Gutsy Performance Leads to Overtime Victory, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson's Post Game Comments, NHL Trade Deadline Impacts and More

There are some games that show the character of a team in a way that makes you sit back and admire what they just accomplished. Thus was the case yesterday as a gutsy performance by the Americans led to them beating the Oilers in Tulsa 2-1 in overtime before a crowd 5149 at the BOK Center.


- Here are some of the obstacles the Americans were dealing with on Sunday:

Third game in less than 48 hours
Same day bus travel (230 miles) after Saturday night game
Playing a team that had Saturday off
Playing a team they had lost to 5-3 on Friday
Playing two players short with only 14 skaters
Playing with only eight forwards and six defensemen
Missing their #1, #2, #5, #7 and #9 goal scorers
Playing with a starting goalie that had not played since February 8th


- You have to be impressed how the Americans overcame all of the obstacles to win a low scoring game. Allen scored first, late in the first period, on Olivier Archambault's third goal in two games. Former Allen defenseman Miles Liberati got the equalizer for Tulsa early in the second period and that was the extent of the score in regulation time. Josh Lammon took a pass from Archambault and scored on a breakaway just 69 seconds into the overtime to give the Americans two well earned points. Allen goalie Jake Paterson was outstanding stopping 42 of 43 shots for a .977 save percentage.


- Here is the game recap from the Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/americans-outlast-oilers-in-goaltenders-duel/


- You can find the video highlights at this link. The goals are out of sequence but all three are included:  https://www.echl.com/en/tag?id=5bb763bdd3bc0f20ed973ef0&name=ECHL%20Video



STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS

"The game was a solid effort all the way around by the team."

"Even though Tulsa had  some scoring chances we didn't give up many and we avoided the cross ice passes down low."

"Our defensemen made a lot of great "D to D" passes that helped with our breakouts."

"It was great to see Josh Lammon get rewarded on that game winning goal. He made a good rush and a nice move on that goal."

"Jake Paterson was outstanding in goal. Jake and our goalie coach, Chris Johansen, worked together while he was out of the lineup and their hard work payed off tonight."

"I would like to see this game be a defining statement that says we can play the way we need to play when we have to."



OTHER COMMENTS

- South Carolina is the first team to qualify for the 2020 Kelly Cup playoffs. The Stingrays have been in the ECHL since 1993-94 and have missed the playoffs only one time (2006-07).


- Allen has not clinched a playoff spot but they are getting close. The Americans can no longer be caught by Wichita. A combination of Allen gaining points or these teams losing points that total the following will mathematically eliminate these teams from catching the Americans. Since Tulsa is in fifth place, once Allen eliminates them the Americans will be guaranteed a playoff spot. 

3 points - Kansas City
6 points - Tulsa
13 points - Rapid City
22 points - Idaho
23 points - Utah   


- South Carolina has to be the favorite to win the Brabham Cup as the regular season champion. Here are the current ECHL points standings with games remaining in parenthesis:

86 points - South Carolina  (17 games remaining)
82 points - Allen (15 games remaining)
81 points - Florida  (16 games remaining)
75 points - Newfoundland  (19 games remaining)
74 points - Cincinnati  (16 games remaining)  


- The NHL Winter Classic next season will be hosted by the Minnesota Wild. It was announced yesterday the St. Louis Blues will be taking on the Wild. High temps shouldn't be an issue for the January 1, 2021 game. The average temperature for that day is a low of 6 degrees and high of 24 degrees. The all time record low for January 1 is -30 and the record high is 48.


- Utah stumbled at home losing to Kansas City 1-0 on Saturday and 2-1 in a shootout yesterday. The teams will play again tonight in the only ECHL game scheduled. The Americans now have a 10 point lead in the standings over Utah and 13 points over Idaho.


- The Americans don't play again until Friday when they travel to Wichita to play the Thunder. The teams will have a rematch in Allen on Saturday. The big question for the week is who will return from injury, illness and loans to the AHL.


- The NHL trade deadline is this afternoon (2:00 pm CST) and it will finally be known if the Wild add players or subtract players through trades. The answer to this question will have an impact on whether Allen will lose players to Iowa or gain players from Iowa as the season ends and the playoffs begin. Keep in mind any player under contract with the Wild, either AHL or NHL, could be moved at the deadline so it is possible, though not likely, Wild contracted players on the Allen roster could be traded today.

  

DID YOU KNOW: Once the game last night headed to overtime the advantage was with Allen. The Americans have the most overtime wins in the ECHL (10) while Tulsa has the fewest (1). Allen is 10-6 in overtimes, Tulsa is 1-6.