical way (net front) by putting in a rebound off a shot from the point on the power play.

- It was a chippy, chirpy type of game that included 96 penalty minutes which was in sharp contrast to Allen's 3-1 win on Wednesday when there were 12 penalty minutes.


- Goal scorers for Allen were Daniel Leavens (2), Bryan Moore (4), Spencer Asuchak (4), Connor Reilly (1), and Miles Liberati (3). You can check out all of the video highlights at ECHL Rewind: https://www.echl.com/


- Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-hold-third-5-4-win-idaho/


- Here is the game recap by the Idaho Steelheads: http://www.idahosteelheads.com/events/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-7/#gametab-2



ALLEN VS IDAHO GAME THREE PREVIEW

- It will be game three against Idaho tonight and it should be a doozy. Anytime teams play three games in a row feelings are pretty raw by the last game. Idaho doesn't want to be swept at home and in listening to post game interviews they felt they should have won the game last night. Here is what Steelheads forward Cody Corbett, who was the #2 star of the game, had to say in his on ice interview right after the game, "They were running around trying to get in our heads. We are not going to let that happen tomorrow night. We are going to come out and beat them to the ground. We are going to come out strong and pummel them." Sounds like a challenge the Americans will gladly accept.


- Allen and Idaho have now played four times this season with Allen winning three of the four. The visiting team has won three of the four games. The head to head totals have Allen leading in goals 14-11 but Idaho with a big edge in shots 139-111. Allen is 6-23 (26.1%) while Idaho is 4-24 (16.7%) on the power play. Allen has taken 33 penalties for 105 minutes and Idaho has taken 30 penalties for 71 minutes.


- The keys to the game tonight remain the same. Get off to a good start, win the special teams battle and hold down the shot differential.


- Allen has scored the first goal and had a second period lead in the two wins in Idaho. If they can accomplish that again tonight they will get the sweep.


- The shot differential is a concern. Idaho has out shot Allen 74-45 in the first two games. If that continues it may cost the Americans tonight.


- Allen scored two power play goals last night but they also gave up two power play goals. The Americans road penalty kill percentage has dropped to 76.5% which is ranked #26 in the ECHL. The referee tonight is the same as last night and he typically calls a lot of penalties. Allen needs to avoid those penalties that give Idaho a man advanatge.


- Allen has been playing hurt this entire series and the possibility of a suspension for Arseneau for leaving the bench will only make things worse. All they need now is for someone to get called up to the AHL. The hope for tonight is enough injured players can try and play so the Americans aren't playing with seven or eight forwards.  


- The referee scheduled for the game tonight is Andy Howard (#2) and the linesmen will be Scott DeBaugh (#67) and Brendan Gormley (#38).




OTHER COMMENTS

- Congrats to Daniel Leavens who was named the winner of the "Hot Hands" award last night by ECHL Weekly for his three point night and great assist on the game winning goal.


- Thanks to 65 penalty minutes in the game last night the Allen Americans find themselves in a familiar spot atop the ECHL rankings for average penalty minutes per game (21.67). Idaho is ranked #5 at 20.12 penalty minutes per game.


- In other action in the Mountain Division last night the winners were Wichita and Tulsa. Colorado lost in overtime and gained a single point. Wichita remains in first place with 26 points followed by Allen and Colorado who are tied for second place with 23 points.


- The San Jose Barracuda (AHL) were shutout by Ontario 3-0 last night and are now in sixth place in the Pacific Division. The top four teams make the playoffs.


- It is still a week away but the Americans game on December 2nd will be quite the event. It is Nickelodeon Night and SpongeBob will be in the house. It is also the Teddy Bear Toss game. The team will be wearing specialty jerseys featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star which will be auctioned off on BidPal. Have to admit Fake Biscuit on Twitter captured the essence of these jerseys perfectly, "McDonald's jerseys everywhere are celebrating the fact they are no longer the worst." 

 



DID YOU KNOW: One way to look at which teams in the Mountain Division are playing the best hockey is to look at points earned in the last ten games. If a team went 10-0 they would earn 20 points. Here is a look at points earned by Mountain Division teams over their last 10 games:

15 - Allen
14 - Wichita
13 - Idaho
11 - Utah
11 - Colorado
10 - Rapid City
9  - Tulsa

Allen vs Idaho Game Preview, A Look at Allen's Last 10 Games & Could the ECHL Playoff Teams Already be Decided?

