Allen Wins 5-3 in Penalty Filled Affair, Suspensions Likely, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Today's Preview and More Attendance Facts

 

Allen fans have learned over the years to expect almost anything when the Americans play Wichita. From pregame brawls to game seven overtime for a championship, these teams have played close to 150 times over the years and developed quite a rivalry. 

 

- The box score shows a relatively easy win for the Americans last night. Allen took a 4-0 lead and cruised to a 5-3 win before a crowd of 4095 at the CUTX Event Center. The game.however was anything but a cruise. Neither coach seemed pleased with the officiating that saw 19 penalties called, two match penalties,16 power plays and six of the eight goals scored by special teams. 

 

- Allen scored the first two goals of the game even strength. Jackson Leppard scored early in the first period (3:48) and Jack Combs scored late in the first period (19:00). Every goal after the first period for both teams was scored on special teams. Wichita scored all three of its goals on the power play going 3-10. Allen was 2-6 on the power play and also added a shorthanded goal. 

 

- Among the 19 penalties called in the game were two match penalties. Early in the third period Wichita forward, Mark Liwiski, was given a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. The rule cited (48.5) states. "The referee at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgement, the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent with an illegal check to the head."

Late in the third period (17:26) Allen's Mikael Robidoux was given a match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure. The rule cited (21.1) states in part, "A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or deliberately injures an opponent in any manner. A match penalty will automatically be reviewed and is subject to a fine and/or suspension upon review by the VP of Hockey Operations. 

I assume both of these players will be suspended, but for Robidoux, who is a repeat offender and has already been suspended for 14 games and six games this season and just returned to the lineup, this could be a real disaster. Coach Costello has talked many times about the aggressiveness and energy Robidoux brings to the lineup. It is clear he will never be given a break by the league. I am not convinced his match penalty would have been a match penalty if it was anyone else in the league. You have to hope for the best for Robidoux but expect the worst when the league makes its decision after reviewing the game. Little doubt there will be some suspensions. Could be more than one for Allen. There are some early games today (3:00 pm EST) so I would expect the ECHL press release announcing suspensions from around the league will be out this morning.

 

- With 16 power plays it seemed like the entire game was played on special teams, so it was difficult for either team to find any rhythm. However, the Americans two even strength goals in the first period were key to the victory. With a 2-0 lead after the first period Allen never looked back and when Ryan Gagnon scored a shorthanded goal early in the second period (1:44) and Aiden Brown scored a power play goal a few minutes later the game was essentially over. All of the Allen penalties later in the game led to three Wichita power play goals to make the final score closer than it should have been, but Allen came away with a big win. The teams will play again tonight (6:05 pm) for the third time this week. It will be an important two points for both teams. 

 

- Goal scorers for Allen were Jackson Leppard (2), Jack Combs (16), Ryan Gagnon (3), Aidan Brown (10) and Hank Crone (14). Here are the video highlights with all of the goals but none of the extracurricular activities that will lead to suspensions: https://www.echl.com/en/video/2022/12/wichita-thunder-vs-allen-americans---dec-30-2022-B3642vPx    

 

- Here are the game recaps from the teams:

• Allen recap: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-jump-on-wichita-early-in-5-3-win/ 
• Wichita recap: https://www.wichitathunder.com/en/news/thunder-winning-streak-stopped-on-friday-night  

- Despite all of the penalties and giving up three power play goals it was a good game by the Americans. From coach Costello's perspective it was the best game of the season for the Americans. His quote from the game recap press release, "We played our best game of the season. We got the early jump on them and forced them to play our game. We needed this after a tough loss on Wednesday. If we come out and play the same way tomorrow, we will win this series."

 

- After all of the penalties last night, including the two match penalties which will likely lead to suspensions for the game tonight, it makes you wonder will the hard feelings carryover. You would think that would be the case, but more often than not against Wichita, a high penalty game does not repeat itself in back to back games. The referee scheduled tonight, Cameron Fleming, is the same as last night so it remains to be seen how he calls the game. 

 

- Another good start by the Americans will be a big key in the game tonight. The team that scored first won both games in this series and the odds are that will happen again tonight.

 

- Kevin Mandolese had another great outing last night, stopping 20 of 23 shots. The three goals he allowed were all power play goals. He came up big time and time again before Allen got the big lead. Mandolese will get a rest tonight. Logan Flodell will get the start in goal and Luke Peressini will be the backup.

 

- You have to appreciate the Americans out shooting Wichita in the game last night. The final tally was 32-23. Anytime you can hold a team like Wichita to 23 shots when they have 10 power plays it is a great team effort. FYI the winners in the first two games of this series had the shot advantage, another key to victory tonight.

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Jack Combs led Allen last night with three points (1G, 2A) and his line mate, Hank Crone had a goal and an assist. Crone leads the team with 33 points followed by Combs with 32 points. They are ranked #6 and #7 in the ECHL scoring race. Crone has a two point lead as the top scoring rookie in the ECHL. 

 

- Idaho kept its streak going last night beating Utah (on the road) by a score of 4-1. The Steelheads have now won 10 straight and 17 of 18 games. Idaho's winning percentage is up to .875 (24-3-0-1). In second place with a .729 winning percentage is South Carolina. Cincinnati is in third place with a .712 points percentage. That is a huge lead at this point in the season.  

- With the win last night Allen gained some ground on the two teams closest to the Americans. The current Mountain Division standings:

• .875 - Idaho
• .621 - Wichita
• .519 - Kansas City
• .500 - Rapid City
• .423 - Tulsa
• .407 - Utah
• .365 - Allen

 

 - A busy schedule around the ECHL today with 13 games on tap. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/12/echl-today-dec-31

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about attendance again, but a different perspective. Allen's average attendance after last night is 3609 which is ranked #15, but did you know Allen's average attendance is better than seven AHL teams.

 

A few examples of teams that could clearly move to a higher league based on what the franchise has accomplished in average attendance:

 

- Three ECHL teams have average attendance over 7000 per game (Toledo - 7474, Fort Wayne - 7324, Jacksonville - 7187). They all have a higher average attendance than 29 of the 32 AHL teams.

 

- Huntsville leads the SPHL in average attendance at 5409, a higher average attendance than 20 of 28 ECHL teams.

Allen vs Wichita Game Preview, Roster Update, Milestone Night, Comparing Attendance Across Leagues and More

 

Sorry for being so late in getting the blog posted today. It took me some time to get the latest on the game tonight. Here is what I learned through my reporting:

 

- Liam Finlay and Colton Saucerman are not expected to play tonight. They are close but not quite ready. 

