Preseason Games Conclude with Loss, Recap, Costello Comments, Rule Changes, Importance of a Good Start and More

 After a 4-1 loss to Tulsa on Friday in Texas the Americans were hoping for a better outcome in Tulsa last night but it wasn't to be. Playing without top players Colton Hargrove, Liam Finlay, Colby McAuley, Matt Marcinew and Kris Myllari the Americans were shutout by the Oilers 6-0. Preseason games are not indicative of how the team will perform during the regular season, but Allen has never lost two preseason games since joining the ECHL. Mostly because the Americans haven't played two preseason games very often. Here is Allen's preseason record for each season since joining the ECHL.

• 2023-24: 0-2 (4-1 & 6-0 losses to Tulsa)
• 2022-23: 1-0 (5-1 win vs Tulsa)
• 2021-22: 0-0 (No preseason games)
• 2020-21: 0-0 (No preseason games)
• 2019-20: 1-0 (3-2 OT win vs Kansas City)
• 2018-19: 2-0 (4-3 & 3-2 wins vs Kansas City)
• 2017-18: 1-1 (3-1 loss & 3-2 win vs Kansas City) 
• 2016-17: 1-0 (2-0 win vs Wichita)
• 2015-16: 0-1 (7-2 loss vs Wichita)
• 2014-15: 0-1 (4-2 loss vs Tulsa

The moral of this story is the two preseasons prior to this year that Allen played games and didn't win (2014-15 & 2015-16) the Americans went on to win the Kelly Cup. Maybe this is a sign. 

- Here are the cumulative totals in the two losses to Tulsa:

• Allen was outscored 10-1
• Allen was outshot 88-52
• Both teams were 1-9 (11.1%) on the power play
• Allen's plus/minus was -45

-  It is important to remember the team Allen will have this season will be significantly different than the roster for either preseason game. Three of the four players that attended Belleville's training camp (Grant Hebert, Mikael Hebert, Ryan Gagnon) didn't play in the first game on Friday. Hargrove, Finlay, McAuley, Marcinew and Myllari didn't play last night. Spencer Asuchak and Ty Farmer didn't play in either game. Farmer had surgery in the offseason and will be on injured reserve the first part of the season. It is expected Allen will get some skaters from Belleville assigned soon. And don't forget the Americans hold the ECHL rights to Hank Crone so it is possible he could see time in Allen. You add it all together and the Americans will have a competitive team in 2023-24. 

- Here is what coach Costello had to say about the preseason games when I contacted him after the game last night, "Obviously the scores from the two preseason games were not ideal. But we feel when we put the final product together, we are a very strong team. The preseason games were more about getting the players back on the ice in game conditions to get use to competing again."

- Opening day rosters are due in the league on Wednesday (3:00 pm EDT) so you can expect numerous cuts from the ECHL training camp rosters over the next few days. Many teams have already started to release players. Now that the preseason games are over for Allen look for the tryout players to be released. 

- With the regular season beginning in a few days here is a reminder of the rule changes for 2023-24 you might want to keep an eye out for. 

• Rule #9 – Uniforms

Altered uniforms of any kind (i.e. Velcro inserts, over-sized jerseys, altered collars, etc.) will not be permitted. Any player or goalkeeper not complying with this rule shall not be permitted to participate in the game.
 

• Rule #9.6 – Helmets

A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play will be assessed a minor penalty unless he immediately (a) exits the playing surface or (b) puts the helmet back (the chin strap may be unfastened if helmet is on player’s head).
 

• Rule #20.4 – Fighting Game Misconducts

An automatic game misconduct shall be applied to any player who has been assessed a second fighting major in the same game. The misconduct will be waived for a player if an opposing player is assessed a penalty for instigating.
 

• Rule #46.10 – Fighting prior to or at the drop of the puck

A player or players who enter into a fight prior to, at the drop of the puck, or immediately following any face-off during the game, shall be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to any penalties assessed.
 

• Rule #67.2 – Handling the Puck

A minor penalty shall be assessed for “Delay of Game – Face-Off Violation” to a player taking the face-off who attempts to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand. The two players involved in the actual face-off (the centers) are not permitted to play the puck with their hand without incurring a penalty under this rule until such time as a third player (from either team) has at least touched the puck. Once the face-off is deemed complete (and a winner of the face-off is clear) hand passes shall be enforced as per Rule 80 – Hand Pass.
 

• Rule #74.4 – Faceoff procedure

At the eight face-off spots (excluding the center ice face-off spot), the defending player shall place his stick within the designated white area first followed immediately by the attacking player. When the face-off is conducted at the center ice face-off spot, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first.
 

• Rule #83 – Off-side

A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line. “On his own side of the line” shall be defined by a “plane” of the blue line which shall extend from the leading edge of the blue line upwards. If a player’s skate has yet to break the “plane” prior to the puck completely crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be on-side for the purpose of the off-side rule.

- It will be important for Allen to get off to a good start this season, something the Americans were not able to do last season. Coach Costello will be in a much stronger position from a roster standpoint at the beginning of 2023-24 than he was in 2022-23. The first two road games in Idaho will be a challenge because the Steelheads are a strong home team (32-4-0-0 last season) and Allen will be short a couple of players. Allen then opens at home with two games against Atlanta before traveling to Tulsa for two games. After Tulsa the Americans play four straight games against Kansas City before returning to Idaho for three games. The totals for the first month of the season (through November 18) is 13 games with eight on the road and five at home. Five of the eight road games are in Idaho. These first 13 games will tell the tale of how strong the Americans will be this season. 

DID YOU KNOW: It is always informative to look back at Allen's Kelly Cup winning seasons. Looked up how they fared the first month of the season to see the record after 13 games. Here are the results. You can see a good start was key to both championship seasons.

2014-15 - 10-3-0-0

2015-16 - 9-4-0-0