Why Allen Needs a Win, Game Preview, Steve Martinson's Comments and Will ECHL Have a .700 Points Percentage Team This Season

 

It's a matinee game day for the Allen Americans as they take on the Wichita Thunder at 2:05 pm. It will be the fourth game in five days for both teams and the third time they have played this week. The Americans won 4-1 in Allen on Wednesday and 8-5 in Wichita on Friday. 

 

- This game was already critical for the Americans in their quest for a playoff spot but it became even more critical because the teams Allen is chasing (Tulsa & Idaho) both won last night in decisive fashion. Tulsa beat the #1 team in the league (Toledo) 4-1 and Idaho beat the #1 team in the Mountain Division (Utah) 6-1. Here is how the points percentages look this morning for that final playoff spot:

• .534 - Tulsa (four wins above .500)
• .533 - Idaho (four wins above .500)
• .518 - Allen (two wins above .500)  

- A comparison of the two teams based on the 14 head to head games this season shows just how close the stats are between Allen and Wichita:

• Record: Allen's record against Wichita is now 8-6-0-0:

• Goals - Allen has more goals (50-49)
  
• Shots - Allen has the edge (427-426).
• Power Play: Allen 9-51 (17.6%), Wichita 13-47 (27.7%)
• PIMS: Allen 167 PIMS (66 infractions), Wichita 188 PIMS (72 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 3.4)
• Shots per game - Wichita shoots more (31.0 vs 28.5)
• Shots allowed per game - Wichita allows more shots (36.7 vs 34.6)
• Team shooting percentage: Allen 11.7%, Wichita 9.3%
• Team save percentage: Allen .900, Wichita .908

 

- As always, special teams will be a key this afternoon. Allen's home power play is ranked #16 at 19.4% (20-103) and Wichita's road power play is ranked #7 at 23.0% (20-87). Penalty kill stats also favor Wichita who is ranked #10 at 83.0% (17-100) on the road. Allen is ranked #23 at 76.7% (24-103) at home. Wichita has scored eight shorthanded goals, Allen has scored seven. Allen has allowed 18 shorthanded goals compared to seven by Wichita. 

- What has worked to Allen's advantage in the two wins against Wichita this week is they have stayed out of the penalty box. In the two games, Wichita has had just two power play opportunities. The Thunder was 1-2 on Wednesday and 0-0 on Friday. Allen had five power play opportunities in the two games, 0-2 on Wednesday and 2-3 on Friday.

 

- Based on the stats, a key for Allen will be fewer penalties and power play opportunities. The referee scheduled for the game is Alec Rounds (#9). Rounds has refereed five Allen home games this season and the combined average power play opportunities in those five games was just  over 10 per game, ranging from 6-16. You have to assume there will be more power play opportunities this afternoon than the four on Wednesday and three on Friday.

 

- None of the 14 games Allen and Wichita have played this season have gone to overtime. If the game this afternoon does get to overtime, which is unlikely, 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 the game happens to get to a shootout, Wichita has the edge 3-0 vs 1-1.

 

- Allen scored eight goals on Friday on just 30 shots on goal and were actually outshot by Wichita in the game 34-30. Even though the Americans now have three strong lines that are all capable of scoring on every shift the Americans will not win many, if any, games giving up five goals like they did on Friday. The key to a win this afternoon will be how the team plays on the defensive side of the puck.

 

COACH'S CORNER WITH STEVE MARTINSON

"With Tulsa and Idaho winning last night it is important for us to take care of business this afternoon."

"Our lineup this afternoon will be the same as Friday with the possible exception of Nolan Kneen. It will be a game time decision as to whether he will be in the lineup."

"Luke Peressini will get the start in goal."

"We have plenty of offensive in the lineup, the message for today is working hard at both ends of the ice."

"We will get more players back for the trip to Toledo next week."

OTHER COMMENTS

- It will be busy Sunday around the ECHL with 10 games on tap. Start times vary from as early as 2:05 pm local time (Wichita at Allen) to 5:00 pm local time (Greenville at Norfolk). Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/3/echl-today-march-20

 

 

- Talk about having a quick impact after being traded, Idaho forward Ryan Dmowski was acquired in a two for one trade with South Carolina this week. Last night, in just his second game for the Steelheads, a 6-1 win over Utah, he factored in all six goals (5G, 1A). His five goals set the Idaho record (ECHL) for goals in a single game. To make matters worse, the two players that were sent South Carolina (Colby McAuley & Evan Wardley) in the trade did not report to the Stingrays and were suspended by the team yesterday. South Carolina is the worst team in the ECHL (.383 points percentage), just fired its coach and will obviously not make the playoffs. 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the top points percentage each season. Here is Allen's points percentage since 2014-15?

 

.518: 2021-22 (thru 57 games)

.653: 2020-21 (14 teams playing)

.710: 2019-20 (shortened season)

.389: 2018-19

.542: 2017-18

.722: 2016-17

.618: 2015-16*

.736: 2014-15*

 

*Won Kelly Cup 

 

 

Toledo lost last night and fell below the .700 mark in points percentage. Here is the top points percentage team for each season since 2014-15. Will any team finish above .700 this season? Other than last season when only 14 teams played, there has always been at least one team finish above .700.

 

.693: Toledo, 2021-22

.667: Florida, 2020-21 (14 teams)

.742: South Carolina & Florida, 2019-20 (shortened season)

.764: Cincinnati, 2018-19

.778: Florida, 2017-18

.736: Toledo, 2016-17

.757: Missouri, 2015-16

.743: Toledo, 2014-15

 

FYI: None of these top teams won the Kelly Cup.