 

- Kevin Mandolese will get the start in goal. Mandolese has played in four games since being assigned to Allen by Ottawa. He has a record of 2-1 with a save percentage of .943 and a GAA of 2.20. He was the 6th round draft choice of Ottawa in 2018.

 

- Forward Joe Widmar was traded to Florida yesterday for cash considerations. Widmar played 14 games in Allen and had three points (0G, 3A) and a plus/minus of -16. It makes you wonder if trading Widmar is a precursor to bringing in another forward. Stay tuned. 

 

- Not much to add about the series with Wichita that continues tonight in Allen that hasn't been covered the last few days. It will be nice for the Americans to play at home the next two nights. Game time is 7:05 pm tonight and 6:05 pm on Saturday.

- Allen's last played at home two weeks ago on December 16 and 17 and it was against Wichita. The Americans won 4-2 on Friday and lost 4-3 on Saturday. The way things have been going a split this weekend would be a success.  

 

- Playing at home has not been an advantage for the Americans thus far. Allen has played 10 home games with a record of 3-6-1-0 (.350). They have played 15 road games with a record of 5-10-0-0 (.333). 

 

- Wichita had the better of the special teams play on Wednesday. Allen was 0-6 on the power play and Wichita was 2-4. However, if you look back to the two home games against Wichita on December 16 and 17 the results were quite different. Allen was 3-10 on the power play and Wichita was 0-13. 

 

- Over its last five games Wichita has scored a total of 27 goals, averaging 5.4 per game and never scored fewer than four goals. Over its last 10 games Allen has scored a total of 27 goals, averaging 2.7 goals per game. The forwards did not score in the 5-2 loss in Wichita on Wednesday. That will have to change tonight for Allen to be successful.

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Congrats to Tommy Daniels who will be broadcasting his 1000th game for the Allen Americans tonight. He has been with the Americans since game one on October 16, 2009. It was a 1-0 win in Arizona against the Sundogs. 

 

- Another familiar name to Allen fans has milestones to celebrate. Three time ECHL Defenseman of the Year and three time Kelly Cup champion Matt Register will play in his 500th ECHL game tonight for the Idaho Steelheads. On Wednesday Matt tallied his 300th career ECHL assist. Matt spent parts of four seasons playing for Allen. He played in 104 games and scored 69 points (7G, 62A) and was on the 2015-16 Kelly Cup championship team. 

 

- Steve Martinson, American Family Solar, will have a booth at the Allen game on Saturday. His booth will be right outside Section 119 near the box office. Stop by and talk some hockey and solar. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL stats post today compares average attendance between the AHL, ECHL and SPHL. It was interesting to note when researching attendance that Allen is averaging 3560 per game which is ranked #15 in the ECHL. Allen's affiliate, the Belleville Senators, average just 2035 per game and is ranked #31 in the AHL. Only San Jose has a lower average attendance.  

 

Comparing 2022-23 average attendance between the AHL, ECHL and SPHL:

 

AHL

5118 (Average)

8716 (high - Cleveland)

2064 (low - San Jose)

 

ECHL

4256 (Average)

7410 (high - Toledo)

1633 (low- Wheeling)

 

SPHL

2975 (Average)

5345 (high - Huntsville)

491 (low - Vermilion County, Danville, IL)

   

Allen Loses 5-2, Game Recap, Video Highlights, All-Star Team Thoughts and Facts, Hat Tricks Down in 2022-23 and More

 

So much for a fresh start after the Christmas break for the Allen Americans. The same could be said for the entire Mountain Division. The top teams (Idaho & Wichita) keep on winning and the bottom teams (Allen, Tulsa, Utah) keep on losing. Idaho and Wichita have now won a combined 14 straight games. Allen, Tulsa and Utah have a combined record over the last 10 games of 8-21-1-0.

- The Mountain Division now has four teams with a points percentage under .500 and a fifth at exactly .500. The other three divisions combined have a total of five teams with a points percentage below .500. What it means is the third and fourth playoff spots in the Mountain Division are wide open despite the poor records. Here are the division points percentages after last night. The team's overall points percentage rank is in parenthesis.

• .870 - Idaho (1st)
  
• .643 - Wichita (9th)
  
• .500 - Kansas City (16th)
  
• .483 - Rapid City (20th)
  
• .423 - Utah (23rd)
  
• .420 - Tulsa (24th)
  
• .340 - Allen (27th)

- Allen went into the game in Wichita last night with high hopes after winning the last game before the Christmas break. Despite being outshot 13-7 in the first period. the score was tied 0-0 at the first intermission. It went from bad to worse in the second period as Wichita took 14 shots before Allen took its first. The game seemed to turn when the Thunder scored on both ends of a double minor penalty just 63 seconds apart. The Americans did score on their first shot of the period at the 14:01 mark to cut the score to 2-1. Just 41 seconds after Allen scored, Wichita took a 3-1 lead which they took into the second intermission. Total shots after two periods were 12 for Allen and 29 for Wichita. 

 

-  Allen outshot Wichita 13-5 in the third period, but Wichita scored twice on its five shots. Allen managed one goal to make the final score 5-2. Goal scorers for the Americans were Zachary Massicotte (3) and Lord-Anthony Grissom (2).  Here are the video highlights that include the goals, some good saves and Jackson Leppard's one-sided fight: https://www.echl.com/en/video/2022/12/allen-americans-vs-wichita-thunder---dec-28-2022-Ta4m2Ny4

 

-  Here are the game recaps from both teams with more details:

• Allen recap: https://allenamericans.com/media/wichita-takes-game-1-of-a-three-game-series/
• Wichita recap: https://www.wichitathunder.com/en/news/wichita-knocks-off-allen-on-wednesday-5-2

 

- It is easy to point at the shot stats to explain Allen's poor record but here is an interesting stat. Overall Wichita takes fewer shots per game than Allen (28.8 vs 29.2) and allows more shots per game than Allen (36.2 vs 35.0). The reason Wichita has been more successful is the Thunder score on 11.3% of their shots compared to 9.6% for Allen. Though they take fewer shots, Wichita averages 3.25 goals per game compared to Allen's average of 2.84 goals per game. The same is true on goals allowed. Wichita allows more shots but gives up an average of 2.79 goals per game. On fewer shots allowed Allen gives up an average of 3.72 goals per game. 

