When the best team in the ECHL (Cincinnati) plays the worst team in the ECHL (Allen) it is not a surprise when the result is a 6-2 win for Cincinnati. That is what happened last night before a Wednesday night crowd of 3148 at the Allen Event Center. It was the seventh straight win for the Cyclones and the eighth straight loss for the Americans.
Unfortunately the game last night had a ring that is all too familiar this season:
- Cincinnati scored the first goal of the game. It was the 10th straight game Allen has given up the first goal of the game. In 31 games this season Allen has given up the first goal 23 times. The Americans record in those 23 games is 2-20-0-1.
- Cincinnati out shot Allen 44-25. Allen has been out shot in 23 of their 31 games. The Americans record when being out shot is 4-18-0-1.
- Cincinnati had the lead (2-1) after the first period. It was the 15th time in 31 games Allen was trailing after the first period. The Americans record in those 15 games is 2-12-0-1.
- Allen did a good job staying out of the penalty box but still gave up more power play opportunities (4) than they received (3). In the last seven games, all loses, Allen has had more penalty minutes than their opponent.
- Allen's scoring slump continued as they scored just two goals for the third straight game. Allen hasn't scored more than three goals in a game the entire month of December. During the current eight game losing streak the Americans are averaging 2.25 goals per game.
- Allen allowed six goals last night, the third time during the losing streak they have allowed six goals. Over the last eight games, all losses, the Americans have allowed an average 4.88 per game.
- In the game preview yesterday I wrote, "If the game is close going into the third period Allen may be in trouble. The Americans have given up the most third period goals in the league (40) while the Cyclones have given up the fewest goals in the third period (10)." This stat proved prophetic as Cincinnati blew the game open in the third period outscoring Allen 4-0.
- To Allen's credit they did come back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the score 2-2 before the third period disaster. Adam Miller scored his eighth goal of the season at the end of the first period and Riley Bourbonnais scored late in the second period. It was Riley's first goal for Allen and came in his first game with the Americans. Riley's goal was a power play goal. Here are the Sporfie clips on the Allen goals:
Adam Miller - Good play by Zach Pochiro drawing the defense and making a saucer pass just as the defenseman goes down. Adam stops the pass with his skates and then puts the puck in the net.
Riley Bourbonnais - A rink long rush by Alex Breton leads to this goal by Bournonnais. Three things to look for on this goal. The skating ability of Breton who skates end to end and blows by the defense. The pass Alex makes to Bourbonnais and how Riley scores by going to the net.
- Here is the game recap issued by the Cincinnati Cyclones: https://cycloneshockey.com/news/2018/12/cyclones-roll-to-win-in-texas-opener
- Here is a four minute highlight package showing the goals, some great saves and the Garrett Clarke fight. Clarke did not return after the fight as he suffered an upper body injury that will keep him out of the lineup.
STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS
- Riley Bourbonnais was one of the bright spots tonight. He scored a goal, made some plays and showed some speed.
- We didn't show enough speed tonight which was disappointing. I thought we had a little bit more speed back in the lineup but some of our guys just didn't use their speed.
- In the third period we had a weak play off the faceoff and just got out muscled, we had a turnover right in front of our net, and then we had another play when we didn't get the puck in deep. We had multiple mistakes in the third period. It is painful to watch. Their third line scored a power play goal.
- Our defense was tired. We had one guy sick, one guy is not ready to play and Clarke got hurt so it is one thing after another. We looked tired in the third period and we just got out skated.
- I am going to do something I haven't done in years tomorrow. I am going to watch the entire game with the whole team. I spend hours on this stuff so I am going let them stay here tomorrow afternoon and watch the game with me. I will have some things marked ahead of time but they can see what it is like. They can see what I see and give me their comments and I will give them mine.
- We got that goal at the end of the second period to tie the score so I thought we would have some life in the third period. They just generated more speed. It is bad enough to lose, you just feel bad for our goalie who just gets back and we play like sh..!
- Guys we are paying to make some plays and generate some offense didn't do much tonight and that is frustrating. We looked tired in the third period and Cincinnati generated more offense.
- Mitch Maloney sat out tonight and he will be back in the lineup on Friday.
- Jeremy Brodeur got claimed by Norfolk. I told Jeremy if he didn't get claimed I had a job for him lined up in Pensacola (SPHL). I talked to him about Riley Gill going to the SPHL to get his game back and went on to win three championships.
OTHER COMMENTS
- Rookie Alex Breton assisted on both Allen goals last night and now has 23 points (5G, 18A). He is second on the team in points and second in the ECHL in points by a defenseman. Alex has twice as many power play assists than any other Allen player. I am sure he will be the Allen representative on the ECHL all-star team which showcases young talent around the league. It would be nice to see Iowa sign Breton to an AHL deal before some other AHL team comes calling.
- How bad is the losing this season? The two longest losing streaks in Allen Americans history, eight games, have happened in the last 53 days. Allen has now lost 21 of their last 24 games. The Americans winning percentage is now at .226. The lowest winning percentage (full season) in ECHL history is .227.
- The Christmas break (December 24-26) can't get here soon enough for the Allen Americans. Getting away from hockey for three days is sorely needed with the mindset of this team right now. It is no magic bullet but it can only help given the way the team has played.
- With Allen out of the playoff picture and the top six Mountain Division teams separated by just five points this weekend has some interesting match ups that could see some shifts in the standings. Wichita is at Rapid City, Tulsa is at Kansas City and Utah is at Idaho for games on Friday and Saturday.
- There have been 13 hat tricks in the ECHL thus far this season. Braylon Shmyr is the only Allen player with a hat trick. His was the first of the season back on October 19.
- There have been 31 shutouts in the ECHL thus far this season. Allen has been part of five on them. The Americans have been shutout three times and C.J. Motte has recorded two shutouts which is tied for the second most in the league.
DID YOU KNOW: There is no stat that talks more to the difference between Allen and Cincinnati than third period goals allowed. Here are the best and worst in goals allowed in the third period. You can see just how good the Cyclones are and how bad the Americans are, compared to the rest of the ECHL.
Fewest 3rd Period goals
10 - Cincinnati
15 - Idaho
19 - Rapid City
21 - Florida
22 - Tulsa
Most 3rd period goals
48 - Allen
33 - Fort Wayne
33 - South Carolina
33 - Wichita
31 - Brampton
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