With a spot in the Kelly Cup playoffs on the line the Allen Americans will take on the North Division leader, Adirondack Thunder, tonight, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. While Allen is fighting just to make the playoffs, Adirondack is fighting to win its division and the #1 seed in the playoffs which comes with home ice advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
- It always special when teams outside the Mountain Division visit the CUTX Event Center but even more so with Adirondack. It will be old home week for three Thunder players:
- Darian Skeoch (D) - played 70 games for Allen in 2020-21 and 2021-22. He led the Americans in penalty minutes (135) in 2021-22.
- Jeremy Brodeur (G) - played 53 games for Allen in 2017-18 and 2018-19. In 2017-18 he led Allen goalies in games played (39), minutes (1942), saves (1233), wins (15) and save percentage (.917). He was top 10 in the ECHL in saves and save percentage.
- Bray Crowder (D) - played nine games for Allen earlier this season.
What is really unique about this series with Adirondack is Thunder coach, Peter MacArthur. He played in Allen but he also has a strong connection to Chad Costello:
- Adirondack coach Peter MacArthur played 22 games for the Allen Americans in 2017-18 before suffering a season ending injury.
- MacArthur
signed in Allen after being the captain in Adirondack to be closer to
his family. His wife was the television host for Great Day San Antonio at the time.
- MacArthur and Chad Costello both went directly from the locker room as captain to the head coach for their team in 2022-23.
- MacArthur and Costello first met when both played the first season of 3ICE after they had retired to become ECHL head coaches.
- Both spent time in Europe for a few years and both played in the top league in Germany (DEL) plus other countries.
- Costello is 37 and played in 375 games in the ECHL. MacArthur is 38 and played in 265 ECHL games.
- With such parallel careers they have become good friends.
- Here is a comparison between Allen and Adirondack:
- Record
- Allen: 29-34-2-1 (.462)
- Adirondack: 39-18-5-3 (.662)
- Last 10 Games
- Allen: 4-6-0-0
- Adirondack: 5-5-0-0
- Goals Scored Average
- Allen: 3.27 (ranked #10)
- Adirondack: 3.35 (ranked #8)
- Goals Allowed Average
- Allen: 3.95 (ranked #27)
- Adirondack: 2.95 (ranked #9)
- Shots For Average
- Allen: 30.03 (ranked #22)
- Adirondack: 34.60 (ranked #3)
- Average Shots Against
- Allen: 39.85 (ranked #27)
- Adirondack: 31.20 (ranked #11)
- Power Play Percentage
- Allen: 20.6% (ranked #10)
- Adirondack: 19.7% (ranked #14)
- Penalty Kill Percentage
- Allen: 78.1% (ranked #19)
- Adirondack: 82.5% (ranked #5)
- Record When Scoring First
- Allen: 21-7-1-1 (.733)
- Adirondack: 25-7-3-1 (.750)
- Overtime Record
- Allen: 4-2
- Adirondack 8-5
- Shootout Record
- Allen: 1-1
- Adirondack: 4-3
- Goal Differential (goals for minus goals against)
- Allen: -45
- Adirondack: +26
- Penalty Minutes
- Allen: 1146 (ranked #2)
- Adirondack: 832 (ranked #13)
- Minor Penalties
- Allen: 328 (ranked #3)
- Adirondack: 271 (ranked #16)
- Team Save Percentage
- Allen: .901
- Adirondack: .907
- It is no surprise when you look at all the stats above, most favor Adirondack. The Thunder rank #5 in the ECHL in points percentage and Allen ranks #23. One stat that standout is the fact that Adirondack has allowed a full goal per game less than Allen on average. Allen rarely wins if they allow four or more goals.
- If Allen can make the games in this series low scoring it will greatly improve its chances. Adirondack is 4-3-0-0 in the last seven games. The Thunder scored five goals in each of the four wins. They scored two or fewer goals in the three losses. Since January 12 (31 games) Allen has scored 5+ goals just four times and scored two or fewer goals 16 times. Allen has been a run and gun high scoring team for much of its history with a win games 6-5 mentality. Not the case this season.