 

- In addition to allowing the first goal of the game last night (usually a bad sign) the Americans lost the special teams battle. Allen was 0-6 on the power play, Wichita was 2-4. Add in the fact that at one point in the second period Wichita's shot advantage was 27-7 and you can see Allen will have to play much better against the Thunder this weekend if they expect to win.

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- The ECHL All-Star teams were announced yesterday. One player from each team is selected to play in the All-Star game on January 16. Congrats to Allen's representative, rookie Liam Finlay. The ECHL All-Star game has always been a showcase for young players. Every team gets one player on the team, which means some great young players are left off the team. It is clear if the league picked the best young players that Allen would have two players selected. In addition to Finlay, Hank Crone should be on the All-Star team. Crone leads all rookies with 31 points (13G, 18A) and is #6 in points among all ECHL players. 

 

- The All-Star team is made up of a lot of younger players. I did a quick check and counted 20 of the 28 All-Stars in their first, second or third pro season. Six rookies were named to the team. The old timer of the group is 30 year old Zach O'Brien of the Newfoundland Growlers who leads the ECHL in scoring with 42 points (11G, 31A) in 24 games. He has an eight point lead in the scoring race. O'Brien has 522 pro games under his belt. His first pro season was 2013-14.

 

- The distribution of the 28 ECHL teams by current points percentage is quite unusual with a very broad range. Here is a breakdown:

• .870: one team
• .725-.740: two teams
• .630-.685: nine teams
• .519-.580: three teams
• .500: four teams
• .420-.485: five teams
•  .340-.380: three teams
•  .214: one team    

As a frame of reference, last season the top points percentage in the playoffs was .708 (Toledo) and the lowest points percentage to make the playoffs was .514 (Maine). The Kelly Cup champions (Florida) had a .653 regular season points percentage. 

As mentioned earlier the Mountain Division has four teams with points percentages below .500 so it is quite possible a team in that division will make the playoffs with a losing record (below .500).

 

- The Allen Americans record since November 23 is now 3-11-0-0 (.214). The team has still not won more than two games in a row all season. The Americans last won two straight games on November 12 (Utah) and 16 (at Cincinnati).

 

DID YOU KNOW: A rare occurrence, there were two hat tricks in the ECHL last night, both by the same team. Maine beat Worcester 9-3. The Mariner’s Alex-Olivier Voyer and Tim Doherty had hat tricks.

With one third of the ECHL season completed, there have only been 19 hat tricks thus far. Based on that pace, 2022-23 could end up with about 60 hat tricks, which would be 40% fewer than last season.

In 2021-22 there were a total of 102 hat tricks.

Allen vs Wichita Series Preview, ECHL All-Stars Announced Today, Idaho's Historic Season and More

 

In a way today marks a fresh start to the 2022-23 season for the Allen Americans. The team has had a few days off to recharge. In the next month the Americans will only play Wichita, Kansas City and Tulsa. This represents a great opportunity for Allen to escape the cellar in the Mountain Division.

 

- Allen is in Wichita tonight and then returns home to play the Thunder on Friday and Saturday. The Americans have split six games with Wichita this season, which is pretty good considering the Thunder are the #2 team in the Mountain Division with a .630 points percentage. 

 

- I had a chance to talk to coach Costello yesterday as the team was headed to Wichita on the bus. Here is what Costello had to say:

• Liam Finlay and Colton Saucerman did not make the trip to Wichita because of injuries, but they may be available for the home games this weekend.
• Luke Peressini and Kevin Mandolese were the two goalies that made the trip, Logan Flodell stayed home. Costello hadn't decided who will start tonight, but his thought when talking to me was all three goalies will get a start against Wichita. That decision, however, is subject to change.
• It is clear to me in talking to coach Costello, he is not giving up on the season. He is very aware of what the team is up against, but is determined to do whatever it takes to get things turned around. The team is getting closer to being as healthy as it has been for a long time. Other roster changes could come in the form of trades. Additional sources for players, which Allen has used in the past, include players returning from Europe (that deadline is February 15) and players completing their collegiate eligibility.  

 

- As you would expect given the difference in records between Allen (8-15-1-0) and Wichita (16-9-2-0), the Thunder score more goals per game than Allen (3.2 vs 2.9) and allow fewer goals per game (2.8 vs 3.7). However when you look at shots the stats are quite different. Allen averages more shots for (29.4 vs 28.6) and fewer shots against (35.0 vs 36.6) than Wichita. 

 

- Special teams are also very close with Wichita having the edge on power play percentage (22.0% vs 21.0%) and Allen having the edge on penalty kill percentage (82.6% vs 81.5%). 

 

- One thing you can expect in this three games series based on the first six meetings between these teams is close games. Four of the six games were one goal margins and the other two were two goal margins. One of the two goal margin games had an empty net goal. 

 

- Four Allen players are averaging a point or more per game in the six head to head meetings against Wichita:

• 8 points (4G, 4A) - Jack Combs
• 8 points (2G, 6A) - Liam Finlay
• 7 points (2G, 5A) - Zach Pochiro
• 6 points (2G, 4A) - Hank Crone

- A Wichita player to keep an eye on in this series is #22 Michal Stinil, the reigning ECHL Player of the Week. Stinil has played in eight games over the last three weeks and had points in all but one. His total for the eight games was 18 points (7G, 11A). 

 

- Scoring first is always a key and the stats show that to be the case, but not as significant as in past seasons. Allen has scored first in 50% of its games with a record of 7-4-1-0. Wichita has scored first in 41% of its games with a record of 8-3-0-0. Odds would say the team that scores first will win two of the three games in this series.

- Wichita has been outshot in 21 of its 27 games but has a great record when outshot by its opponent. It is a strange stat but Wichita is 2-3-0-0 when outshooting its opponent and 13-6-2-0 when outshot by its opponent.

 

- Here is a preview of the series with Wichita issued by the Allen Americans:  https://allenamericans.com/media/game-day-preview-americans-open-post-christmas-schedule-in-wichita/

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- The ECHL will announce its all-star teams this afternoon (2:00 pm EST). The all-star game will take place in Norfolk on January 16. The all-star game historically has been a showcase for young players rather than a true all-star game. Each team gets a representative. I have no idea who will be the Allen player named to the all-star team but it is obvious it will be one of the rookies that have led the team, Hank Crone or Liam Finlay. Both are deserving but only one will make the team. Finlay had a better start to the season (including a hat trick) and Crone has scored more the last month. It may come down to when the league made the decision on the all-stars. 

