Allen vs Rapid City Preview, ECHL Average Attendance, Overseas Deadline, My Comment on Comments, Hottest ECHL Teams and More

 

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they continue their five game series against Rapid City. Allen lost 4-3 in a shootout in game one, lost 8-4 in game two and won 3-2 in game three. As important as the 3-2 win on Wednesday was to snap the Americans seven game losing streak, if Allen doesn't followup with another win tonight, they will lose the series and gain no ground in escaping last place. As a reminder, the three worst teams in the ECHL by point percentage reside in the Mountain Division and Allen is the worst of the three at .375. 

- Here is the good news and bad news from the first three games of the series:

• Allen is ranked #22 in average shots per game (27.93), but in this series they have had 39 (season high), 36 and 35 shots. A big improvement.
• Allen is dead last in the ECHL in average shots allowed (39.43). Rapid City had 37, 39 and 46 shots in the first three games (40.66 average).
• Allen killed six of seven penalties in the win on Wednesday, but have given up a power play goal in all three games of this series. Rapid City is 4-13 (30.8%) on the power play.
• Allen's power play on the season is better than Rapid City's (20.2% vs 16.2%), but Allen is just 1-10 (10%) on the power play.
• Allen came back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits on Wednesday, took the lead midway through the second period and never relinquished it. 
• In game one of the series Allen gave up 1-0 and 2-1 leads and scored with 35 seconds remaining in the game to send it to overtime. They ended up losing in a shootout.
• Allen's save percentage was .957 in the win on Wednesday, .917 in the shootout loss in game one and .794 in the 8-4 loss in game two.
• The team with the lead after the second period won all three games of this series. It is close to a guarantee the team trailing after the second period will lose. The Americans have one win all season when trailing after the second period, Rapid City has none. Allen's record when trailing after the second period is 1-18-2-1, Rapid City's is 0-20-3-0.  

 

-  Here were the keys to the game from Wednesday. Allen won the game despite missing several of the keys. Here is how the Americans performed against the keys. It is doubtful Allen can win again tonight if the Americans need the goalie to stop 44 of 46 shots:

• Good starts, don't play from behind. (Allen gave up the first goal and came from behind twice)
  
• Win the special teams battle. Allen has the better power play despite the poor showing in Rapid City. Take advantage on special teams. (Allen lost the special teams battle)
  
• Do a better job on breakouts. (Team achieved this key)
  
• Protect the offensive and defensive blue lines and avoid turnovers. (Did okay)
  
• Get good goaltending. (Great goaltending. Wells save percentage was .957)
  
• Stay out of the penalty box. (big fail, Allen had four power plays, Rapid City had seven).

- After listening to coach Ferguson and  defenseman Artyom Kulakov after the game on Wednesday, I would add physical play to the keys for the game tonight. As Steve Martinson used to say, a pack of wolves is better than one lion. Allen needs to play like a pack of wolves tonight. 

- Here are coach Ferguson's keys to the game:

• Power play has to be a difference maker and not a momentum sucker.
• Clean up the chances around our net. Wells will make the first save. We need to help out around the blue paint.
• Home ice advantage. We haven't played a Friday night at home in a while. We need to be ready to go from the puck drop and get the crowd behind us.
  

- Allen didn't give up a goal to Rapid City in the last 37 plus minutes of the game on Wednesday despite facing 40 shots in the final two periods and killing off four power plays in the thirds period. The changes coach Ferguson has made since taking over the team is to win more games with 3-2 scores. It is obviously a work in progress for a team that has allowed and average of 4.13 goals per game this season. Only Utah (4.23) has a worse average in the ECHL. If the Americans can hold the Rush to fewer then four goals tonight that would be a success.

- The game tonight is one of the 18 home games (50%) that will have two referees. Logan Gruhl (#29) and Tyler Hascall (#8) will work the game. Based on the Allen games theses referees have worked this year (alone or with another referee) they have called an average of seven penalties per game, so maybe more of a let them play style. As for the total penalties tonight you would have to take the over on seven penalties given Allen and Rapid City are playing for the fourth straight time and the physical play has been ramping up. 

