Another Loss Brings Losing Streak to Six, Game Recap, Martinson's Comments, Rematch Preview, How Big is the Hole Now & Startling ECHL Plus/Minus Stats

I want to start this morning by thanking you for hanging in as this historic season seems to go from bad to worse each week. I know it has to be difficult to read the blog each day when there is little good news to report. I can sense interest waning as the team falls further and further behind. Since I love stats the proof is in the pudding and they show fewer people visiting the blog as the losses mount. In past seasons there would be over 1000 pageviews each day, now it is more like 700. I know many of you will be on board even if the team loses the rest of their games but it is understandable when fans need to take a break. I plan to do the same as I will be heading back to North Dakota on another pheasant hunt between Christmas and New Years. Once 2019 arrives I will try and do more stories about the Americans that will be fun and enjoyable rather the litany of stats that show just how bad this season is on the ice. There is also hope and I am a believer that better days are ahead for the Americans and fans can still look forward to some entertaining home games with plenty of victories.


- The Allen Americans lost their sixth straight game last night falling to the Reading Royals 4-2 before a Saturday night crowd of 4183 at Santander Arena. It was the second loss in as many nights against the Royals. Game three of the series is this afternoon with a 4:00 pm CST puck drop.


- In the last 50 days the Americans have managed just three wins squeezed between losing streaks of eight games, four games, one game and now six games and counting. In the previous four seasons combined, Allen had one six game losing streak and two four game losing steaks.


- The formula for defeat remains the same game after game and it was true to form again last night. Allen gave up the first goal for the 20th time in 28 games this season. The Americans record when they don't score first is now 2-18-0-1.


- Allen was out shot 27-16 in the first two periods and 36-29 for the game. Being out shot is as common for the Americans as allowing the first goal. They have been out shot in 21 of their 28 games.


- Allen added to their league leading minor penalty total (175) but reduced the number of minor penalties from 10 in the first game against Reading to five last night. Reading, who has taken the second fewest minor penalties in the league (100) also reduced their minor penalties from five on Friday night to just two last night. Despite being in the penalty box more than Reading last night it did not cost the Americans. Allen was 1-2 on the power play, Reading was 0-5.


- Allen's inability to score continues to plague them. Just two goals again last night. In the two games against Reading the Americans have managed just one even strength goal. Over their current six game losing streak Allen has not scored more than three goals and have averaged just 2.33 goals per game. Over the same six games Allen has allowed more than three goals five times and given up an average of 4.67 goals per game.


- The goal scorers for Allen were Zach Pochiro and Garrett Clarke. Pochiro scored his 14th goal of the season and extended his scoring streak to six games (6G, 3A). Zach's 14 goals place him fifth in the ECHL in goals scored.  It was Pochiro's seventh power play goal of the season which ties him for second in the league in that category. Garrett Clarke scored his first goal since returning to Allen. His last goal in an Americans jersey was opening night in 2015 when he scored the lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Quad City. It was an unlikely third period goal to break up a shutout from three players that didn't score much. The assists on Clarke's only goal that season went to Justin Courtnall and goalie Joel Rumpel.


-  Alex Breton had the primary assist on Pochiro's power play goal. Breton now has 21 points (5G, 16A). He is second in the ECHL in points by a defenseman trailing leader Matt Register by two points. Alex is second in points on the Americans trailing leader Zach Pochiro by just one point. Breton's 16 assists are four more than anyone else on the team. Finally, Breton has nine power play assists which is tied for third best among all ECHL players.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-drop-another-to-the-reading-royals-despite-outstanding-performance-by-brodeur/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Reading Royals: https://royalshockey.com/en/news/2018/9/bears-fly-swavely-sets-team-record-and-royals-double-americans-4-2




STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS

"We just gave them too many odd man rushes."

"On their goals they just skated faster than some of our players can think."

"The odd man rushes were really the result of bad positioning and bad decision making."

"Ranger missed the game last night because he was boarded head first in the third period Friday night. We really couldn't afford to lose more speed with the other injuries and suspensions."

"We have several players getting increased opportunity, responsibility and ice time because we are playing shorthanded and missing key players. Opportunity is great unless you are not ready for it."

"We have to play a smarter game on Sunday if we expect to win."

" Kevin Sundher and Riley Bourbonnais will be added for the game on Wednesday. I am going to combine them with four forwards from this weekend. The plan is to get two lines that can consistently compete against Cincinnati's top lines. Bourbonnais is a center which gives us flexibility with line combinations." 