 

- A big night around the ECHL tonight with 12 games on the schedule. All Mountain Division teams will be in action:

• Allen at Wichita
• Tulsa at Rapid City
• Idaho at Utah
• Kansas City at Indy

Here is the ECHL Today with a short preview on all 12 games: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/12/echl-today-dec-28

 

- The hottest teams in the ECHL early in the season were Newfoundland (started 12-0-1-0) and Worcester (started 13-2-0-0). They had a big lead in the North Division standings. Both have cooled off recently. Newfoundland is 5-5-0-0 over the last 10 games and Worcester is 3-7-0-0. The best team in the division recently is Reading (8-2-0-0). The Royals have taken over first place in the division (by points percentage):

• .688 - Reading
• .685 - Newfoundland
• .661 - Worcester
  

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: With 36% of its season completed, the Idaho Steelheads are off to a great start that has them on pace for a historic ECHL season. Here are some of Idaho’s projected numbers based on its current pace that would break the all-time ECHL record by a wide margin:

 

125 points - all time record is 116 

 

.856 points percentage - all time record is .806 

 

61 wins - all time record is 56

 

141 goals allowed - all time record is 153 

 

- Based on its current pace, Idaho will score 318 goals and allow just 141 for a goal differential of +177.

One Third Down, Two Thirds to Go, Individual and Team Stats, ECHL Top Scorers and More

 

It is time for a fresh beginning for the Allen Americans. A win in Tulsa just before the Christmas break sets the Americans up to make the second third of the season a big improvement from the first third. Allen's record over the first third of the season was 8-15-1-0. 

-   With exactly one third of the season in the books it is a good time to take a look and the Allen stats leaders.

• Points
• 30: Hank Crone
• 29: Jack Combs
• 24: Liam Finlay

 

• Goals
• 15: Jack Combs
• 13: Hank Crone
• 11: Liam Finlay
  

• Assists
• 17: Hank Crone
  
• 14: Jack Combs 
• 13: Liam Finlay
  

• Plus/Minus
  
• +4: Nick Albano
  
• +2: Liam Finlay, Chad Butcher, Dalton Gally
  

 

• PIMS
• 62: Nico Blachman
  
• 54: Jackson Leppard
• 37: Zach Pochiro

• Ave. Points Per Game
• 1.25: Hank Crone
• 1.21: Jack Combs
• 1.14: Liam Finlay
  

 

• Shots
• 74:Hank Crone
  
• 73:Colton Saucerman
  
• 72: Jack Combs
  

 

• Shooting Percentage (min. 40 shots)
• 23.9%: Liam Finlay
  
• 20.8%: Jack Combs
  
• 17.6%: Hank Crone
  

 

• Save Percentage
• .943: Kevin Mandolese
  
• .896: Logan Flodell
• .894: Luke Peressini

 

• GAA
• 2.20: Kevin Mandolese
• 3.55: Luke Peressini
• 3.59: Logan Flodell

 

- A couple of things standout when you look at the stats above. First is the reliance on scoring from Combs, Crone and Finlay. These three players account for 57% of Allen's goals and 45% of the Americans points. In the next third of the season (24 games) Allen will need to have more balanced scoring to move up the standings. The other stat worth noting is plus/minus. As a team the Americans are -104 and have a goal differential of  -19 (69 goals for, 88 goals against). A positive goal differential should be a realistic goal for the next third of the season (24 games).

- Here is how the team ranks in some key stats. Definitely some room for improvement going forward.

• #21: Ave. goals scored (2.88)
• #24: Ave. goals allowed (3.67)
• #23: Ave. shots for (29.42)
• #25: Ave, shots against: (35.04)
• #11: Power play percentage (21.0%)
• #11: Penalty kill percentage (82.6%)  
• #3: Ave. penalty minutes (16.58)
• #17: Team save percentage (.895)

OTHER COMMENTS

- It is not a big sample but the Mountain Division has had mixed results in playing the other ECHL divisions. Here is the record:

• 6-3-0-0: North
• 0-5-0-0: South
• 8-5-1-0: Central

- Idaho has played 26 games thus far and has the best record in the ECHL 22-3-0-1. The Steelheads have played 70% of their games against just two teams, Utah and Rapid City. Idaho is 7-1-0-1 against Utah and 7-2-0-0 against Rapid City. Yet another quirk in the ECHL scheduling.

- I look at stats everyday and few surprise me but the best and worst ECHL goals differential is striking. Idaho has scored 115 goals and allowed just 51. Norfolk has scored a league low 63 goals and allowed a league high 121 goals. FYI, the fewest goals allowed in a single ECHL season was in 2017-18 when South Carolina allowed 153 goals. At its current pace Idaho would break the all time record.  

 

- I will have a series preview tomorrow on the three games this week against Wichita, but one encouraging stat is Allen's record against the Thunder this season. The Americans have eight wins this season with three of them coming against Wichita. Allen is 3-3-0-0 against the Thunder. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: With two thirds of the ECHL season remaining, six players have 30+ points and are on pace for 90+ points. The League MVP is likely on this list and unless he spends considerable time in Toronto (AHL) or misses a lot of games because of injury, it should be Zach O’Brien. Here are the current ECHL leaders in points:

41 points - Zach O’Brien, Newfoundland

33 points - Ryan Dmowski, Idaho

32 points - Brayden Watts, Wichita

31 points - Matt Marcinew, Rapid City

31 points - Michal Stinil, Wichita

30 points - Hank Crone, Allen

 

A Look at the Month Ahead and Reasons for Optimism, Mountain Division Doldrums, How Good is Crone's Season, Brabham Cup Curse, ECHL Attendance and More

 

It is hard to overstate the importance of the next month if the Allen Americans are going to turn around the poor start to the season. Making the playoffs is unlikely but not impossible. If you remember back to the Americans first Kelly Cup in 2015, the opponent in the finals was South Carolina. The Stingrays were out of the playoff picture, lost nine of 10 games the last three weeks in January and then reeled off an all time ECHL record 23 straight wins to finish as the second seed in the South Division and went all the way to the Kelly Cup finals before losing to Allen in seven games. The Americans aren't going to win 23 straight but there is plenty of opportunity to get better going forward.