- I won't get the lineup until this afternoon but based on some of the comments coach Ferguson has made you can expect to see some lineup changes for the game tonight or tomorrow night. Forward Kamerin Nault (#11) and defenseman Jay Powell (#3) will both add to the physical game Allen is looking to play. 

OTHER COMMENTS

 

- Coach Ferguson has said there is a possibility a player in Europe could end up in Allen. Nothing is imminent, but like all ECHL teams, conversations are taking place. It is difficult for teams like Allen to attract players from Europe, because they prefer to sign with teams at the top of the standings with a chance for a deep playoff run. However, sometimes relationships with a coach or player can sway a player to come to a team with little chance of making the playoffs. That is what would need to happen for Allen to attract a player from overseas and they would have to be the right fit for the Americans. The bottom line is it is doubtful Allen will sign a player from Europe, but not impossible. The deadline for players to return from Europe is approaching fast, February 17. 

- The average ECHL attendance stands at 4814 with a range of 8976 at the top (Jacksonville) and 1583 at the bottom (Iowa). Allen's average is 4417. The ECHL average attendance last season was 4981. ECHL attendance always increases as the season progresses so it is likely the average attendance will surpass last season by the end of this season. 

- If you follow the comments on the blog (I recommend you don't) you will see a constant dialogue (ad nauseam) about what should or will happen with the Allen coaching vacancy at the end of the season. I avoid getting involved in these many comments about how good or bad every coach is. Being a stat/fact guy I wanted to share this stat that I have shared before, not to change minds but to get the record straight. I think all would agree the goal of every team is to make the playoffs. Many teams (not in Allen) consider a season making the playoffs as a success. 

 

Chad Costello coached two seasons in Allen and finished #2 and #4 in the Mountain Division during the regular season. He lost in the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs in 2023 and the first round in 2024. How many coaches made the ECHL playoffs in 2023 and 2024 and won at least one playoff round. The total number is seven. If you have done better in the playoffs than 21 of your 28 peers I would say that is success.     

- It is a full schedule around the ECHL tonight with 28 teams in action including all eight Mountain Division teams. If Allen wins and Utah loses the Americans will pass both Utah and Rapid City in points percentage and move into sixth place in the division.

• Rapid City at Allen
• Tahoe at Kansas City
• Wichita at Tulsa
• Idaho at Utah  

Here is the ECHL Today with the previews on all 14 games: https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-today-jan-31

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the hottest teams in the league. FYI, Allen is 3-4-2-1 in the last 10 games and 3-9-2-1 (.300) in the last 15 games.

 

 

Hottest ECHL teams the last 10 games. Record in last 13 games plus point percentage is in parenthesis:

 

7-1-0-2: South Carolina (9-1-1-2, .808)

7-2-1-0: Cincinnati (10-2-1-0, .808)

7-2-1-0: Orlando (9-3-1-0, .731)

7-3-0-0: Fort Wayne (8-5-0-0, (.615)

 

 

Other Hot Teams

- Trois Rivières is only 6-3-0-1 in the last 10 games, but 10-3-1-1 (.767) in the last 15 games.

 

- Florida is only 6-2-1-1 in the last 10 games, but 12-3-2-1 (.750) in the last 18 games.

 

- Toledo is only 5-3-2-0 in the last 10 games, but 12-4-3-0 (.710) in the last 19 games.

 

 

 

Allen Snaps Losing Streak, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Hank Crone to Europe, Florida on Record Pace and More

 

The Allen Americans snapped their seven game losing streak last night with a 3-2 win over Rapid City. It was the fifth time in six games against the Rush this season the margin of victory was one goal. The one exception was Allen's 8-4 loss in Rapid City last Saturday. You have to believe that loss was a motivator for the game at home last night. Allen's record against Rapid City is now 3-2-0-1 with two more games on Friday and Saturday.

 

- It was an entertaining game with lots of twists and turns. Rapid City struck first with a power play goal  just 79 seconds after the opening puck drop. Mark Duarte had blocked two shots and was laying on the ice injured. A shot bounced off the pipe and Rapid put in the rebound. Duarte was helped off the ice but later returned to play. 

