A Look at Allen's Remaining Schedule as They Prepare for the Playoffs

This morning I want to take an in depth look at the remaining Allen schedule and see what is in store for the Americans in the next seven weeks. First some facts:

- All of Allen's remaining games are against Mountain Division teams
- Allen has 19 games (26%) remaining of the 72 game regular season schedule
- Of the 19 remaining games 10 will be at home and nine will be on the road
- 42% of Allen's remaining games (8 of 19) are against the Tulsa Oilers
- With the exception of three games in Utah the other six road games are stand alone games
- 14 of Allen's remaining 19 games are against teams with winning percentages above .500


- Here is a list of Allen's 19 remaining games by opponent with the current winning percentage in parenthesis:
                                                   
8 games - Tulsa,  5 home 3 away  (.509)                
3 games - Wichita,  2 home 1 away  (.446)
3 games - Utah,  0 home 3 away  (.644)             
2 games - Idaho,  2 home 0 away  (.606)
2 games - Kansas City,  0 home 2 away  (.453)                                     
1 games - Rapid City,  1 home 0 away  (.569)                      



-  The eight remaining games against Tulsa will be key for Allen which you might find strange since Tulsa is currently not in a playoff spot. The Oilers have not been playing like a fifth place team recently. If you compare the last 16 games, Tulsa's record is 10-3-3-0 while Allen's is 10-4-1-1. In their head to head games this season Allen is 4-1 against Tulsa with four of the five games in Tulsa. It should be noted the Americans have played the Oilers just one time since December 1st. If anything is on the line at the end of the season for either team they close the season against each other. They play their 71st game of the season in Tulsa and the 72nd in Allen.


- It is always important to be peaking as the playoffs begin and the Americans will be tested by their two closest competitors in March. Allen will play in Utah on March 11, 13, 14 in what will be a critical three game series for two playoff teams. The Americans split the two games they have played in Utah this season.


- Allen will play Idaho twice at home at the end of March. Another likely playoff foe for the Americans. Head to head this season, Allen is 5-1-2-1 against the Steelheads and the teams have split four games in Allen. Two of the four games in Allen were decided in overtime.


- History would say if Allen expects a deep playoff run they will have to start playing better over the last 19 games of the season. I went back to the two Kelly Cup championship seasons to see what Allen's record was over their final 19 regular season games. Here are the results:

2014-15   12-4-2-1
2015-16   12-5-0-2

12 wins over the remaining 19 games would be a good goal for the Americans and a good sign going into the playoffs. 


- Allen has had an outstanding season this far (34-11-6-2) but the next seven weeks will be critical. Several questions need to be answered. What help will come Allen's way from the Wild organization? Will Turner Ottenbreit and Matt Register and a couple of forwards end up in Allen? Will Allen players on other AHL teams like Jake Doty and Gabe Gagne return? What will the goalie situation be going into the playoffs? None of the three goalies on the current roster have taken charge thus far, will one distinguish themselves over the final 19 games? Will goalie Zach Sawchenko get assigned to Allen for the playoffs? Will coach Martinson make any trades to improve team defensive? Any way you look at it there will be a lot of moving parts between now and the playoffs.


- Allen is currently #2 in points in the ECHL and in contention for the best regular season record. However, winning the regular season championship (Brabham Cup) has not been a sure fire way to win the Kelly Cup. While it assures the winner of home ice advantage throughout the playoffs very few regular season champions have won the Kelly Cup. In the 32 year history of the ECHL only three teams have accomplished that feat. Alaska did it three times (2014, 2011, 2006), Cincinnati did it in 2008 and South Carolina in 1997.



DID YOU KNOW:  The Allen Americans have fallen off the pace to reach 50 wins this season. Maybe that is a good thing.  Only the Newfoundland Growlers and South Carolina Stingrays are on pace to have 50 or more wins this season. Just seven teams since the 2009-10 season have had 50+ regular season wins. None of them went on to win the Kelly Cup and only one made it to the Kelly Cup finals.

2018-19
51 - Cincinnati Cyclones  (lost to Toledo in the second round)
50 - Florida Everblades (lost to Newfoundland in the third round)

2017-18
53 - Florida Everblades  (lost to Colorado in the finals)
50 - Toledo Walleye  (lost Fort Wayne in the second round)

2016-17
51 - Toledo Walleye  (lost to Colorado in the third round)

2015-16
52 - Kansas City Mavericks  (lost to Allen in the second round)

2014-15
50 - Toledo Walleye  (lost to South Carolina in the third round)

From 2009-10 to 2013-14 no teams reached 50 wins in a season.