 

- Allen doesn't need to think about winning 23 straight games, the Americans need to think about winning more than two straight games. Yes, the Americans longest win streak this season is just two games. The post Christmas schedule will give Allen the opportunity to make up some ground in the Mountain Division. As a reminder, here is the schedule through the end of January. The Americans playing only three teams (Wichita, Kansas City, Tulsa). A total of 16 games against longtime rivals. Ten of the 16 games will be on the road so it will be a challenge, but if Allen is going to escape the cellar, it will have to play above .500 over the next 16 games. Here is the breakdown:

• Wichita - 1 home, 5 away
• Kansas City - 2 home, 3 away
• Tulsa - 3 home, 2 away

- How has Allen fared against these teams thus far in 2022-23?

• Wichita: 3-3-0-0
• Kansas City: 0-0-0-0
• Tulsa: 1-2-0-0

- Coach Costello has made plenty of changes trying to improve the Allen roster. The Americans have already used 30 players and that doesn't include all of the EBUGS. Here is the current Allen roster with an asterisk by the players that were not with the Americans on opening day:

Goalies 

• #31 - Luke Peressini
• #34 - Kevin Mandolese*
• #35 - Logan Flodell 

Defensemen  

• #3 - Ryan Gagnon*
  
• #4 - Kris Myllari
  
• #19 - Jared Bethune
• #22 - Dalton Gally* 
  
• #23 - Colton Saucerman
• #24 - Dalton Skelly
• #49 - Zachary Massicotte*
  
• #55 - Lord-Anthony Grissom
   

Forwards

• #7 - Colton Hargrove
• #10 - Jackson Leppard
• #15 - Liam Finlay
• #17 - Chad Butcher*
  
• #18 - Zach Pochiro
  
• #21 - Jack Combs
• #25 - Aidan Brown*
• #26 - Spencer Asuchak (injured reserve)
• #28 - Justin Young
  
• #32 - Mikael Robidoux
  
• #52 - Joe Widmar*
  
• #67 - Hank Crone
• #77 - Stephen Baylis (injured reserve) 

- Allen will be missing Asuchak and Baylis long term with injuries and it is unknown at this point if or when they will be available. Defenseman Nick Albano, has been missing since being loaned to Belleville in November and recently signed in Sweden. Even with these losses, if the Americans can stay relatively  healthy and the affiliate continues to provide support (two big ifs), Allen can have an improved record over the next month. 

 

- Here is Allen's record this season by month. As you can see the Americans need to reverse the trend now that the Christmas break is behind them.

• October: 2-2-0-0
• November: 3-6-1-0
• December: 3-7-0-0

- If you are looking for a silver lining in the stats it would be special teams. The Americans are ranked #11 in both power play percentage (21.0%) and penalty kill percentage (82.6%). If you add the two percentages together you get 103.6% which is very good. 105% is considered great special teams play. Allen has scored two shorthanded goals and allowed three. That is much improved from last season when the Americans scored seven shorthanded goals but allowed a league leading 20 shorthanded goals.

- Allen will get to test if they will play better over the next month with three games this week against Wichita. The teams play in Wichita on Wednesday and in Allen on Friday and Saturday. The goal for the week should be a minimum of three points from the three games. It will be a challenge for sure when you consider Wichita has won four straight games and over its last 10 games has a record of 7-3-0-0. 

OTHER COMMENTS

- The combined record of the bottom five teams in the Mountain Division over their last 10 games is an abysmal 16-31-3-0 which is a points percentage of .350. Only Idaho (9-1-0-0) and Wichita (7-3-0-0) have a winning record over the last 10 games. The next month represents a great opportunity for all five poor performing  teams to get their season back on track. 

 

- Hank Crone is leading all ECHL rookies in scoring with 30 points (13G, 17A) in 24 games. How does Crone's 1.25 points per game average stack up with Allen's leading rookie point scorers in recent years. Here are the stats.

• 1.25: Hanks Crone, 30 points (2022-23)
• 1.13: Gavin Gould, 29 points (2021-22)
• 0.53: Zane Franklin, 32 points (2020-21)
• 1.49: Tyler Sheehy, 70 points (2019-20)*
• 0.69: Braylon Shmyr, 44 points (2018-19)

*Sheehy led all ECHL rookies in scoring, was selected as the ECHL Rookie of the Year and finished second in the ECHL MVP voting. Sheehy now plays in the top league in Germany (DEL) and leads his team (Nurnberg) in goals (25) and points (43) in 49 games.  

 

- With Idaho holding a commanding lead as the best team in the ECHL is it too early to talk about the Brabham Cup (regular season champion) curse? The last time the regular season ECHL champion won the Kelly Cup was in 2014 when the Alaska Aces (coached by current Tulsa coach Rob Murray) accomplished the feat.    

- The ECHL gets back in action tomorrow night with two games on the schedule. Newfoundland is at Toledo and Adirondack visits Trois-Riviéres. A short Christmas break for these teams. 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about ECHL average attendance. As a comparison here is Allen's average attendance the last five seasons:

• 3560: 2022-23
• 3220: 2021-22
• 1859: 2020-21 (attendance restricted)
• 4001: 2019-20
• 4073: 2018-19

- The 2022-23 ECHL attendance is ahead of the last two seasons, but has not achieved pre-COVID levels. Here is average ECHL attendance for each season since 2012-13:

 

4193: 2022-23

3935: 2021-22

2275: 2020-21 (14 teams played, restricted attendance)

4327: 2019-20 (season canceled 3/14/20)

4445: 2018-19

4424: 2017-18

4251: 2016-17

4385: 2015-16

4598: 2014-15

4706: 2013-14

4695: 2012-13

Merry Christmas from Barry the Blogger

 

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

 

 I have written many Christmas morning posts over the years and two themes are always included. One is to talk about all those that don't get to spend time with their family today and the second is to thank the Allen Americans' players and coaches for all they have done. 

 

- On this special day of love, compassion and hope, I want to say Merry Christmas to all from Barry the Blogger. My thoughts are with the first responders, health care workers, essential workers, those in the military, Allen players and others who will be working today or away from their family. Our daughter, Erin, is a labor and delivery RN at Parkland Hospital and has to work every other Christmas day. Luckily she is off today so we will be able to celebrate Christmas on the 25th. It will be difficult for some who will have empty chairs at the Christmas dinner having lost loved ones in the past year or are unable to spend time together. My thoughts are with you this morning. 