 

- Allen tied the score a few minutes later (4:57) when Spencer Asuchak scored his 13 goal of the season on a beautiful tip of a shot from the point by Mike Van Unen. Allen dominated the first period after the first couple of minutes of play, outshooting the Rush 15-6, but the score was tied 1-1 at the first intermission. 

 

- Momentum swung back in Rapid City's direction early in the second period (2:22) when a defensive breakdown allowed the Rush a goal into a wide open net. The second period has been an issue for Allen this season and when Rapid City took a 2-1 lead it made you wonder. I thought the most important sequence of the game earned Allen a 2-2 tie. Allen just finished a power play opportunity in which they had no shots. Rapid City ended up with a 2-on-0 breakaway with one of the players just coming out of the penalty box. Dylan Wells made a great save on the breakaway and Allen skated down the ice and scored. Colin Jacobs got the goal (his sixth) on a great backhand pass from Liam Gorman. 

- Allen wasn't through with its second period scoring. There were 34 seconds left in the period when Hudson Wilson took what looked like a harmless shot from the point and beat the goalie. It gave Allen a 3-2 lead at the second intermission. How big was it for Allen to take a lead into the third period. Rapid City hasn't won a game all season when trailing after the second period. The Rush record when trailing after the second period is now 0-20-3-0.

 

- It wasn't easy for Allen to hold Rapid City scoreless in the third period. The Americans had to kill off four penalties as the referee called penalty after penalty against Allen. Goalie Dylan Wells was great all night but especially in the third period when Allen spent most of the period shorthanded. Rapid City outshot Allen 20-3 in the third period, but could not get the puck past Wells. He faced 46 shots and made 44 saves for a .957 save percentage. 

 

- Allen's penalty kill was a difference maker in the game. After giving up a power play goal early in the game they killed six straight penalties. Allen's power play was 0-3 and continues to struggle. At the beginning of December the Allen power play was ranked #3 in the ECHL at 25.5%. Today it is ranked #10 at 20.2%. Still respectable, but not as potent as it once was.   

- Here are the game recaps and video highlights:

• Allen Americans recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/01/americans-defeat-rapid-city-3-2-to-end-losing-skid 

• Rapid City Rush recap: https://rapidcityrush.com/news/2025/01/game-recap-rush-fall-in-allen-despite-season-high-46-shots

• Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/rapid-city-rush-vs-allen-americans-jan-29-2025

 

COACH'S COMMENTS

- Coach Ferguson met with the season ticket holders after the game and brought along defenseman Artyom Kulakov. Here is what they had to say:

"We have had 2.5 practices since I took over. The players have been great, adapting on the fly. The work ethic and effort every night is great even though the results haven't been there. They have been dialing home some details that is starting to show.".....Ferguson

"I know it sounds like a cliche but we try to take it one play at a time. You can't live in the past. What happened on your last shift is over. We emphasize going north. Try not to turn it back toward our net. The defensemen are doing a great job of moving the puck through the neutral zone and keep going toward their net. More time in the "fun zone" helps.".....Ferguson

"Jared Westcott is a tenacious guy who averaged a point a game last season in college. I don't think he has fear going to the net. We need more of that to get some of those dirty goals. I like his skating and think he will help us out along the walls. When I talk about going north that means a lot of pucks along the wall that we put the onus on the forwards to win those battles.".....Ferguson

"It will definitely be more physical this weekend. We think the physical play works for us. Talking to the guys in the locker room we know we have to be that type of game to be successful. Good things will happen.".....Kulakov

"I think there is something to be said about team toughness. What I have been preaching is getting tougher around our net. Taking no crap around our net. We are tired of seeing our goalies getting bumped all of the time. Kulakov is a guy that plays tough every shift. Johnson is the same way. We just added Jay Powell who is 6'7" and might hit his head on the scoreboard going out. He is big, long and rangy and will play tough every shift.".....Ferguson

