The Western Conference of the ECHL has become a two part contest for the playoffs. One part is the top three teams (Fort Wayne, Wichita, Allen) with points percentages between .652 and .694. These three teams are vying for the top spot and also home ice for the first round of the playoffs which will go to the top two teams. The second part are the bottom four teams (Utah, Rapid City, Tulsa and Kansas City) with points percentages between .491and .535 who are vying for one playoff spot. While it is still mathematically possible it is highly unlikely any of the top teams will drop to the bottom group or teams from the bottom group will catch the top group.
- Allen has a points percentage of .652 and has won six straight games but still find themselves trailing Fort Wayne (.694) and Wichita (.661). Wichita beat Kansas City 7-5 last night and play the Mavericks twice more this weekend. Allen plays three games this weekend against Tulsa starting with a road game tonight. The teams will return to Allen for games on Saturday (7:05 pm) and Sunday (2:05 pm).
- Fort Wayne was scheduled to play Indy three times this week but game one in Indy was postponed because of COVID protocols. The teams will play in Fort Wayne as scheduled tonight and Saturday.
- The Americans will make the one day trip to Tulsa this afternoon. Tulsa is the only team Allen plays that is within the mileage distance that does not require an overnight stay per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The mileage limit is 325 miles and Tulsa is 230 miles from Allen. I had a question on the logistics on this one day trip. The team will leave today after lunch (1:00 pm) and take a bus that is more like a passenger bus than a sleeper bus. It does have a kitchen area but not the comforts of the sleeper bus. The team will drive directly to the BOK Center, unload the bus and go through the normal game day routine. After the game they will shower, load up the bus and head back to Allen. They will order meals that will be ready and waiting for them on the bus for the return home. They should arrive back at the AEC around 2:30 am. Then they can look forward to a game Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Welcome to the ECHL!
- The Allen Americans have invited fans to send off the team when the bus leaves for the Tulsa game at 1:00 pm. If interested show up behind the AEC between 12:30 and 1:00.
- Allen is in the midst of a four game series against Tulsa and tonight will be the only road game in the series. The Americans have played four games in Tulsa this season. The Americans opened the season (December 12) and lost 4-3. Allen next played in Tulsa on January 24 and shutout the Oilers 5-0 on a 31 save night for Jake Paterson. The last time Allen visited Tulsa (March 20, 21) the Americans shutout Tulsa 2-0 in game one with Justin Kapelmaster saving 28 shots. The next night Tulsa beat Allen 5-3.
- I won't restate the stats and keys to the game tonight around scoring first, leading after the first period and special teams. You can look at the series preview blog from Wednesday (May 5) for those details.
- Steve Martinson mentioned to me this morning (see Coach's Corner below) that a key to the game is being able to control Tulsa's top line. I think this is even more the case after Tulsa's leading scorer, Danny Moynihan, had to retire last month because of a medical condition. Tulsa's top line of Adam Pleskach, Matt Lane and Charlie Sampair have a combination of skill and speed. Pleskach is #3 in points (393) among all ECHL players since 2014-15. Sampair is one of the fastest forwards in the league with a 30 goal season to his credit and Lane is a play making center who has 10 assists in his last seven games. On Wednesday this line had 17 of Tulsa's 30 shots (57%) and they all had at least five shots. Even though they didn't score on Wednesday if they get 17 shots tonight the odds are they will get a couple of goals. Controlling the top Tulsa line will give Allen a good chance of winning the game.
COACH'S CORNER
"Frank Marotte will get the start in goal. He has stopped 51 of 52 shots in his last two starts including a shutout on Wednesday. When a goalie has a shutout I feel they deserve to get the next start."
"Sam Laberge will be back in the lineup tonight and will give us more net front presence, scoring and toughness."
"The key to winning against Tulsa is stopping its top line. It was can stop the top line our depth, with speed and skill on each line, should help us."
"Will Lochead was injured in Cleveland's game on Wednesday and is out for the season."
"Defenseman Nolan Kneen is out for the season. The other two players on injured reserve, Colby McAuley and Phil Beaulieu will be out a while longer but should be back for the playoffs."
OTHER COMMENTS
- There are six games on tap in the ECHL tonight with Wichita and Kansas City idle. Rapid City continues its four game series in Utah having lost the first two games. The Grizzlies and Rush have gone back and forth for the final playoff spot. Right now Utah (.535) is in fourth place just ahead of Rapid City (.534). Here is the ECHL Today with a preview of all six games tonight: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/5/echl-today-may-7
- The odd stat of the day is Florida is the top team in the Eastern Conference with a points percentage of .648 but has the worst record in the ECHL over the last 10 games (2-6-2-0) and the Everblades have lost five straight games. They play South Carolina at home tonight.
DID YOU KNOW: Matt Register leads all ECHL players in power play points, currently has a five game point streak and in his last eight games has 11 points (2G, 8A). Here are the ECHL power play point leaders.
Since playoff positions and standings are being based on the points percentage this season instead of just the number of points a team has acquired, it seems that Fort Wayne has a distinct advantage over everyone else playing this season since they’re not playing as many games. They are going to finish in the number one spot or at the top of our conference and they will have done that mainly because when calculating the points percentage they’re not playing as many games so their percentage number is higher. That seems extremely unfair to the teams who are playing a full season. It’s a shame the ECHL didn’t put a caveat on the points percentage calculation saying that you must’ve participated in a certain percentage of the games during the season before you’re eligible for the playoffs. By the end of the season Fort Wayne will have played just over half the number of games the other teams participating this season have played. Again it seems so unfair that they’re going to finish at the top when they didn’t play the number of games that everyone else did.
ReplyDeleteThis fact has been bothering me since Fort Wayne started playing and basically started at the top of the standings and haven’t dropped at all the whole time.
Gilley, Thanks as always for taking the time to comment. I remember raising this issue with coach Martinson when Fort Wayne opted to play in February and Toledo opted out. To my surprise Martinson had the attitude of it is good for the league when more teams play and you have to beat everyone at playoff time. Fort Wayne is playing about 70% of the schedule of the other teams and my opinion is that is not as much of a factor as the issue Fritz brings up in his comment. 80% of Fort Wayne's schedule is against just two teams (Indy & Wheeling) and they are in the other conference. Fort Wayne's record against Indy is 11-3-1-0 and against Wheeling is 12-3-2-1. The Komets play just six games against their Western Conference foes all season. They will play Wichita three times at home next week and visit Utah for three games to close the season. Those will be two series to watch.
DeleteThis season schedule.
ReplyDeleteFort Wayne vs Wheeling 21 games.
Fort Wayne vs Indy 20 games.
Oh yeah..Fort Wayne vs Wichita 3 games.
Go Komets !!! Haha