-  A special THANK YOU to all players, coaches and staff (and their families) past and present for what you have done for the fans of the Allen Americans both on the ice and in the community. There has been close to 400 players in Allen since the franchise started in 2009. It has been quite a ride. 

 

- There wouldn't be a blog without the cooperation and insights provided by coach and general manager, Steve Martinson the first 10 years and Chad Costello this season. Their openness, honesty and willingness to take my calls and answer all of the questions day or night, win or lose is what makes the blog special. 

- I thought today would be appropriate to post a video you may have already seen since I have posted it in the past. I am pretty sure it will bring a tear to your eye whether you have a child that plays hockey, you play hockey now, you played in your youth or are just a hockey fan. Even if you have seen this before take another look as it will lift your spirits when you think about the role your mom played along the way whether it was in hockey, another sport or other activities. It is called "So God Made a Hockey Mom."

 

- You can't have a Christmas post without some photos so I reached into the archives for this group of photos, mostly from the championship years. It has been fun to track these families as these kids have grown, families have gotten bigger, new families have emerged and the players have moved on to post hockey playing careers. It may just be me, but there seemed to be a closeness in the championship years that was special.  

 The following is a small sample of Christmas time with players and their families from the past.

The Allen Americans posted this greeting in 2015

This was posted in 2014 by the Allen Americans

Ashley, Chad, Cayne,Camden plus baby #3 on the way Costello - 2015

Costello's with Santa - Bet dad was on a road trip - 2015

London, Whitney, Harper & Bruce Graham - Nottingham, England 2012

The Grahams - 2015 with new addition Beckett

Nicole, Sawyer & Sutter Schaafsma - 2014

 

 

Sawyer & Sutter - 2015

The Pierro-Zabotel family's (Casey, Levi & Lane) first Texas Christmas - 2015

Aaron Gens, girlfriend Kellie, and their dog (Stella) to Kentucky for Christmas -2014

Aaron & Kellie are now engaged - 2015

Jackson Gill's first Christmas with Angie, Riley & dog Guinny -2015

Trevor, Lynden & Holly Ludwig back in Texas for Christmas - 2015

Lynden's first Christmas and skate with dad, Trevor Ludwig - 2014

The most famous dog in Allen history, Pearl (@Pearlilicious11), was Phil Fox's "wing dog"

Sydney Ludwig - Tyler & Taylor's daughter -2014

What a difference a year makes - Sydney with little sis Hayden - 2015

Greger & Andrea Hanson in their PJ's with Bella

Jarret Lukin with his nephew Dryden - Christmas 2015

Mike & Chantal Berube with daughter Ellyauna & Dolce 

 

 

- No better way put a smile on your face than with an Ice Angels Christmas performance. This one is from 2015. Enjoy!

Once again thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for your support over the years. A special thank you to all players past and present for the sacrifices you have made to follow your dreams and the joy you have brought to the fans in Allen, on and off the ice. Your determination on the ice and kindness off the ice is both noticed and appreciated. May this Christmas day be a joyous one for you and yours!

Happy Holidays from Barry the Blogger

Allen Bounce Back Win in Tulsa, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Costello Comments, Post Christmas Opportunity, Goal Differential Leaders and More

 

The Allen Americans went into the Christmas break in style last night bouncing back from a loss in Tulsa on Thursday by beating the Oilers 5-2 on Friday. It was a complete game by the Americans from start to finish. Here are some of the highlights:

• Scored first goal of the game
• Took 1-0 lead into the first intermission
• Outshot Tulsa 11-5 in the first period
• Scored two unanswered goals in the second period
• Led 3-0 after the second period
• Outshot Tulsa 12-8 in the second period
• Scored two third period goals
• Allen won special teams battle going 2-6 on the power play
• Allen took just four minor penalties
• Allen outshot Tulsa 34-27

 

-  Mikael Robidoux scored the first goal of the game and his second goal in as many nights. Robidoux missed two months serving a couple of long suspensions but has scored his first two professional goals the last two nights. Robidoux played 55 ECHL games dating back to 2019-20 before scoring a shorthanded goal on Thursday. He did even better last night with an assist to go along with his goal.

 

- Jack Combs scored both of Allen's second period goals, his 14th and 15th of the season to give the Americans a 3-0 lead going into the second intermission. Combs is now fourth in the ECHL in goals and just one behind the leaders. 

 

- After blowing a second period lead in the loss on Thursday, a 3-0 lead did not seem safe, especially when Tulsa scored just 32 seconds into the third period to cut the lead to 3-1. However, the Americans responded with back to back goals (Hank Crone with his 13th and Ryan Gagnon with his 3rd) to make the score 5-1 and put the game out of reach. Tulsa scored a power play goal late in the game to make the final score 5-2. Nothing like a win to carry Allen into the Christmas break on a positive note.

 

- Jack Combs had the game winning goal for Allen. He has been clutch all season. Allen has just seven game winning goals all season and Combs has four of them. Saucerman, Crone and Myllari each have one game winning goal. 

 

-  Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/media/game-recap-americans-defeat-tulsa-5-2/

 

- Here is the game recap from the Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/americans-top-oilers-in-final-home-game-of-2022/

 

- Here are the video highlights: https://www.echl.com/en/video/2022/12/allen-americans-vs-tulsa-oilers---dec-23-2022-2bQ6jhBD

CHAD COSTELLO COACH'S COMMENTS

"It was a solid team effort tonight."

"We came out fighting from the opening puck drop and took control of the game."

"We needed this type of performance tonight, let's hope it continues after Christmas."

"When we have everyone playing and pulling on the rope we are a good team."

"We are getting healthy and that really helps our depth."

"We will continue to improve going forward. It is an uphill climb and we are aware of exactly where we stand."

"We will have a one game at a time mentality, but we know we need to go on a winning streak."

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Idaho just keeps on winning at an unprecedented pace, winning its eighth straight game last night with a 6-0 win over Utah. The Steelheads have now won 15 of the last 16 games and are running away with the league title. Idaho has a points percentage of .865, second place is Cincinnati with a .729 points percentage. 

 

- The Mountain Division has four teams with a points percentage under .500. The other three divisions have just two. It means there will likely be quite a scramble for playoff spots in the Mountain Division. Here are the current standings by points percentage: 

• .865 - Idaho
• .630 - Wichita
• .521 - Kansas City
• .464 - Rapid City
• .440 - Utah
• .438 - Tulsa
• .354 - Allen

 

- The Mountain Division remains close because none of the bottom five teams are playing well. Here are the points earned by each team over the last 10 games. Maximum points available would be 20.

