Another Defensive Disaster for Allen, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson's Comments and More

The season is not close to being over but the 2019-20 version of the Allen Americans are on pace to have the best offensive season in team history while simultaneously giving up six or more goals more times than any team in franchise history including last season when the Americans were the worst team in the ECHL. For the eighth time this season the Americans gave up six or more goals and were defeated by the last place Kansas City Mavericks last night 6-4 in a game that was not as close as the final score. The Americans were trailing 5-0 until late in the second period and with their great offensive managed to close the gap in the third period but never got closer than two goals. Playing team defense is as much will as skill and too many players on this team don't work hard enough on defense.


- Goal scorers for Allen were Tyler Sheehy (24), Josh Lammon (7), Stepan Falkovsky (13) and Corey Durocher (8). Here is the game recap from the Mavericks:  https://www.kcmavericks.com/en/news/mavs-take-down-first-place-allen-with-offensive-outburst


- You can find the video highlights on the ECHL website. Here is the link:  https://www.echl.com/en/2019-20-highlights/2/allen-americans-vs-kansas-city-mavericks-feb-8-2020-izdhu8qj


- Allen and Kansas City have now played six times this season and the team that scored first has won all six games.


- The Americans special teams have been a strength for over a month but not the case last night. The power play was 0-5 and the penalty kill gave up one goal in three opportunities.


- It has to be very frustrating for the team to spend 16 hours on the bus to play one game and have an effort like they had last night. Coach Martinson cut to the chase when I asked him his thoughts after the game, "We just aren't greasy enough right now. Too many guys think because they are scoring they are doing their part. St. Louis won the Stanley Cup because a lot of guys figured out you have to be hard to play against and we are not that kind of team but I will work on making us that kind of team."


- The Americans didn't arrive back in Allen until early this morning and they will leave again Monday night on a 17 hour bus ride to Rapid City where they will take on the Rush on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. It is unfortunate the team doesn't fly on this stand alone trip that is close to 1100 miles one way.


OTHER COMMENTS

- Despite the loss last night Allen has a comfortable 13 point lead in the Mountain Division standings. Here are the current Mountain Division point standings with games played in parenthesis:

74 points - Allen (50)
61 points - Utah (49)
61 points - Idaho (50)
54 points - Rapid City (47)
50 points - Tulsa (51)
48 points - Wichita (52)
46 points - Kansas City (49)


- Coach Martinson has made it clear his goal is to not only win the Mountain Division but the Brabham Cup as the regular season champion. The advantages of being #1 overall include home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, better home dates, and assurance the team will only travel once in each playoff series. Here are the top five ECHL teams by winning percentage. One of these teams will win the Brabham Cup.

.766 - South Carolina
.750 - Newfoundland
.740 - Allen
.719 - Florida
.673 - Cincinnati


- The South Carolina Stingrays are the antithesis of the Allen Americans. Allen has scored 209 goals vs 158 for South Carolina. However South Carolina has allowed 102 goals compared to 164 for Allen. The Stingrays are so good defensively they have the top two goalies in the ECHL. #1 Logan Thompson has played in 25 games with a GAA of 2.01 and save percentage of .935. #2 Parker Milner has played in 22 games with a GAA of 2.05 and save percentage of .927. South Carolina already has 10 shutouts, tied for fourth all time for shutouts in a season. They need two more shutouts in their final 25 games to tie the all time record of 12.


- The Las Vegas Golden Knights just purchased the (AHL) San Antonio Rampage and will move the team to the Las Vegas area (Henderson). I saw where one name being considered for the new AHL team is the Las Vegas Silver Knights. The ownership group has submitted a trademark application for that name. Here are the details from the local paper:  https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/goldenknights/golden-knights-new-ahl-team-could-be-called-silver-knights-1953461/




DID YOU KNOW: Allen is #1 in he ECHL in points but has allowed six or more goals eight time this season. At their current pace the Americans will give up six or more goals 12 times this season which would be more times than last season when they were the worst team in the ECHL. Here are the number of times Allen has allowed six or more goals for each season since joining the ECHL:

12 - 2019-20 (projected)
10 - 2018-19
5  -  2017-18
3  -  2016-17
5  -  2015-16
4  -  2014-15