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they continue their three game set with the Idaho Steelheads. Allen had a big 3-1 win on Wednesday and will have to have an even better performance tonight in game two to get another victory.

- Where could that improved performance come from? The two most likely areas are shots on goal and on the power play. In the game on Wednesday the Americans were out shot 32-20 including 17-4 in the third period. Idaho is #2 in the league in shots taken per game (38.38) compared to Allen who is ranked #11 (33.41). Idaho is also ranked #2 in shots allowed per game (27.63) while Allen is ranked #22 allowing 35.47 shots per game. If Allen expects to win tonight they need to close the gap between the shots they take and the shots they allow.


- The Americans have been hit or miss on the power play lately. They only had two opportunities on Wednesday and did not convert. Expect more power plays in the game tonight as both teams rank near the top of the ECHL in minor penalties. Idaho is #2 with 108 minor penalties this season while Allen is ranked #4 with 100 minor penalties. If you look at the Americans power play over the last five games it looks great statistically going 7-22 for a 31.8% conversion rate. However, the seven goals came in two games (one was a 4-8 against Idaho) and Allen was scoreless on the power play in the other three games.


- Another stat that might impact the game is Allen's penalty kill. Overall the Americans penalty kill is ranked #7 in the ECHL at 86.8% but on the road it is ranked #23 at 77.8%.


- The bottom line is special teams did not play a big role in the Allen win against Idaho on Wednesday, the law of averages says special teams will play a bigger role in the game tonight.


- I know for a fact the team is really banged up right now and several players are game time decisions. If a player or two can't go tonight Martinson will have to bring in a reinforcement. My guess is if it wasn't for the fact the team is shorthanded, there would be several players sitting out. After the games in Idaho tonight and Saturday the Americans will have a very light schedule where they only play two games in two weeks. Those two games are at home games against Rapid City on December 1st and 2nd. The Americans will gut out the two games in Idaho and then will have some time to rest up.     


- The referee scheduled for the game tonight is Andy Howard (#2) and the linesmen will be Scott DeBaugh (#67) and Ryan Nevins (#86).


LAST TEN GAMES

- The Americans have certainly been playing better hockey recently so I decided to look at the last 10 games and see what could be gleaned from the data. The most important data point is Allen's record which is 6-3-0-1 over the last 10 games. If you look at their last seven games the record is 5-1-0-1.


- Allen has been very good defensively over the last 10 games allowing only 28 goals. The 28 goals include two losses where the Americans gave up six goals and five goals. In the other eight games Allen allowed a total of 17 goals or 2.13 per game. In the last 10 games Allen has allowed one goal three times, two goals twice, three goals three times and then the five and six goal games. Obviously good goaltending has helped but the Americans have played really good defensively over the last 10 games.


- The last 10 games have not been so good offensively as the Americans have managed just 29 goals for an average per game of 2.9. This is a team that historically under coach Martinson has averaged close to four goals per game and last season averaged 4.08 goals per game which was ranked #2 in the ECHL.


- In the last 10 games the Allen power play is 9-46 which is 19.6% and a big improvement when you consider the power play was at 11.9%  at the beginning of November. When you look behind the 19.6%  it tells a different story. Allen scored a power play goal in only four of the last 10 games. That is six games with no power play goals, two games with one power play goal, one game with three power play goals and one game with four power play goals. If you take out the 4-8  against Idaho on November 11 and a 3-5 against Wichita on November 19 the power play is 2-33 (6.1%) in the other eight games. To make matters worse Allen lost both of the games when they scored three and four power play goals.


- To no surprise Allen does well when they score first which they did in five of the last 10 games and they won all five. The Americans have actually scored first in five of their last seven games which is a big reason they are 5-1-0-1 in the last seven games. In the last 10 games Allen didn't score first five times and their record in those five games was 1-3-0-1.