• 18 points - Idaho
• 14 points - Wichita
• 8 points - Utah
• 8 points - Kansas City
• 7 points - Tulsa
• 6 points - Allen
• 6 points - Rapid City

 

- As I mentioned yesterday, Allen has a great opportunity to improve its position after the Christmas break. The Americans playing only three teams (Wichita, Kansas City, Tulsa) through the end of January. A total of 16 games against longtime rivals. Ten of the 16 games will be on the road so it will be a challenge, but if Allen is going to escape the cellar, it will have to play above .500 over the next 16 games. Here is the breakdown:

• Wichita - 1 home, 5 away
• Kansas City - 2 home, 3 away
• Tulsa - 3 home, 2 away

- Defenseman Nick Albano has signed with a team in the second tier Swedish league (Allsvenskan). The team (Vasteras IK) was looking for a right shot defenseman (they had seven left shot and one right shot defensemen) who could move the puck on the larger rinks in Sweden. Albano fit the bill and was signed to a one year contract. He is not expected to play until January 4, pending the immigration process.  

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about goal differential. Allen has scored 69 goals and allowed 88 goals for a goal differential of -19.

13 of 28 ECHL teams have a positive goal differential (goals for minus goals against). Here is the list with a big difference from top to bottom:

 

+64: Idaho

+28: Newfoundland

+20: Cincinnati

+20: South Carolina

+20: Indy

+20: Worcester

+17: Reading

+14: Jacksonville

+10: Wichita

+9: Florida

+9: Atlanta

+3: Maine

+1: Greenville

 

 

Here are the teams with the a minus 20 or more goal differential:

 

-58: Norfolk

-25: Iowa

-22: Tulsa

-20: Adirondack

 

A Return From Antarctica Doesn't Go Well, Allen Loses, Game Recap, Video Highlights, My Thoughts on Negative Comments, Scoring First Records and More

 

I always remember many years ago reading the children's book to my kids entitled, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" where everything went wrong for Alexander. Yesterday reminded me of that book as we arrived back in Dallas after an amazing trip to Antarctica. When we left Antarctica the temperature was in the 40's. When we arrived in Dallas it was in the 20's. Our travel friends from Iowa had their flight from Dallas to Iowa cancelled and are stranded until at least Saturday night. When we arrived at our house the refrigerator was a cold 22 degrees and everything was frozen solid. The cable television wasn't working. A gift of a box of fruit (pears) sent from a friend arrived earlier than scheduled (held by a neighbor) and were way too ripe. The final straw was tuning into my first hockey game in three weeks to watch the Americans score first, have a 1-0 lead after the first period, a 2-0 lead until eight seconds remaining in the second period, give up two goals in the third period and lose to Tulsa 3-2.  

- I won't bore you with a bunch of photos of Antarctica but will just say if there ever was a place you have to see to believe it is the penguins, seals, icebergs and glaciers in Antarctica and on South Georgia Island. Being among a king penguin colony of 200,000+ who have no fear is indescribable. The icebergs are like works of art and the glaciers are massive.  

-  When I last posted a blog before our trip, Allen was preparing to play Rapid City, had a record of 5-8-1-0 and a points percentage of .393. Since that time, including last night, the Americans are 2-7-0-0, now have a record of 7-15-1-0 and a points percentage of .326, which is dead last in the Western Conference. While the optimists still talk about making the playoffs, the realists know history says there is virtually no chance the Americans make the playoffs. Allen is eight points out of a playoff position, but have to pass three teams to make it to fourth place. 

 

- Last night Allen took a 2-0 lead on a first period power play goal (Aidan Brown) and a second period shorthanded goal (Mikael Robidoux) despite being outshot in each period and 44-23 for the game. Allen also gave up a shorthanded goal and a power play goal. Allen has fallen to #25 in the ECHL in average shots allowed (35.4) and is now #22 in average shots taken per game (29.2). 

 

- Allen's record when leading after the first period (3-3-0-0) and second period (4-2-1-0) is one of the worst in the league. 17 of 28 ECHL teams have not lost a game in regulation with a second period lead and nine have lost just once in regulation time. 

- Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/media/game-recap-americans-fall-to-tulsa-3-2/   

- Video Highlights:

https://www.echl.com/en/video/2022/12/allen-americans-vs-tulsa-oilers---dec-22-2022-CB9ZmvlW

 

- Allen will have one more chance to get on the winning track before the Christmas break with a rematch against Tulsa tonight (7:05 CST). 

- I have to say I was surprised this morning to see some of the negative comments when I went through all of the comments left on the blog, Facebook and Twitter in the last three weeks. I know the team has deleted negative comments and blocked people who leave negative comments, a policy that I don't agree with. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion and can express those opinions freely. However, when the comments are not fact based, but personal attacks it crosses a line for me and I will start deleting those comments going forward. I encourage expressing different points of view and unlike the team, I am not about deleting every comment that isn't positive, but there is no place for the personal attacks. There is plenty of room for criticism based on the facts which is fair game. I know the coaching staff will not give up and will continue to grind to get this turned around. I would never question their dedication, work ethic or resolve to get better each and every day. 

 

- There is a lot to being successful at the ECHL level and it is not easy. Steve Martinson went from back to back championships to the worst team in the league in two seasons. He didn't become a bad coach all of a sudden. Injuries, affiliations, Europe and recruitment are all factors that contribute to success. One season, standing alone does not tell you much. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- 2022-23 could be a historic ECHL season. With the season at the one third point there are teams on pace to have the worst points percentage in league history and the best points percentage in league history. Norfolk has a points percentage of .173 (4-21-1-0), well ahead of the all time record of .227 (14-49-1) set by Roanoke Valley in 1992-93. Idaho is well ahead of the best single season points percentage at .860 (21-3-0-1). The all time record is .806 (56-12-4) set by Louisiana in 2001-02.

 

- Two ECHL teams have won nine of their last 10 games. No other team has more than seven wins. The two teams with a record of 9-1-0-0 in the last 10 games are Idaho and Reading. 

 

- A top team playing poorly is Worcester. The Railers started the season winning nine straight games. In the last 10 games Worcester is 4-6-0-0. They have fallen to third place in the North Division. 

