I have started the blog many times over the last month with the phrase "must win game" and for the most part the team came through. I have never said "must win game" with such certainty, as this morning, after the Americans lost 5-1 to the Idaho Steelheads last night and now trail 3-1 in the series. It is win or go home time for Allen starting this afternoon (4:10 pm CDT).
- When Allen lifted the puck out of play for a delay of game penalty 27 seconds after the opening puck drop yesterday you knew the game was going to be different than Allen's 5-1 win on Friday night. When the best power play team in the league converted on that early penalty just 89 seconds into the game the odds were already heavily stacked against the Americans. Idaho has rarely lost this season when scoring first. The Steelhead's record when scoring first is 36-3-1-2 (.893).
- Allen responded quickly (3:38) to tie the score 1-1 on Bennett MacArthur's second goal in as many nights. Grant Hebert and Hank Crone got the assists. It would turn out to be Allen's only goal of the game as the Americans played the last 56 minutes of the game without scoring. Idaho scored at the 8:25 mark to take a 2-1 lead and that is how the period ended.
- The second period has been Allen's Achilles heel all season and it has been Idaho's best period. During the regular season Allen allowed a league high 110 second period goals and Idaho scored a league high 122 second period goals. Idaho outscored Allen 2-0 in the second period to take a 4-1 lead and the goals came early. Idaho scored 36 seconds into the period and again at the 3:13 mark. Idaho took a 4-1 lead into the second intermission and the die was cast. The Steelhead's record when leading after the second period is now 38-1-1-0.
- Neither team managed to score in the third period until Allen pulled goalie Marco Costantini and Idaho scored an empty net goal to make the final score 5-1. It was the 13th time in the 15 times these teams have played this season the winning team has scored five or more goals. The last three games have all been one-sided. Idaho won 5-0 on Wednesday, Allen won 5-1 on Friday and Idaho won 5-1 last night.
- Here are the links to game recaps from both teams and the video highlights:
- Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2024/04/americans-facing-elimination
- Idaho Steelheads game recap: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2024/04/idaho-captures-three-games-to-one-series-lead-with-5-1-victory
- Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/idaho-steelheads-vs-allen-americans-april-27-2024-game-4
- The Americans now have a tough task trying to come back from a 3-1 deficit. The historical data for seven game series put the odds at less than 10%. Allen will have to beat Idaho three straight times. In the last two years Allen hasn't won two games in a row against Idaho, let alone three straight.
- One thing I know for sure is there will be no give up or give in from the team or the coaches. Anyone who says this team doesn't care or has given up is just wrong. They may get beat today but they won't go down without a fight. I wouldn't be surprised if Chad Costello and Aaron Gens don't draw on their own playoff experience as players. In 2015 Allen was in a more dire position than the Americans are in today. In 2015 Allen was shutout 5-0 in game four against Ontario to fall behind 3-1 in the series. Nobody gave Allen a chance Playing on the road in game five, Allen was trailing until the middle of the third period before staging a miraculous comeback scoring five goals in the last 10 minutes to win the game and go on the win the series and eventually the Kelly Cup. The player that started that comeback from the brink of elimination was Chad Costello.
- I won't go through all of the keys to the game which are the same as the first four games of the series. If there is one key among equals for the Americans it would be score the first goal and don't play from behind. It has taken five goals to win 13 of the 15 games between these teams this season so a good bet would be first team to five goals wins.
- My advice is to sit back and enjoy this game win or lose. When you consider how little help Allen got from Ottawa/Belleville, 61 games of which 42 were goalies. Compare that to the seven teams in the league that had over 400 games played by affiliate players. Add in all the games Allen lost to players on injured reserve, which at its peak hit 11 players, and finishing third in the division was quite a feat by Chad Costello. The culture in Allen has never been to call making the playoffs a successful season. But it is worth noting as the puck drops at the CUTX Event Center this afternoon over half (14 of 26) of all ECHL teams are already on summer vacation.
- Here is Allen's lineup for this afternoon.
All you need to do is look at highlight video on the ECHL website to know there is no way Allen has averaged 5822 in playoff attendance. I was there Friday night. Not even close.
ReplyDeleteNothing like reading comments from former ticketing employees. Sad to see a real sales staff actually sell tickets. Post less and focus and maybe you will keep your current job.
DeleteFudging on the numbers!🫢
DeleteWhy does sales staff need to send 2 emails and 2 texts this week with a link for free ticksts for Friday and Saturday?
DeleteCriticisms are fine but claiming to think you know who posted them is pretty dumb. I did not work as a ticketing employee and not only that have gladly retired. Have an opinion sure, but don't be a moron.
DeleteWhen you consider how little help Allen got from Ottawa/Belleville, 61 games of which 42 were goalies.
ReplyDeleteAllen only got 61 games out of players assigned from AHL? I haven't been paying as much attention to the team this year as seasons past but that is amazingly low if I am understanding it correctly.
Either way planning to go to the game today, hoping they can pull it out and extend the season.
Our AHL affiliation is pathetic and puts copious amounts of pressure on our coaches. The fact we are where we are, per Barry’s comments, is a monumental feat and Costello/Gens should be recognized for that.
ReplyDeleteIf they didn’t make the moves they did, we wouldn’t have been in the playoffs.
Recruiting saved our butt this season, time for a new AHL affiliation and hopefully we can keep a decent chuck of this season’s team.
Nope. No matter the talent and caliber of good guys, it is time to blow it up and build powerful quality skilled and sizable team. Maybe keep Marco and 3-5 of the talent we have this season but build to compete against teams that are basically full AHL level rosters. And get some grit in the line up too. Build a good quality affiliation that helps in a two-way manner.
ReplyDeleteThey did good to make playoffs but no way they would advance. Lack of consistency only gets you do far. Pedigree coach cannot win on ice when consistent commitment on ice is missing. I think they have heart but execution and between the ears falters way too often.
Evaluate. Rebuild. Retool. Quit the same old, same old approach. Get a new front office and fire all the staff that forgot about STM who have supported the team for 15 years. Act like a quality organization and help support your coaching staff and players with sellouts of STM and paying fans, not false numbers by free tickets. Don’t be a circus of lackluster product.
To all the players and coaches, thank you. Not great season or ending, but thank you!!!
Ummmm…. AHL level roster, hahaha. I stopped reading at this point in your comment. The difference between a AHL team and even the best ECHL team is a giant chasm Grand Canyon style. Have you ever watched an AHL game. It’s the same giant chasm difference between AHL and NHL teams.
DeleteI’m not saying individual players aren’t capable of bouncing around, but there’s not a single ECHL team that can compete in the AHL. Look at what the Colorado Eagles did a while ago
-Bobby 226
Bobby
DeleteYou know what is meant. Look at the size and talent differences. It is a big gap between levels but many other ECHL teams are finding and developing that level, not just getting it from affiliates. Allen looks small even with bigger guys. Idaho, Fort Wayne and many others have skilled size with speed. We get a lot of small fast skill but just don’t match up well. We could go on all day but we have to find a different level to compete consistently. Even in ECHL where there is constant player movement.
Look at Idaho, Texas, Dallas affiliation and the types they continually get, develop and succeed with. And that’s just an example.
You walked that back pretty quick. Yes we need better affiliation. We all agree. The team will get “blown up”. Like it does every year. Like every other team in the echl. Good day, sir!
Delete-Bobby 226