Allen vs Wichita Preview, Nolan Kneen Returns, ECHL Schedule Favors Some Teams and More

 

 Crunch time starts for the Allen this week as the Americans play four games in five days against a couple of familiar foes:

• Tonight at home against Wichita
• Thursday at home against Tulsa
• Friday on road against Wichita
• Sunday at home against Wichita

 

- Wichita will have a lot to say about Allen's quest for a playoff spot. The teams have already played 12 times this season and they still have five games to go, starting tonight. They have split the first 12 games, 6-6-0-0, but the 12 games have been anything but even:

• Wichita won the first game, on opening night in Allen, by a score of 7-0
• Allen was 4-0 against the Thunder in December including three wins in Wichita
• Wichita was 3-0 against the Americans in February with two wins in Allen 

 

- It has been almost a month since Allen has played Wichita. Both teams have struggled to get into a playoff spot. Since they last met Allen is 3-3-1-0 and Wichita is 2-3-1-0. Allen is one game above .500 and Wichita is at .500, so you can see just how important this three game series is for both team. 

 

-  Both teams will play four game in five days. They will take a break in the three game series on Thursday with Allen entertaining Tulsa at home and Wichita taking on Toledo at home. 

 

- Wichita has a record of 5-3-2-0 over the last 10 games, Allen has a record of 4-5-1-0.

- A comparison of the two teams based on the 12 head to head games this season shows how closely matched they are:

• Goals - Wichita has more goals (43-38) which includes the 7-0 shutout on opening might.
• Shots - Wichita has the edge 367-362.
• Power Play: Allen 7-46 (15.2%%), Wichita 12-45 (26.7%)
• PIMS: Allen 154 PIMS (61 infractions), Wichita 169 PIMS (64 infractions)

- Here is a comparison of overall stats:

• Goals per game - Allen scores more (3.3 vs 2.9)
• Goals allowed per game - Allen allows more goals (3.5 vs 3.3)
• Shots per game - Wichita shoots more (31.2 vs 28.3)
• Shots allowed per game - Wichita allows more shots (36.8 vs 34.8)
• Team shooting percentage: Allen 11.4%, Wichita 9.2%
• Team save percentage: Allen .901, Wichita .912

 

- As always, special teams will be key in this three game series against Wichita. Allen's power play is ranked #17 at 18.4% (38-207) and Wichita's power play is ranked #8 at 21.5% (43-200). Penalty kill stats favor Wichita who is ranked #6 at 82.9% (36-211). Allen is ranked #16 at 80.2% (40-202). Wichita has scored eight shorthanded goals, Allen has scored seven. Allen has allowed 18 shorthanded goals compared to seven by Wichita.

 

- None of the 12 games Allen and Wichita have played this season have gone to overtime. If one of the games does get to overtime it will pit two teams that have a combined record in overtimes of 3-14. Allen is 1-6 and Wichita is 2-8. If a game happens to get to a shootout, Wichita has the edge 3-0 vs 1-1.

 

-  More stat facts:

• Scoring first hasn't been the magic bullet in this series. The team that scored first has won seven of the 12 games.

• What has been a good predictor of outcome is shots on goal. The team with the most shots has won 10 of the 12 games. 

 

 

- Defenseman Nolan Kneen arrives back in Allen today after being released from his PTO by Charlotte yesterday. Nolan was injured when hit by the puck in the last game he played for the Checkers (March 9) and just started skating again. While he is listed day to day, coach Martinson confirmed Kneen will not be in the lineup tonight. Martinson also confirmed Luke Peressini will get the start in goal. 

- The referee scheduled for the game is Riley Yerkovich (#7). It will be sixth time he has called a game in Allen this season. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen has had a great rivalry with Wichita going back to the beginning of the franchise in 2009-10. Back in the CHL days both teams played a hard-nosed style of hockey with plenty of fisticuffs. You combine that with Allen's first championship in 2013, when the Americans beat Wichita in game seven of the finals in overtime and the rivalry reached new heights. Since joining the ECHL in 2014-15, Allen has dominated Wichita with a record of 62-18-8-5. Wichita has never won more than six games in a single season since these teams joined the ECHL. The Thunder can surpass that mark with a win tonight.

-  There are seven games in the ECHL tonight. Wichita at Allen is the only Mountain Division game. Here is the ECHL Today with previews: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/3/echl-today-march-16

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Six of Allen's last 10 games will be at home and 10 of the Americans remaining 18 games are at home. Here is the ECHL Stats post from today with teams that have a lot or very few home games remaining. 

As the ECHL season winds down and teams battle to make the playoffs or improve their position, the home vs road schedules vary widely. Here are some teams that will play most of their games at home or on the road. The most lopsided schedules:

 

Most games on the road:

Worcester - 12 of last 15 on road

Cincinnati - 10 of last 13 on road

Jacksonville - 9 of last 11 on road

 

Most games at home:

Trois Rivières - 10 of last 12 at home

Norfolk - 9 of last 11 at home

 

 

If you look at the final 10 games of the season for all ECHL teams, here are the teams with the most and fewest games at home:

 

Most home games of final 10:

8 - Norfolk

7 - Orlando

7 - Utah

 

Fewest home games of final 10:

2 - Jacksonville

3 - Cincinnati

3 - Iowa

3 - Kansas City

3 - Tulsa

3 - Worcester