- What conclusions can you draw from the last 10 games? The team is playing good defensive hockey which has allowed them to win games without having the explosive offense they have had in the past. The power play has been good at times but needs to be more consistent. Good starts to games produce good results and the recent success coincides with better starts. The Americans need to find a way to score a few more goals going forward.


- I heard a recent interview with Allen captain Joel Chouinard where he talked about the differences between the team from this season and last season and he made me think what you can take from the last 10 games. This team may not be as skilled as last season so expecting them to average over four goals a game may be unrealistic. As a team Allen scored on 12.9% of their shots last season, so far this season the shooting percentage is 9.9%. A three percent reduction in shooting percentage over the course of a season would be close to 70 goals. What is different this season is the team is tougher to play against  and is better on the defensive end of the rink. It may not be come easy but this team will claw, scrap and fight their way to the playoffs and then anything can happen.



ITS THANKSGIVING - ARE THE PLAYOFF TEAMS ALREADY DECIDED?

- I have talked about this in the past after reading numerous articles about the history in the NHL where data proves somewhere between 75% - 80% of playoff teams are already decided by Thanksgiving. Here is one of the more informative stories about this subject from the Hockey News several years ago: http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/out-of-the-playoffs-december-1-done-like-thanksgiving-dinner

It is strange to think with a little more than 20% of the ECHL season complete you can predict who will be in the playoffs with close to 80% accuracy. Nothing ventured, nothing gained so here are my predictions based on what I have read.

North Division - This is the toughest division to predict because only six points separate first and last place. I am going with Wheeling, Reading, Adirondack and Brampton. Manchester and Worcester miss the playoffs.

South Division  - This one is easy and you can take it to the bank based on history. Florida, South Carolina, Greenville and Atlanta are in. Orlando, Jacksonville and Norfolk can already make tee times and plan vacations.

Central Division - Toledo, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Fort Wayne make the playoffs. Kalamazoo, Quad City and Indy stay home.

Mountain Division - Wichita, Colorado, Idaho and Allen are in while Tulsa, Utah and Rapid City miss the playoffs.

This is all done in fun and I will definitely revisit this at the end of the season and hold myself accountable. And if your favorite team is in the don't make the playoff group remember even with 80% accuracy I have three or four teams wrong.     

  


DID YOU KNOW: The Allen Americans have been getting outstanding goaltending this season but how does it compare to last season? In what may be the oddest of odd statistics when I looked up the goalie stats so far this season the goalies as a group have a GAA of 2.76 and and save percentage of .920. I decide to look up last season and as a group the goalies had a GAA of, you guessed it, 2.76 and a save percentage of .920. 

Allen Beats Idaho 3-1, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson's Comments, Milestones Galore, Thanksgiving on the Road, Auction & Black Friday Update

 The Allen Americans got off to a good start in the first of three games against Idaho beating the Steelheads 3-1 last night before a crowd of 4320 at CenturyLink Arena. The Americans kept their streak alive, score first, win the game, which now stands at 7-0.


- Goal scorers for Allen were Bryan Moore (3) who put in a rebound after great plays by Mathieu Aubin to keep the puck in the zone and Spencer Asuchak to take the puck to the net, Vincent Arseneau (6) who has a goal in his last five games and Daniel Leavens (1) who got his first goal of the season on a great individual effort where he intercepted a pass, went in one-on-two, took a shot that missed the net and put in his own rebound off the end boards. Here are the video highlights:

- Here is the game recap by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-win-close-game-3-1-idaho/


- Here is the game recap by the Idaho Steelheads: http://www.idahosteelheads.com/events/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-6/#gametab-2


- Allen coach Steve Martinson sent me five quick comments after the game, "Good start to the series, Vince had the game winner and has five goals in his last five game, it was great to see Daniel Leavens score, we played a solid defensive game and Brodeur was real good in goal." I think Martinson was pleased with the team effort as they were playing short a forward and are pretty banged up right now.


- Vincent Arseneau has scored six goals this season and they have all come in his last seven games. Three of his six goals have been game winners including last night. His three game winning goals ties him for #3 in the league just one behind the league leaders.