"We owe a lot to what Richardson has done for us. When Wells went up to the AHL and we brought Richardson he took over the #1 role. We have three games in three days this weekend and I would like to get him in. Stay tuned. He definitely deserves to play and his numbers don't lie.".....Ferguson

"We had to flush the 8-4 loss. Fergie has done a good job of telling us to forget about the past. We have a lot of home games coning up so we have to take advantage of that. They have shifty forwards who can shoot the puck. We have to be aware of that around the net, be meaner and move the puck north just like we did tonight. We played physical, moved the puck up north and the goalie made some big saves when we needed it.:....Kulakov

"The attitude in the first period was because we were sick of losing to them. There is not an option to lose anymore games to them. We need to be ready from the opening puck drop, be physical and mean and we will win the game.".....Kulakov

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- If you listened to the between periods interview I did with Tommy Daniels last night you heard me say Hank Crone was headed to Europe to play in the Swiss League based on someone telling me that at the game. When I got home I did some checking and Hank did sign with EHC Olten in the Swiss League, but it is for the 2025-26 season. I swapped messages with Hank this morning and he assured me he is staying in Idaho for the remainder of this season. He also shared he will be back in the lineup this weekend against Utah. He has been on injured reserve since being injured when Idaho played Allen on New Year's Eve. Here is the press release from his Swiss team on Hank's signing: https://swisshockeynews.ch/en/shn/men/swiss-hockey/sl/hank-crone-is-ehc-oltens-second-import-player-for-the-2025-26-season

 

- The "Best of the Rest" competition has tightened up again. Here is the latest:

• .388 - Rapid City
• .385 - Utah
• .375 - Allen

- Cincinnati had a horrible start to the season and in mid December had a record of 3-15-3-0 (.214). In its last 13 games the Cyclones record is 10-2-1-0 (.846). After the poor start Cincinnati has a chance to make the playoffs, but still has some ground to make up. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The Florida Everblades are on pace to set an all-time ECHL record for average goals allowed per game. After 40 games Florida’s average is 1.93. No team has every allowed fewer than 2.13 goals per game for a single season. The Everblades could not only beat the all-time record, they could destroy it. Here are the top five all-time:

 

2.13 - Idaho, 2022-23

2.13 - South Carolina, 2017-18

2.17 - Louisiana, 2001-02

2.21 - Atlantic City, 2003-04

2.24 - Reading, 2004-05 

 

Florida has seven shutouts thus far. The all-time ECHL record in a single season is 12.

   

Allen vs Rapid City Series Preview, Updated Roster, Upcoming Schedule, Mountain Division Goal Differentials, Rookie/Veteran Mix and More

 

I attended the Allen practice yesterday for the first time since before my trip and and you really did need a roster to tell all of the players. Best way to start this morning is share what I think is the up to date roster. I have included the number of games played for the Allen Americans in parenthesis for players with 15 or fewer games played. AHL contracted players are marked with an asterisk.

Goalies 

• #33 Luke Richardson - 14-day IR
  
• #35 Anson Thornton*
• #39 Dylan Wells*

Defensemen

• #23 J.C Brassard
• #82 Cole Fraser (13)
  
• #55 Kenny Johnson (2)
  
• #66 Artyum Kulakov  
• #3 Jay Powell (0)
  
• #21 Mike Van Unen 
• #2 Quinn Warmuth - Reserve
  
• #5 Hudson Wilson 

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak 
• #24 Harrison Blaisdell
• #28 Brian Chambers - 14-day IR
  
• #16 Kyle Crnkovic*
• #8 Mark Duarte 
• #10 Will Gavin* (15)
• #84 Liam Gorman 
• #14 Brayden Guy
• #9 Nick Isaacson (14)
  
• #17 Colin Jacobs
• #11 Kamerin Nault - Reserve (0)
  
• #89 Patrick Polino (10)
  
• #92 Brayden Watts 
• #25 Jared Westcott (0)

- Here is the press release on Allen's two most recent acquisitions. 