- Special teams stats are a mixed bag when you look at the stats above. Allen has the better power play percentage while Adirondack has the better penalty kill percentage. The problem is the Americans take so many more penalties than Adirondack. They have given up 59 power play goals (highest in the league) while the Thunder have given up just 35 power play goals. Allen has done a better job of staying out of the penalty box recently and that will have to continue in this series.
- Playing from behind is never a good idea, but especially against Adirondack. Allen has trailed after the first period 22 time this season with a record of 5-17-0-0. Adirondack has trailed after the first period 18 times with a record of 6-9-1-2. Both teams are almost impossible to beat if they have a lead after the second period. Allen is 23-2-1-1 and Adirondack is 23-2-1-0.
- Allen had 42 shots and scored just two goals on Wednesday in Wichita and the second goal was in overtime. If you watched the game one area that needs improvement for the Americans is more net front presence. It is not easy as you take a beating and get hit by the puck, but those greasy goals are needed especially when the pretty pass attempts are not working. If you watched the overtime goal, Blake Murray went right to the front of the net to screen the goalie. He was the only player that didn't get a point on the overtime goal, but played a vital role.
- Will one of the games in this series go to overtime? The odd stat of the day is Adirondack has been involved in more extra time games (13 overtimes, 7 shootouts) than any team in the league and it is not close, five more than any other team. Adirondack has gone extra time in 31% of its games. Allen is at the other end of the spectrum with only 12% (8 of 66) of its games going extra time. However, the Americans won their last two games in overtime. Odds are you see an overtime goal in this series.
- Rosters change everyday at this time of the year so this may not be 100% accurate but here is the latest. Adirondack has four NHL/AHL contracted players, 10 rookies and one veteran on the roster plus eight players on injured reserve. Allen has four NHL/AHL contracted players, six rookies and one veteran on the roster plus five players on injured reserve.
- Hank Crone will be in the lineup tonight after being out with an injury since February 7th. Crone is averaging 1.41 points per game so his presence should help the offense that has averaged 1.57 goals in the teams last seven losses. To make room for Crone the American released forward Johnny Walker yesterday.
- The referee scheduled for the game tonight is #9 Hunter Mottinger. He was the referee in Wichita on Wednesday.
OTHER COMMENTS
- There will be a lot of scoreboard watching tonight and the entire weekend. Here are the games Allen fans will be tracking:
- Tulsa plays Wichita in Tulsa on Friday, in Wichita on Saturday and Sunday.
- Utah plays Kansas City at home on Friday and Saturday.
- Rapid City plays at Idaho on Friday and Saturday.
- There are 11 games on the ECHL schedule tonight. Despite the outcomes, no team can clinch a playoff spot tonight and join the seven teams that have already qualified. Kansas City can clinch the Brabham Cup tonight. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2024/04/echl-today-april-5
- Two Newfoundland players have signed with other ECHL teams. On of them is defernseman Joe Gatenby who signed with the Idaho Steelheads yesterday. Gatenby played 23 games in Allen earlier in the season. Idaho will be his fourth team this season. He started in Fort Wayne and then moved to Allen, Newfoundland and now Idaho.
DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about penalty minute leaders. The Allen Americans all time single season penalty minute leader is Derek Mathers who lead the league in 2016-17 with 274 penalty minutes. If you want to include coaches, Steve Martinson led the AHL in penalty minutes back in 1985-86 playing for the Hershey Bears. Martinson totaled 432 penalty minutes in 69 games, an average of 6.26 penalty minutes per game.
Let's go RED. Need to get 4points out of this series and need to hope Utah and Tulsa experience losses this weekend.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing to see Walker released.
Hope there is a plan to have him back next year.
What about Fizer?
ReplyDeleteWhy is Belleville not playing him?
Why not send him to the Americans?
Time to terminate the AHL agreement (at seasons end) and sign an affiliation with the Maple Leafs.
Chad/Jonny need to be working that angle.
Costello and Gens are the key to development - they are damn good and have an eye for talent.
Did Jacobs get injured? He's on the IR.
ReplyDeletePlease stop all the negative broadcasting
ReplyDeleteExpound please.....
Delete