- Tommy Daniels was a stats encyclopedia on his broadcast last night. Here is a sample of a few I remember Tommy sharing:

"Steve Martinson is coaching his 1500th game tonight"
"That is Mathieu Aubin's 300th  professional assist"
"Vincent Arseneau now has a goal in his last five games"
"Casey Pierro-Zabotel has an assist in his last five games"
"Arseneau's five game goal streak is the longest in the league right now"


OTHER COMMENTS


- If you have been tracking the current Allen Americans auction items you may have noticed a lot more jerseys were added yesterday along with autographed sticks, pucks and photos. If you have always wanted a jersey and the prices were too high at the live auctions this may be your chance. There are seven jerseys on this auction that do not have a bid and the starting bid is only $149. You can choose from autographed Asuchak, Hanson or Makowski jerseys or even bid on one of the more infamous specialty jerseys, a McDonald's team autographed jersey.  The current auction ends Sunday night (9:00 pm CST). Remember, you don't have to register to check out the auction, just to bid. Here is the link: https://one.bidpal.net/goamericans/welcome


- A reminder the Allen Americans team store will be open tomorrow from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm with special Black Friday deals from 9:30-1:30. Whether it is for yourself or Christmas presents a great time to check out the team store. Mention Barry the Blogger when you shop at the team store tomorrow and you will get absolutely nothing extra but they will know you saw the info on the blog.

- For the many Tanner Eberle fans you might want to check out the ECHL Showcase game tomorrow (Friday) night as Tanner's Jacksonville Icemen will be hosting the Atlanta Gladiators. The game can be seen on Facebook Live and there is no cost. Just go to the ECHL Facebook page to watch the game. Puck drop is 6:30 CST and watch for Tanner wearing #29.


- Allen was able to gain some ground on several of their Mountain Division rivals last night. Wichita, Tulsa, Utah and of course Idaho all lost last night. Allen is now in third place in the division three points behind Wichita and one point behind Colorado.


THANKSGIVING

- I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving but especially those that will spend the day away from their families. Those like my daughter, Erin, who is a labor and delivery RN at Parkland Hospital and will put in a 12 hour shift today, first responders, those serving in the military and so many others including the Allen Americans who are away from their families. The Americans have never spent a Thanksgiving at home in the nine years as a franchise. This is because of scheduling conflicts at the Allen Event Center (Disney on Ice) but coach Martinson has vowed to try and make sure the team is at home next Thanksgiving even if they have to play on the road before and after the holiday. Scheduling road games with Tulsa and/or Wichita would allow the Americans to be home for Thanksgiving. 


- While the Americans won't be with their friends and families today, the team will have a Thanksgiving feast thanks to some very special Allen fans. Mark Fisher started the tradition of providing a Thanksgiving meal for the team three years ago. This year Ed and Sheri Bohnemann are joining forces with Mark and Elizabeth Fisher to provide the Thanksgiving meal. I asked Mark to share the details and this is what he said, "This year the team will be having a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at the hotel consisting of green salad, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, fresh vegetables and dessert. Ed & Sheri Bohnemann and Elizabeth and myself decided to provide this meal for the team as it is tough enough to be away from home during the holidays without having to worry about how much per diem you have. I started this tradition three years ago to directly improve the player experience in Allen when the team was under different ownership. Jack Gulati, the new team owner, is doing a great job of supporting and providing for the players and the organization but we wanted to continue to provide the meal for the team ourselves. I hope the players and staff know that even though only a few fans could make it to Boise, those of us that are back in North Texas are thinking of them and wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving."

What a great gesture by some super Allen Americans fans!

Elizabeth & Mark Fisher

Ed & Sheri Bohnemann

 DID YOU KNOW: It is tough for the Allen Americans to be in Idaho for Thanksgiving and I am sure when the franchise started in 2009 it wasn't envisioned they would be on the road on Thanksgiving for nine straight years. That first season was quite a challenge. The day before Thanksgiving the Americans played the Mississippi River Kings in Memphis which is 450 miles from Allen. They lost that game 3-1 even though they scored the first goal early in the first period. The River Kings scored three unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes of the game for the victory. The Americans had to leave Memphis Wednesday night and drive 800 miles to Odessa where they played on Friday. They beat Odessa 5-4 in that game on a Justin Bowers power play goal with four seconds remaining in the second period. There was no scoring in the third period. The Americans then traveled back to Allen (350 miles) and played the Texas Brahmas on Saturday and won 4-3 in a shootout. Defenseman Ryan Fairbarn got the game winning shootout goal. The total was three games in four days and 1600 miles on the bus with Thanksgiving squeezed in on the off day. Idaho doesn't sound so bad after that first Thanksgiving road trip.