 

- After the Christmas break the Allen Americans will be playing a bunch of games against their three geographically closest rivals, with a chance to make up some ground in the standing. Between now and the end of January the Americans play Tulsa six times, Wichita six times, and Kansas City five times. Nine of the 17 games will be on the road. 

 

- Hank Crone was held scoreless last night but still leads all ECHL rookies in scoring. Hank has 28 points (12G, 16A) in 23 games. His 28 points is tied for sixth among all ECHL players. 

 

- Goalie Kevin Mandolese took the loss last night but stopped 41 of 44 shots for a save percentage of .932. Kevin has played in four games in Allen with save percentages .970, .917, .949 and .932. You may have heard Mandolese's name said with the last "e" silent. That is not the case as you will hear him say his name at the end of this video about his mask.

      

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today was about scoring first. Allen has not fared very well when scoring first. The Americans are just 6-4-1-0 (.591) when scoring the first goal of the game.

How important is it to score the first goal of the game? The ECHL league wide record when scoring first this season is 230-83-29-2 for a points percentage of .714. Here are the top five ECHL teams when scoring first. Points percentage is in parenthesis:

 

15-0-0-0: Idaho (1.000)

9-0-0-0: Florida (1.000)

11-1-0-0: Jacksonville (.917)

13-1-1-0: South Carolina (.900)

14-1-2-0: Atlanta (.882)

Allen Americans vs Rapid City Rush Series Preview and the Expedition Begins

 

As this will be my last blog post for a while, we are about to head off on our expedition to South Georgia Island and Antarctica. I want to thank everyone for all of your responses wishing us well on our trip but more importantly the birth of our first grandchild, Stella. It is certainly an exciting time in our household right now. I will be back just before Christmas, but pretty much off the grid until then.

 

ALLEN VS RAPID CITY SERIES PREVIEW

- The upcoming three game series against Rapid City is important for a lot of reasons, one of the main ones is the games are at home. Allen has not played at home since November 12 and will head back on the road to Reading after the series with the Rush. That will make just three home games (in three days this Friday, Saturday ans Sunday) in over a month. The only home games between November 12 and December 16.

 

- Allen needs to capitalize on having games at home, something Allen has not had a lot of thus far this season.  Here are the home game points percentages for every team in the Mountain Division with the number of home games played. This weekend Allen will have a chance to catch up on the number of homes games played.

• .875 - Idaho (8 games)
• .786 - Kansas City (7 games)
• .750 - Tulsa (8 games)
• .650 - Wichita (10 games)
• .625 - Rapid City (8 games)
• .500 - Allen (5 games)
• .375 - Utah (8 games) 

There are many ways to compare records between Allen and Rapid City. These teams will play eight times this season, only three of the eight will be in Rapid City. After the three games this weekend in Allen, these teams will not see each other again until March. The Rush visit the CUTX Event Center for two games on March 4, 5. The Americans will head to South Dakota the last week of March for three games against Rapid City. 

 

- Allen's overall points percentage is .393 (5-8-1-0), the home points percentage is .500 (2-2-1-0) and the road is .333 (3-6-0-0). Rapid City's overall points percentage is .500, road points percentage is .375 (3-5-0-0) and home is .625 (5-3-0-0).

 

Stat Comparisons

• Allen is 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 games, Rapid City is 6-4-0-0. 
• Allen has scored 39 goals and allowed 51 for a -12 goal differential
• Rapid City has scored 56 goals and allowed 52 for a + four goal differential
• Allen averages 19 PIMS and 6.6 minor penalties per game
• Rapid City averages 13.4 PIMS and 4.5 minor penalties per game
• Allen is 5-1-1-0 (.786) when scoring first
• Rapid City is 6-3-0-0 (.667) when scoring first
• Allen's home power play is 8.3% (1-12),  home penalty kill is 80.6% (6-31)
• Rapid City's road power play is 11.1% (4-36), road penalty is 86.0% (6-43)

- Special teams are always a key but even more so in this series. You can see from the stats above both teams have very low power play percentages (home vs road). Look for the winner of the special teams battle to win the series. Shorthanded goals were an issue last year for Allen but not this season. The Americans and Rush have the exact same shorthanded goal stats this season. Both teams have scored one shorty and allowed one.

- Goaltending will also be a key to this series. Luke Peressini has carried the load for Allen (10 of 14 games) and has been without a backup for most of the just completed road trip. Peressini's GAA is 3.46 and his save percentage is .895. The good news is Allen now has Logan Flodell back to share the load and Eric Dop is still on the roster.

Rapid City also has one goalie carrying the load. Daniil Chechelev has played on 12 of 16 games with a GAA of 2.89 and a .918 save percentage.

With three games in 48 hours this weekend and an early start on Sunday (2:05 pm) you can expect both teams will use two goalies in the series. 

- Team defense is another key for the weekend and that covers everything from breakouts, getting shots on goal, avoiding turnovers in the neutral zone, fore checking, getting pucks in deep and goaltending. Allen has started giving up 40+ shots per game recently after giving up in the mid 20's earlier in the season. For Allen to be successful it will have to allow fewer shots to the Rush. 

 

- Don't forget the importance of playing with the lead. Allen hasn't won a game all season when they gave up the first goal, was trailing after the first period or was trailing after the second period. Good starts against Rapid City will dictate success. 

 

- If Allen sweeps Rapid City they will be back to .500 and in the playoff  hunt again. On the flip side if the Americans get swept they will be in such a big hole (.323) it will be hard to dig out of. Allen needs a minimum of four points this weekend. 

 

- Allen's scoring has been dominated by the top line of Combs-Finlay-Crone. They each have 17 points to lead the team. They have a total of 51 points, the rest of the team combined has 50 points. Look for this ratio to change some this weekend when the two players recently acquired from Norfolk, Joe Widmar and Aidan Brown play their first home game with the Americans. Wouldn't surprise me at all if you don't see some more roster changes before the series with Rapid City is over.  

DID YOU KNOW: Consistent Excellence! Here are the ECHL teams with the most regular seasons finishing above .600 in points percentage the last eight seasons (since 2014-15). The team’s points percentage thus far in 2022-23 is in parenthesis. Some teams will struggle to make it to .600 this season. Special stick taps to Florida and Toledo who have not missed finishing above .600 over the last eight seasons:

 

8 - Florida (.719)

7 - *Toledo (.393)

6 - Fort Wayne (.464)

5 - *Idaho (.844)

5 - *Reading (.633)

5 - Allen (.393)

 

*Did not play in 2020-21