ALLEN VS READING REMATCH PREVIEW

- This afternoon Allen will have a final chance to earn some points from Reading and avoid an 0-6 road trip. It won't be an easy task as the shorthanded Americans will be playing their third game in less than 48 hours. Allen played two players short last night. Alex Ranger is out with an injury, Josh Thrower was sick and newly acquired Riley Bourbonnais has not reported yet. I would expect the Americans will be playing shorthanded again today.


- The keys to the game have not changed from yesterday but I will add a fourth one:

1. Get off to a good start. Allen is 4-3-0-1 when they score first. However, in 21 of their 29 games this season Allen has allowed the first goal to their opponent. Their record when they don't score first is 2-18-0-1. The Americans did come back last night after giving up the first goal of the game to tie the score 1-1 after the first period but that isn't necessarily a good thing either. Allen is 1-8-0-1 this season when tied after the first period. Pretty easy formula for success, get off to a good start. If you go strictly by the numbers, if the Americans give up the first goal they will likely lose and if they don't have a lead after the first period they will likely lose.

2. Stay out of the penalty box. Allen has had seven power play opportunities in the first two games against Reading but the Royals have had 15. It hasn't cost the Americans as they have scored four power play goals compared to three for Reading. If Allen gives up twice as many power plays as they get this afternoon it is likely they will not win.

3. Play better defense - Allen is giving up way too many goals. During their current six game losing streak the Americans are allowing close to five goals per game. If Allen expects to win today they need to tighten up defensively.

4. Score even strength - In the last three games Allen has a total of two even strength goals while allowing eight even strength goals. To expect the power play to carry the team to victory is fool's gold. The Americans can't win unless they play better even strength.   


- Here is a great game preview that was issued by the Reading Royals. It covers everything from soup to nuts including a comparison of the two coaches and a little Allen history:  https://royalshockey.com/en/news/2018/9/game-26-preview-allen-at-reading




OTHER COMMENTS

- If you attended the Allen Americans training camp you will recognize the Reading goalie Andrew D'Agostini who has been in goal for both games against the Americans. Andrew was in camp with Allen and has been playing in the SPHL. He just arrived in Reading and beat Allen in his first two ECHL starts of the season with a save percentage of .915.


- Congrats to Mike Gunn who played in his 200th ECHL game last night and to Joel Chouinard who played in his 500th pro game on Friday night.


- The hole gets deeper and deeper for the Allen Americans with each loss. I made the call at Thanksgiving (based on historical data) they would not make the playoffs and even the most diehard fans are now coming to grips with the fact there will be no playoffs in Allen this season. But for the few that have still not thrown in the towel on making the playoffs here are the facts. Based on the number of points it has historically taken to make the playoffs the Americans record for the rest of the season (43 games) will have to be close to 31-9-2-1. That computes to a winning percentage of .756. That is a higher winning percentage than any team in the league has at this point. Just sayin'!


- In Mountain Division action last night the losers in addition to Allen were Tulsa, Wichita, Rapid City and Kansas City. Tulsa has been fading fast having lost their last eight games. The team on the move is Idaho with a record of 8-2 over their last 10 games. Here are the standings with games played in parentheses:

34 points - Utah (25 games)
33 points - Idaho (27 games)
32 points - Tulsa (27 games)
31 points - Rapid City (30 games)
30 points - Kansas City (24 games)
27 points - Wichita (26 games)
14 points - Allen (29 games)


- The Mountain Division has historically done very well when playing teams outside the division but not the case this season. Here is the Mountain Division record against the other divisions:

0-2-0-0:   North Division
2-2-0-0:   South Division
5-13-2-2:  Central Division

7-15-2-2:  TOTAL




DID YOU KNOW: I happened to be looking at the league wide plus/minus numbers after the game last night and after paging through 39 screens one by one found this rather eye opening stat. There are 780 players in the ECHL plus/minus data base and the numbers run from +22 to -19. The Allen Americans occupy five of the bottom 15 spots. I knew it was bad but had no idea it was this bad. Here is the list of how Allen players rank in plus/minus among the 780 players that have played in the ECHL this season:

#766 - Alex Breton (-12)
#773 - Joel Chouinard (-13)
#776 - Braylon Shmyr (-14)
#779 - Dalton Thrower (-18)
#780 - Spencer Asuchak (-19)