I had a chance to talk to Tommy Daniels this morning about that first Thanksgiving road trip and he shared with me the team left Memphis after the game Wednesday night and spent most of Thanksgiving Day getting to Odessa. They stopped at a Cracker Barrel just west of Weatherford for brunch and didn't arrive in Odessa until after 3:00 pm. They had their Thanksgiving meal that evening at the hotel. Tommy remembers assistant coach, Bill McDonald saying at dinner that night, "I sure hope we don't have to travel on Thanksgiving next season."  It has now been nine years and the team has still not been home for Thanksgiving. 

Allen vs Idaho Preview, Black Friday Team Store Specials and Records in Review on Spencer Asuchak's Birthday

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they are in Boise to begin a three game series against the Idaho Steelheads. The game tonight is the third of 10 meetings between these teams this season. They split their first two games in Allen with the Americans winning 2-1 on November 10 and Idaho winning 5-4 in a shootout on November 11.


- Games within the division are always important and the games in Idaho are no exception. The Steelheads lead Allen in the standings by one point (20 to 19) and have one game in hand on the Americans. With the top four teams in the division separated by just three points, Allen could come home after these three games against Idaho in first place or sixth place depending on the outcome.


- Idaho is one of the few teams Allen does not have a winning record against since joining the ECHL in 2014. They have played 10 times in the regular season and the Americans are 4-3-1-2 in those games. Allen's record in Idaho is 1-3-0-0. In their only meeting in the playoffs Allen beat Idaho in the first round of the 2016 playoffs (4-3) on the way to their second Kelly Cup.


- Both teams have been playing well. Allen is 4-1-0-1 over their last six games while Idaho is 5-1-0-0 with their only loss against Allen.


- Both teams will be missing key players this weekend. Idaho's top goalie, Philippe Desrosiers, was recalled by the Texas Stars (AHL) on Monday and defenseman Joe Faust was loaned to Utica (AHL). Allen will be missing Riley Gill, Zach Pochiro and Alex Schoenborn who did not make the trip plus there are some players on the trip who are day to day. It won't be known until game time what the lineup will look like. If Allen ends up short up front defenseman Miles Liberati will play some shifts at forward.
 

- Here is the game/series preview written by Brian McCormack of the Idaho Steelheads. Brian is the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Steelheads:  http://www.idahosteelheads.com/blog/steelheads-news/preview-american-thanksgiving/


- Here is a comparison between Allen and Idaho:

                                     ALLEN                            IDAHO

Team Record              8-5-2-1 (19 points)              8-3-3-1 (20 points)
Division Ranking         4th - Mountain                    3rd - Mountain
Conference Ranking  5th - Western                      4th - Western
League Ranking         10th                                    9th
Last Game                  6-4 Loss (Wichita)              3-2 Win (Rapid City)
Goals For                    54                                      50
Goals Against             48                                       44
Power Play                 18.2% (14/77)                    17.4% (15/86)
Penalty Kill                  86.5% (10/74)                    81.0% (16/84)
Leading Scorer           Pierro-Zabotel (4-14-18)    Brassart (8-10-18)
Most PIM's                  Arseneau - 32                    Moroz - 56


-  Here is how Allen and Idaho rank in the ECHL in some statistical categories:

Penalty Minutes Per Game: Allen 6th (20.06) - Idaho 5th (22.20)
Goals Scored Per Game: Allen 11th (3.38) - Idaho 13th (3.33)
Goals Allowed Per Game: Allen 9th (3.00) - Idaho 8th (2.93)
Shots For Per Game: Allen 8th (34.25) - Idaho 2nd (38.80)
Shots Against Per Game: Allen 22nd (35.69) - Idaho 3rd (28.13)
Power Play Percentage: Allen 10th (18.2%) - Idaho 12th (17.4%)
Penalty Kill Percentage: Allen 8th (86.5%) - Idaho 19th (81.0%)


- Statistically these teams are pretty evenly matched. One exception is Idaho is ranked #2 in the ECHL in shots per game (38.80) and #3 in shots allowed per game (28.13) for a differential of +10.67. Allen's is ranked #22 in shots allowed and their differential is -1.44. The Americans will have to work hard, use puck possession and play good defense to hold down the number of shots Idaho gets in the games this week. The shot differential doesn't transfer to goal differential because Idaho has one of the worst shooting percentages in the league (8.4%). Allen's shooting percentage is a little better at 9.7%.


