Allen Ends Season with a Loss and a Brawl, Game Recap, Video Highlights, How Bad Was This Season, Playoff Stories, High PIMS Can be Good or Bad

 The Allen Americans ended a historic season last night the same way they started the season 176 days ago, with a loss. It was a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Wichita Thunder last night that put an end to the worst season in Allen history. For two teams that were playing out the season Allen and Wichita couldn't say goodbye. A brawl ensued after the game ended with eight players (five Allen, three Wichita) receiving game misconduct and/or match penalties. There will definitely be some suspensions as a result of  this melee. Any Allen suspensions will carry over to next season. Wichita plays Tulsa this afternoon so they will undoubtedly play shorthanded. The penalty totals for the game were 18 infractions, 127 minutes for Allen and 12 infractions, 70 minutes for Wichita.  The Allen penalty minute total (127) is the highest in the league this season and the combined total for both teams of 197 minutes is the second highest in the ECHL this season.


- The 4-1 loss to Wichita was similar to many of the Allen losses this season. The Americans had a good start scoring the first goal and taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Wichita scored the only goal in the second period so the teams started the third period tied 1-1. The wheels fell off in the third period for the Americans as they surrendered three unanswered goals. The Americans have always been known as a great third period team but not this season. Allen has given up more third period goals than any team in the league while struggling to score. The totals are 68 goals scored in the third period and 97 goals allowed for a goal differential of -29. Not many third period comebacks with that kind of performance.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Wichita Thunder: https://www.wichitathunder.com/news/press-release/thunder-wins-penalty-filled-home-finale.html


- Here are the video highlights with all of the goals and the brawl after the game had ended:

- My goal and I am sure the goal of many Allen fans is to not forget about this season but put it in the past. Use it as incentive for everyone associated with the team to come back stronger than ever next season. This will be the last blog post I use to talk about just how a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad season it was for the Allen Americans. They set records for futility that will never be broken. For the record here is a comparison of the Americans five ECHL seasons.


Winning Percentage
.389   2018-19
.542   2017-18
.722   2016-17
.618   2015-16
.736   2014-15


Points
56    2018-19 
78    2017-18
104  2016-17
89    2015-16
106  2014-16


Goals Scored
208   2018-19
235   2017-18
294   2016-17
222   2015-16
292   2014-15


Goals Allowed
269   2018-19
232   2017-18
203   2016-17
204   2015-16
203   2014-15


Goal Differential (goals for minus goals against)
2018-19    -61
2017-18    +3
2016-17   +91
2015-16   +18
2014-15   +89


Team Save Percentage
.897   2018-19
.912   2017-18
.920   2016-17
.909   2015-16
.906   2014-15


Team GAA
3.67   2018-19
3.16   2017-18
2.76   2016-17
2.75   2015-16
2.73   2014-15


Times Shutout by Opponents
8 - 2018-19 
5 - 2017-18
2 - 2016-17
2 - 2015-16
1 - 2014-15


Team Shooting Percentage
9.2%     2018-19
10.5%   2017-18
12.9%   2016-17
10.6%   2015-16
12.2%   2014-15


Power Play Percentage
16.7%   2018-19
17.1%   2017-18
24.4%   2016-17
21.1%   2015-16
21.9%   2014-15


Penalty Kill Percentage
81.7%   2018-19 
81.6%   2017-18
84.4%   2016-17
86.4%   2015-16
87.5%   2014-15


Team Plus/Minus
-256   2018-19
+38    2017-18
+334  2016-17
-11     2015-16
+291  2014-15


Penalty Minutes
2018-19   1691
2017-18   1411
2016-17   1432
2015-16   1189
2014-15   1644


CONCLUSIONS

1. You can see how much worse this season is than any other but things have been going down hill since the 2016-17 season.

2. The 2014-15 championship team was a complete team that could score, defend and was very physical. They are the leaders in most of the stats above.

3. The 2015-16 championship team was not that good in the regular season. The stats were good but not great, however, the team peaked during the playoffs.

4. Maybe the most surprising of the stats above is just how good the 2016-17 team was in the regular season. The team was loaded with talent and coach Martinson had the best team ever by his own analysis. Based on the stats above you could certainly agree it was the best team ever assembled by Martinson.



OTHER COMMENTS

- I asked coach Steve Martinson what his thoughts were now that the season is over and his response was not a surprise and captures what all Allen fans would agree with, "I am looking forward to building a new team."


- Spencer Asuchak scored Allen's only goal last night playing in his 72nd game of the season. Spencer is the only player on the team to play in all 72 games. This is the second time Asuchak has been an Ironman as he also played in every game in the 2013-14 season. When you consider he spends so much time in front of the net taking an incredible amount of abuse, his feat is even more impressive.  I know Spencer played hurt for much of the season and refused to do anything but show up game after game. He will undergo surgery this week. 


- Congrats to Spencer and stick taps to all Allen Ironmen past and present! It is a very exclusive club.

2018-19 - Spencer Asuchak 
2017-18 - Joel Chouinard, Casey Pierro-Zabotel
2016-17 - Chad Costello, Joel Chouinard
2015-16 - Chad Costello
2014-15 - Chad Costello, Aaron Gens, Jamie Schaafsma
2013-14 - Spencer Asuchak, Daniel Tetrault, Mike Berube
2012-13 - Jamie Schaafsma, Jason Deitsch
2011-12 - Jason Deitsch
2010-11 - Colton Yellow Horn, David Strathman
2009-10 - Bruce Graham, Christian Gaudet
 


- The Kelly Cup playoffs are almost set with just one slot still up for grabs. South Carolina is at Atlanta today and the Gladiators need a regulation win to advance to the playoffs, any other outcome and the Stingrays advance.


- The Tulsa Oilers clinched the Mountain Division championship with a 6-1 win over Kalamazoo last night while Idaho was losing 3-2 in overtime to Utah. It is the first division championship for Tulsa in 43 years. The first round matchups are now set with #1 Tulsa vs #4 Kansas City and #2 Idaho vs #3 Utah. Talk about teams that are familiar with each other, Tulsa and Kansas City have played 11 times this season with the Oilers having a record of 7-4-0-0 against the Mavericks. Idaho and Utah finish the regular season playing each other today in Utah. It will be the 15th time these teams have met this season. This is a good matchup for Utah who has given Idaho trouble all season. Even though Idaho is the #2 seed Utah's record against the Steelheads is 8-4-2-0. 


- There will be some interesting stories when it comes to the teams that made the Kelly Cup playoffs this season. From Newfoundland making the playoffs in their first season to Tulsa winning their first division title since 1975-76. Brampton is in the playoffs for only the second time in five ECHL seasons and Tulsa has made the playoffs for the first time in four years. The Jacksonville Icemen will be in the playoffs for the first time since the franchise joined the ECHL as the Evansville Icemen  in 2012-13. At the other end of the spectrum is the Idaho Steelheads who have been to the playoffs 21 straight seasons (two different leagues), the longest active playoff streak in pro hockey.



DID YOU KNOW: Thanks to 127 penalty minutes in the final game of the season last night Allen surpassed the 1600 penalty minute barrier. Over 1600 penalty minutes in a season has been accomplished just twice in the last five ECHL seasons, both times by the Allen Americans. In 2014-15 Allen had 1644 regular season penalty minutes and won the Kelly Cup. This season Allen had 1691 penalty minutes and finished last in the ECHL.