To start I want to say thanks to all of you that reached out to congratulate me after I posted the photo yesterday of the framed jersey given to me by the Allen Americans for reaching 2500 blog posts. It was a trip down memory lane to hear from so many former and current players, coaches, team employees, front office staffs, bloggers, fans and friends from Allen and around the ECHL.
- The Allen Americans have faced numerous must win games over the last month just to make it into the Kelly Cup playoffs. Earning 13 of 14 points over a 10 day period at the end of the season vaulted the Americans into third place in the Mountain Division. Now the task for Allen is even taller. Trailing Idaho 2-0 in the series the Americans must beat the Steelheads four times in the next six days. It is a daunting task when you consider Allen has beaten Idaho just four times in the last two years and 26 games.
- Tonight's game is a must win game because falling behind 3-0 in a seven game series reduces the chance of winning the series to less than 2%. It has happened twice in ECHL history which was founded in 1988. In 2010 Cincinnati trailed Reading 3-0 in the conference finals, came back to win the series, and went on to win the Kelly Cup by defeating Idaho 4-1 in the finals. A lot of Allen fans will remember the other time a team came back from a 3-0 deficit. It was in the first round of the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs. The Allen Americans took a 3-0 series lead against Idaho before losing the series 4-3. Allen won the first two games of the series in Idaho (3-2 & 5-4), came back home and beat the Steelheads 5-3 and then lost four straight games to Idaho. FYI, in the second round Idaho played Colorado (the eventual Kelly Cup champion) and were swept 4-0.
- Here are the cumulative stats from the first two games in this series:
- Goals - Allen has been outscored 11-5 (Allen scored 5 goals in game one, none in game two).
- Shots - Allen has been outshot 77-60.
- Power Play: Allen is 2-8 (25.0%), Idaho is 3-11 (27.3%).
- PIM: Allen has taken 15 penalties for 61 minutes, Idaho 13 penalties for 36 minutes.
- Team Save Percentage: Allen .857 - Idaho .917
- Team Shooting Percentage: Allen 8.3% - Idaho 14.3%
- Allen's scoring has been spread out with five different players scoring the five goals. Liam Finlay with a goal and an assist is the only Allen player with more than one point in the series. Idaho has three players with five or more points; Pelton-Byce (8), Rassell (6) and Kudla (5). Four Idaho players have two or more goals led by Rassell with four goals.
- For the Americans to win tonight it is imperative they get off to a good start. Allen has given up the first goal of the game in nine of the 13 games these teams have played this season. The Americans lost eight of the nine games when giving up the first goal.
- Idaho plays with the lead a lot because it averaged 4.21 goals per game during the regular season, almost a goal per game higher than Allen (3.24). Idaho had a second period lead 38 times during the regular season, no other ECHL team had more. In those 38 games the Steelheads record was 36-1-1-0. Allen does not want to be playing from behind tonight.
- Something to keep an eye on if you attend the game tonight or watch on FloHockey is the transition game. Both of theses teams are excellent in transition with skill and speed. The team that can break out of its defensive zone with speed and best controls the neutral zone will have a big advantage in transition.
- Another game within the game to watch tonight is blocked shots and faceoffs. Idaho has had the advantage in the first two games of the series. Allen needs to turn that around tonight.
- The referees scheduled to work the game are Hunter Mottinger (#9) and Marc-Olivier Phaneuf (#23). Mottinger was the lone referee for four straight games recently when Allen played Wichita and Adirondack.
OTHER COMMENTS
- With Kansas City already advancing to the second round of the playoffs there are seven first round series still to be decided. There are five games on the schedule tonight and all seven series are scheduled to be in action Saturday night. In the Central Division #1 Toledo leads #4 Kalamazoo 3-0 and can advance with a win tonight in Kalamazoo. Here is the ECHL Today with game previews and status on all of the series: https://allenamericansblog.blogspot.com/2024/04/allen-shutout-5-0-trails-2-0-in-series.html
- Four players are averaging more than 2.00 points per game in the playoffs, three of them play for Idaho.
- 4.00 - Ty Pelton-Byce, Idaho
- 3.00 - Mark Rassell, Idaho
- 2.50 - Patrick Kudla, Idaho
- 2.33 - Brandon Hawkins, Toledo
- It is not often long time ECHL records are tied or broken, but it could happen twice tonight. Matt Register is one point away from the all time ECHL career playoff points record of 117 points. It is a record that has stood since 1996. With a win tonight Toledo can tie the all time record for win streak including playoffs which was set in 2007 at 18 games.
- Allen is leading the playoffs in one category. Allen is #1, averaging 30.50 penalty minutes per game. The ECHL average penalty minutes per game is 15.21 and the range is from Allen's 30.50 to 4.67 (Jacksonville).
- Three ECHL playoff teams still have a 100% penalty kill percentage; Kansas City (0-12), Jacksonville (0-7) and Greenville (0-5). Allen's penalty kill is 72.7% (3-11).
DID YOU KNOW: Today's ECHL Stats post is about career playoff points for players that played this season. Here is Allen's all time ECHL career playoff points leaders:
- 80 points - Chad Costello
- 60 points - Greger Hanson
- 52 points - Spencer Asuchak
- 42 points - Gary Steffes
- 36 points - David Makowski
Tonight is crucial that they get the win. Great performance Game 1, dismal Game 2 (poor 1st period, matched them the 2nd, and it was fight night for the 3rd period) and frustration was on display.
ReplyDeleteIf they can turn the frustration and anger into effort for the next 3 games, we may well be surprised, and Idaho may have to win 2 at home, although, per the stats, that seems unlikely.
We need to score first, and keep them at bay.
Go Americans!
I wish Tommy and Maurice would stop with the negative comments. If players could hear the negative comments during the game they would find it discouraging.
ReplyDeleteGo Red!!!!
ReplyDelete