• Defenseman Jay Powell was acquired from Kansas City for future considerations. From what I understand the futures Allen received from Wheeling in the Hardie trade was sent to Kansas City for Powell. He will wear #3. He will not be in the lineup tonight. https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/01/trade-alert-americans-add-big-defenseman-from-kc
• Forward Jared Westcott was acquired from Orlando for future considerations. After finishing his college eligibility last season when he had 36 points (18G, 18A) in 38 games, he signed with Wheeling. In six games he had six points (4G, 2A). He has bounced around this season (Wheeling, Bloomington, Orlando) but the 6'1" 201 pound left shot forward could have an impact with Allen if given the chance. He will wear #25 and I expect he will be in the lineup tonight. https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/01/trade-alert-americans-add-forward-from-orlando

 

- Kameron Nault (#11) who was acquired from Idaho in the Ryan Gagnon trade was practicing yesterday. Nault last played in a game on December 31 for Norfolk. I would expect coach Ferguson will want him to get in a few practices before he is in the lineup. 

 

- I won't get the lineup for tonight until this afternoon, but a couple of tidbits from practice. The two players on 14-day IR are both eligible to be activated. Richardson was eligible on January 24 and Chambers on January 22. I wouldn't expect neither to be activated for the game tonight, but you might see one or both of them activated for the three games this weekend. Remember, Allen plays Rapid City on Friday and Saturday, and then travels to Tulsa for a 3:05 pm game on Sunday.  

- The game tonight will be the sixth of eight games between Allen and Rapid City. They will not play again this season after these next three games. How have they compared in the five previous head to head games:

• Allen's record is 2-2-0-1
• The first four games were one goal games, the last game was an 8-4 loss.
• Allen has been outshot 191-144, but did outshoot the Rush 39-37 in one game.
• Allen is 4-15 (26.7%) on the power play, but three of goals came in one game.
• Rapid City is 4-20 (20.0%), including 3-6 (50%) in the last two games.

 

 

- Allen will be trying to snap a seven game losing streak, while Rapid City will be trying to extend a two game win streak. What will Allen have to do to be successful in this three game series. 

• Good starts, don't play from behind.
• Win the special teams battle. Allen has the better power play despite the poor showing in Rapid City. Take advantage on special teams.
• Do a better job on breakouts.
• Protect the offensive and defensive blue lines and avoid turnovers.
• Get good goaltending.
• Stay out of the penalty box. 

- There will be one referee for the game tonight, #6 John Lidner. The linesmen will be Aaron Schacht (#51) and Michael Miggins (#47).   

 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 

- Allen has a great opportunity over the next three weeks. Nine of its next 10 games will be at home. The one away game is to Tulsa on Sunday. Home games haven't been an advantage thus far this season. Allen has three home wins in 17 games, no other ECHL team has fewer than six. Allen's home record of 4-10-4-0 (.294) is far and away the worst in the league. The next closest home points percentage to Allen's .294 is .357 (Adirondack) .452 (Greenville). If Allen can better at home, the next 10 games will be a great opportunity.

- Mountain Division teams have goal differentials ranging from +38 to -63. The Allen Americans have scored 100 goals compared to division leader Tahoe with 151. Allen has allowed 163 goals compared to division leader Kansas City with 105. If the Americans are going to avoid last place in the division they will have to score more, allow less or do some of each. Here are the Mountain Division goal differentials:

• +38: Kansas City
• +25: Wichita
  
• +18: Tahoe 
• +13: Tulsa
• +1: Idaho
• -40: Utah
• -42: Rapid City
• -63: Allen

Once again you can see the wide gaps between the top five teams and the bottom three teams. 

 

 

 

-  If you are looking for some positives here are a few:

• Patrick Polino has an assist in five straight games. That is the longest current assist streak in the ECHL.
• Brayden Watts has an assist in his last 10 road games. That is the longest road assist streak in the ECHL this season. 
• Watts also has a 10 game road points streak (15 points). That is also the longest point streak in the ECHL this season.
• Kyle Crnkovic has a current seven game road point streak (10 points), the second longest road current point streak.
• Anson Thornton leads the ECHL with 741 saves.

