The box score shows Allen lost 4-3 to Kansas City last night before a crowd of 2234 at Cable Dahmer Center but the final score doesn't come close to telling the story of the game. The recipe for the last place Mavericks was simple, jump on the Americans early and often. The stats for Allen were even worse last night than the 5-4 loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday. The Americans managed to miss every key to the game last night. Here are some examples:
Allen gave up the first goal just 53 seconds after the opening puck drop
Allen was out shot 11-5 and outscored 3-0 in the first period
Allen was out shot in the first two periods 23-10 and outscored 4-2
Allen had 19 shots on goal, the fewest against Kansas in 10 games played this season
Allen lost the special teams battle giving up two power play goals
- It is hard to find a glass half full version of the game last night. The Americans did battle back after the first period disaster that found them trailing 3-0 but could never dig out of the deep hole they created for themselves. Allen closed the gap to within one goal twice at 3-2 and 4-3 but could never get the equalizer.
- After sweeping the Mavericks four straight times in Allen less than a month ago and with Kansas City mired in last place in the Western Conference, losing these two games to them is very disappointing. How the Americans lost the last two games says a lot about what Allen will have to do to be competitive going forward. On Wednesday Allen blew a 3-1 lead and last night they fell behind 3-0 and managed only 19 shots. The Americans have lost three straight only once all season and that was when they were playing shorthanded with guys out with COVID. They will have the chance to avoid another three game losing streak when the take on Kansas City again Monday night.
- Goal scorers for Allen were Corey Mackin (25), Scott Conway (10) and Spencer Asuchak (20). Mackin's 25 goals is ranked #4 in the ECHL in goals just two behind the leader. Conway has scored goals in five of the last six games. Asuchak hit the 20 goal mark for the third time in his pro career. Spencer scored 21 goals as a rookie (2013-14) and had 26 goals in 2016-17. Of course every time Spencer scores a goal he sets a new all time Allen record. He now has 122 goals in his Allen career, well ahead of Chad Costello and Greger Hanson who had 98 career goals. Gary Steffes and Bruce Graham are next in line with 97 goals.
- Here are the video highlights from the Allen Americans YouTube channel:
- Here is the game recap issued by the Kansas City Mavericks: https://www.kcmavericks.com/en/news/mavs-win-on-blades-tribute-night
COACH'S CORNER
- I caught up with coach Martinson at the airport this morning and had a short conversation. Here are his comments:
"Turnovers cost us again, on one of their goals we had three turnovers on one shift."
"On the goals in the first period we got beat at the point, we passed the puck to them in the slot, we didn't cover guys at the net and we kept turning over the puck when we got possession."
"We were coming back in the second period and then we got that string of penalties which gave them a lot of 5-on-3 time."
"I haven't looked at all of the penalties but my view on a couple of them was different."
"I won't know until morning skate tomorrow who will be available for the game against Kansas City.
OTHER COMMENTS
- It is hard to overstate the importance of next week when Allen will play five games. After a six game winning streak (mostly at home) where everything was looking up for this young team the Americans have lost three of four games and played very ugly in doing so. The game against Kansas City tomorrow (Monday) night at the AEC is
important to stop the bleeding before Allen heads to Utah for four games on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Utah has won six straight games and if Allen doesn't get things turned around they could end the week closer to being out of the playoffs than first place in the Western Conference.
- Updated Western Conference standings with games remaining in parenthesis:
.667 - Wichita (9)
.659 - Fort Wayne (10)
.631 - Allen (11)
.566 - Utah (11)
.516 - Rapid City (10)
.500 - Tulsa (9)
.492 - Kansas City (11)
- The one AHL division (Pacific) that is having a playoff has the schedule set. Here is a press release from the San Jose Barracuda with the details. A couple of players that have played for Allen are on the Barracuda playoff roster: http://www.sjbarracuda.com/news/detail/ahl-announces-pacific-division-playoff-matchups
DID YOU KNOW: This season Allen leads the ECHL in major penalties (35) which are mostly fighting majors. Allen is averaging .57 major penalty per game compared to the league average of .46. Major penalties have been trending down. Here are the average major penalties per game for Allen since joining the ECHL;
.57 - 2020-21
.34 - 2019-20
.68 - 2018-19
.79 - 2017-18
1.14 - 2016-17
.85 - 2015-16
.97 - 2014-15
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