- Allen and Idaho are two of the most penalized teams in the ECHL which should make for an interesting matchup. Idaho has been called for 104 minor penalties (second most in the league) and 13 major penalties in 15 games. Allen has 98 minor penalties and 15 major penalties in 16 games. You don't think of Idaho as a team that fights a lot but they are ranked #3 in the league with fights (19) while Allen is #4 with 17 fights.


- The overall special team stats between Allen and Idaho show the Americans with an advanatge on the penalty kill (86.5% vs 81.0%) and on the power play (18.2% vs 17.4%). However, if you look at home vs road special team stats the percentages change in favor of Idaho. On the power play Allen is 17.2% on the road while Idaho is 21.6% at home. On the penalty kill Allen is 76.0% on the road while Idaho is 84.1% at home. Another thing to keep in mind that may be a factor tonight is the last time Allen played Idaho the Americans scored four power play goals.


- Both teams have had trouble scoring first. Allen has scored first in only six of their 16 games and is a perfect 6-0 when scoring first. Idaho has scored first in six of their 15 games and has a record of 5-0-0-1. With a combined record when scoring first of 11-0-0-1 you can see the importance of scoring the first goal tonight.


- The referee scheduled for the game tonight is Chris Pontes (#12) and the linesmen will be Scott DeBaugh (#67) and Brendan Gormley (#38).



OTHER COMMENTS

- Check out the new auction items at the Americans auction website. There are practice jerseys, a Brodeur signed puck, a Halloween jersey and a Jamie Schaafsma #22 white jersey that is definitely a collector's item. As Jamie says, "I am a 13 year pro on a 15 year plan to make the NHL." This auction ends on on Sunday (November 26) at 9:00 pm CST. Here is the link: https://one.bidpal.net/goamericans/welcome


- If you are a Black Friday shopper you need to stop by the Allen Americans team store for some great deals. The team store is on the northwest corner of the Allen Event Center and will be open on Friday from 9:30 - 3:30. There will be discounts throughout the day but store manager Michelle Martinson tells be there are special deals from 9:30-1:30. Here is a sample:

All logo T-shirts (four colors) - Buy one for $22 get one for a penny
All Adult & Youth "Property Of" hoodies -  Buy one for $39.99 get one for a penny
All beanie hats - Buy one for $24.99 get one for a penny
All players T-shirts - 25% off


- One series to keep an eye on this week is Colorado vs Greenville. The Swamp Rabbits visit the Eagles for games tonight, Friday and Saturday. Greenville is in second place in the South Division with a record of 9-4-2-0 and Colorado is in second place in the Mountain Division with an identical record of 9-4-2-0. Colorado leads the ECHL in penalty minutes (337) with Greenville close behind in second place with 326 penalty minutes.


- Tanner Eberle scored his first goal as a member of the Jacksonville Icemen last night. Tanner scored the lone Jacksonville goal as they lost to Orlando 4-1. 


DID YOU KNOW: Today is Spencer Asuchak's 26th birthday and as usual he is spending it on the road with the team. Congrats to the guy they call Assman and hope he has a great day. Spencer is a big part of Allen Americans history. He has won three championships in Allen and is one of only three players along with Brian McMillin and Jarret Lukin to play for the Americans in five different seasons. If you combine regular season and playoff stats Spencer Asuchak is the only player in team history that is in the top ten in games played, points, goals, assists, and penalty minutes. He is sixth in games played (266), fifth in points (217), sixth in goals (89), sixth in assists (128) and fourth in penalty minutes (354). 

A throwback pic from the junior days in Prince George circa 2010