Allen vs Rapid City Series Preview, Colton Hargrove Update, NHL/AHL Contracted Players and More

 

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they open a three game series against the Rapid City Rush. This series and the next month will determine if the Americans can repeat the turnaround they accomplished last season. It was this time last season Allen hit the low point of the season and started the climb up the standings from last place to second place in the division. It is a tall task the Americans have ahead of them but they have an opportunity and some positives working in their favor:

• 11 of the next 14 games are at home.
  
• Allen has the strongest roster it has had all season including five NHL/AHL contracted players.
• Injured reserve players are returning to the lineup. Ryan Gagnon will return tonight with Ty Farmer and Grant Hebert returning soon.
• After giving up an average of 45 shots per game the first 17 games of the season the average the last seven games is 34.6.
   

- It was a year ago at this time coach Costello set the goal of winning two of every three games and Allen achieved that goal. That should be the measuring stick going forward starting with this series against Rapid City.

 

- To acquire all of the players the Americans have added recently there is a cost of future considerations. Some of those are already coming due. Defenseman Stanislav Demin was traded to Florida yesterday to satisfy a futures trade and that likely isn't the last one that is coming due before the Christmas trade/waivers freeze goes into effect on the 23rd.(5:00 pm EST).

- Here are some stats comparisons between Allen and Rapid City:

• Both teams play better on the road. Allen is 7-9-1-0 on the road and 1-6-0-0 at home. Rapid City is 7-5-1-0 on the road and 3-7-1-0 at home
• Allen is 6th in the division standings (.354), Rapid City is 4th (.458). 
• Allen's goal differential is -31 (GF 76, GA 107), Rapid City's is -13 (GF 74, GA 87).
• Over the last five seasons Allen's home record vs Rapid City is 12-7-0-0.
• Both teams have identical records of 4-5-1-0 over the last 10 games. 

- Special teams will play a key role in this series and Allen has a clear advantage. The Americans have the #6 ranked power play in the ECHL (23.9%) while Rapid City is ranked #24 (15.3%). Allen is #12 on the penalty kill (79.6%) and Rapid City is ranked #24 (74.4%).   

- Rapid City's leading scorers are familiar names to Allen fans and both scored four goals against the Americans last season. #42 Alex Aleardi and #28 Logan Nelson are players to watch. Hank Crone led Allen with seven goals in eight games against the Rush last season. Crone is currently on a five game point streak and has nine points in the five games. Hank is averaging 1.43 points per game since re-joining Allen 14 games ago. 

- Nine of Allen's 36 home games will utilizes two referees. Tonight is one of those games. Chad Ingalls (#15) and Tyler Hascall (#8) are scheduled to work the game.

OTHER COMMENTS

- How close are the Mountain Division standings? Allen is in last place and has a point percentage of .348. Rapid City is in the final playoff spot with a .458 point percentage. If Allen sweeps Rapid City in regulation time this week the teams would have identical .426 point percentages.

 

- It is a light schedule in the ECHL tonight with six games including two in the Mountain Division. In addition to Rapid City at Allen, Tulsa is at Kansas City. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2023/12/echl-today-dec-20

- Allen captain Colton Hargrove is taking advantage of the injury that ended his season to finally start his real estate career. Colton retired after the 2020-21 season and was about to start his career in real estate when he had the opportunity to play 3ICE hockey and met Chad Costello who had just become the head coach in Allen and was recruiting for the 2022-23 season. Hargrove, who is from Rockwall. and Costello traveled together to the 3ICE tournaments each weekend and became friends. Hargrove had never played in the ECHL as his entire pro career was in the AHL (259 games) and overseas (92 games). Costello convinced Hargrove to play for Allen and the rest is history. In his first ECHL season Hargrove had 85 points (39G, 46A) and 100 PIMS in 64 games and was named captain midway through the season. More than one opposing coach called him the best all around player in the league with his skill, strength and grit. Playing for Allen put his real estate career on hold, but he has now revived it. 

Here is what Hargrove had to say in his own words, "Unfortunately my knee injury has sidelined me for the rest of the season in Allen, but I am beyond excited to finally start my real estate career with Coldwell Banker Realty in Rockwall! This has been a dream of mine for years now and to start my career back in my hometown after a decade and a half of junior, college and professional hockey in different parts of the country and even a couple years in Europe is a blessing." 

Allen fans have always supported former players who retired in the area and started their post hockey careers. Here is Colton's website with his contact information. Give him a call if you have real estate interest or need information. https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/tx/rockwall/agent/colton-hargrove/aid_274871/

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the ECHL stats post for today which is an updated list of NHL/AHL contracted players on each ECHL team. It is strange to see Allen not at or near the bottom of this list. Notice Rapid City now holds down last place on the list with just one contracted player:

Update: NHL/AHL contracted players assigned to each ECHL team. Excludes players on IR. Notice that three of the four division leaders are toward the bottom of this list. You don’t have to have a roster full of NHL/AHL contracted players to be successful.

 

10: FW

9: NFL, WHL, SAV

8: WOR, ORL

7: *ADK, ATL, FLA, SC, REA

6: IND, IA, KAL, MNE, NOR

5: ALN, CIN, KC, TR, TUL

4: *IDH, JAX, UTA, *TOL

3: WIC

2: *GVL

1: RC

 

*Division leaders (by point percentage)