Allen Takes a Step Back, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson's Comments, Costello's Records, Allen Connections to Olympics and More

 

Not sure when I will get this posted. It is 4:30 am and the power has been off since 9:30 pm last night with no end in sight. I just took a walk around the neighborhood and the roads and sidewalks are not very slippery, the sleet is very gritty. I will type away here in the dark and hopefully the power returns before all of my devices need charging. UPDATE: It is 8:10 am and power is on and I am back in business. I apologize for being late, the changing fonts, changing print colors, mistakes and typos as I have been on four different devices this morning and to top it off, my proofreader (aka wife), Nancy, is on a cruise with our daughter. I know the blog is a mess today for this technology challenged old-timer!

 

Before I talk about the game last night I want to add my congratulations to Chad Costello for being named the ECHL Player of Month for January. The award just adds to his historic career that will end with his selection to the ECHL Hall of Fame if ever stops playing hockey. Here are just a few of Chad's ECHL accomplishments:

• 4 - Times ECHL Player of the Month (twice in 2014-15)
• 3 - Times ECHL MVP
• 3 - Times ECHL Scoring Champion
• 2 - Times Kelly Cup Champion
• 1 - Time Kelly Cup Playoff MVP
• 1 - Time ECHL Sportsman of the Year

 

GAME RECAP

 The outcome was as bad as the weather last night as the Allen Americans lost to the Wichita Thunder by a score of 3-1 before a hearty crowd of 1634 at the CUTX Event Center. Allen had trouble generating offense even strength. Wichita had the only goal of the first period scoring with 89 seconds remaining. The same thing happened in the second period when the Thunder scored the only goal with 36 seconds remaining. Wichita made it three for three in late period goals scoring into an empty net with 51 seconds remaining in the game. 

 

- Allen's only goal came at the 13:56 mark of the third period on the power play to cut the score to 2-1 and give the faithful some hope, but it wasn't to be as the Americans could not get the equalizer.

 

- If you look at percentages here are a few that were working against Allen last night:

• Allen gave up the first goal - 75%of the time that will lead to a loss
• Allen trailed 1-0 after the first period - Allen's record when trailing after the first period is 2-8-1-0.
• Allen trailed 2-0 after the second period - Allen's record when trailing after the second period is 2-14-2-0.
• Allen was outshot 33-29. The team with the most shots has won nine of the 10 games between Allen and Wichita this season.
• Allen has scored two or fewer goals 16 times this season including last night. The Americans have lost 15 of the 16.

 

- It wasn't all bad news for the Americans as the game was close right to the end. Here are couple of other bright spots:

• Allen's penalty kill was perfect going 0-5 in the game. The Americans penalty kill unit has allowed just one power play goal in the last 11 games for a penalty kill percentage of 96.6%.
  
• Hayden Lavigne stopped 30 of 32 shots for a .938 save percentage.
• Allen was 1-5 (20%) on the power play. Over the last nine games Allen is 8-35 (22.9%) on the power play. 
  

 

 - Jackson Leppard scored the lone goal for Allen on the power play. It was his 11th goal of the season and fifth in the last eight games. Here are the video highlights: https://youtu.be/exJ9VQc_5fQ

 

- Here is the game recap from the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/media/recap-americans-streak-ends-at-three/

 

- Here is the game recap from the Wichita Thunder: https://www.wichitathunder.com/en/news/wichita-claims-3-1-win-over-allen-on-wednesday-night

 

COACH'S CORNER WITH STEVE MARTINSON

- I had a chance to catch up with coach Martinson earlier this morning as he was headed to the rink to watch and break down video. Here are some of his comments:

"We obviously need to generate more scoring. We had chances in the game but did not convert."

"We have been taking two steps forward and then two steps back. We need to be more consistent going forward."

"We will probably be shorthanded this weekend but will get guys back next week. Several of the injured players are now listed day to day, they won't be available this weekend, but will return next week."

"As I have said before, with so many guys out of the lineup, it is an opportunity for other players to step up. Jackson Leppard is one of the players that has done that with the ice time he has been given."

"Both goalies played well last night."   

 OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen retained it fifth place position in the Mountain Division standings but lost some ground to fourth place Tulsa. If the Americans win both games against Tulsa this weekend (in regulation), Allen will move into fourth place (.538 vs .524.) Here are the current standings:

• .655 - Utah
• .598 - Idaho
• .560 - Rapid City
• .551 - Tulsa
• .513 - Allen
• .476 - Kansas City
• .427 - Wichita

 

- There are four ECHL games tonight with the only Mountain Division team in action being the Utah Grizzlies, who are at home against Jacksonville. Here is the ECHL today with the a preview on all of the games:  https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/2/echl-today-feb-3

 

- Allen has six players with 10+ goals (Costello, Troock, Combs, Asuchak, Leppard, Gould). The only ECHL teams with more are Utah with eight and Kalamazoo with seven.

- Two former Allen Americans players are among 36 former ECHL players that will play in the Olympics. Konrad Abeltshauser was a member of Allen's 2014-15 Kelly Cup team and will play for Germany. Jason Fram played briefly (6 games) for Allen in 2016-17 before he decided to go to college. He will play for China. Here is the ECHL press release with all 36 players playing in the Olympics.  https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/2/echl-has-36-former-players-5-officials-in-2022-winter-olympics

 

- I have had a couple of questions about Wichita traveling home last night. The game ended at 9:30 pm last night an it took almost 12 hours to shower, load up and travel the 360 miles back to Wichita. The team got home around 9:00 am this morning, safe and sound.  

 

DID YOU KNOW: Couldn't help but including a Chad Costello stat in the ECHL stats post today in honor of his Player of the Month selection. Check this one out:

Chad Costello of the Allen Americans was selected yesterday as they ECHL Player of the month for January. Costello’s records could fill a book but here is one I find most impressive:

 

If you disregard Costello’s 41 goals in 2014-15 and 33 goals in 2016-17, he would have still won the ECHL scoring championship.

 

In 2014-15 Chad had 84 assists. The most points any other player had was 80.

In 2016-17 Chad had 89 assists. The most points any other player had was 88.