- The Allen Americans have one home win since November 15. That was on January 8th, a 5-3 win over Wichita. Ironically, it was coach B.J. Adams last game. Nobody in the organization thought the team would have a seven game losing following the coaching change and win on January 8. It is hard to overstate how important a win tonight is for the Allen Americans. I don't predict wins, but I will predict Rapid City will get an inspired and motivated Allen team tonight.

- There are only six games on the ECHL schedule tonight. The only other Mountain Division game is the battle for first place with Tahoe (53 points) visiting Kansas City (52 points). Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-today-jan-29

 

 

- It is hard to believe that with almost 60% of the Florida season in the books the Everblades are allowing an average of just 1.93 goals per game. That is blowing away the ECHL all-time record which is 2.13, which has been accomplished twice. By Idaho in 2022-23 and South Carolina in 2017-18.

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the rookie/veteran mix for the top five and bottom five ECHL teams. In general (with some exceptions) the top teams have fewer rookies and more veterans. The top five teams have a total of 46 rookies and 12 veterans. The bottom five teams have a total of 63 rookies and 7 veterans.

 

TOP

.750 - Florida (7R, 4V)

.743 - Trois Rivières (9R, 2V)

.718 - Wheeling (14R, 1V)

.692 - South Carolina (8R, 1V)

.690 - Toledo (8R, 4V)

 

BOTTOM

.359 - Allen (10R, 2V)

.385 - Utah (14R, 2V)

.395 - Kalamazoo (7R, 1V)

.397 - Rapid City (14R, 2V)

.427 - Adirondack (18R, 0V)

 

 

- Florida beat Kansas City in the 2024 Kelly Cup finals 4-1. The roster differences couldn’t be more stark. Florida’s playoff roster had five rookies and four veterans. Kansas City’s playoff roster had nine rookies and zero veterans.

 

Losing Streak Reaches Seven, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Looking Ahead, ECHL Workhorse Goalies and More

 

 The Rapid City Rush made short work of Allen last night scoring the first six goals of the game on the way to an 8-4 win over the Americans.With the loss, along with Utah's 9-3 drubbing of Wichita the Americans find themselves in last place in the "Best of the Rest" standings:

• .397 - Rapid City
• .382 - Utah
• .359 - Allen
  

 

- It is hard to find anything that went well for Allen in this game. Here are a few examples:

• Allen gave up the first goal of the game.
• Rapid City outshot Allen 13-9 in the first period.
• Allen trailed 3-0 after the first period. 
• Rapid City had a 6-0 lead three minutes into the second period.
• Allen gave up five goals on Rapid City's first 15 shots of the game. 
• Rapid City scored five second period goals, their highest output in a period all season.
• Rapid City's eight goals was the most they have scored this season.
• Allen was outshot 39-36 in the game.
  
• It was the third time this season Allen has allowed eight or more goals. 
• Rapid City was 2-3 on the power play. 
• Allen has lost seven straight games, one game shy of the eight straight loses from December 3-20.
• Since December 3 Allen's record is 3-15-4-1 (.239). 

 - Goal scorers for Allen were Johnson (1), Duarte (15), Kulakov (4) and Asuchak (12). Polino had two assists in the game. Duarte's goal tied him with Watt's for the team lead (15). Crnkovic and Watts are tied for the team lead with 25 assists. Watts is the only player on the team averaging a point per game (1.05).  

- Here are the game recaps from both teams along with the video highlights if you want more details on the game. When you have headlines that include "Rush Blitz Allen" and "Americans Roughed up by the Rush" you know it has been a bad night:

• Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/01/game-recap-americans-roughed-up-by-the-rush-8-4
• Rapid City Rush game recap: https://rapidcityrush.com/news/2025/01/game-recap-rush-blitz-allen-sweep-americans-with-8-4-victory 
• Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-rapid-city-rush-jan-25-2025 

 

-  It was after midnight when I reached out to coach Ferguson for a comment on the game. As I have done since I started the blog, when the team suffers a big loss, I always tell the coach if they don't feel like giving me a comment that is fine. I can tell you every Allen coach has taken me up on that offer at some point. To Ferguson's credit he gave me the following response:

"It was a tough one tonight. You never want to fall behind 3-0 to start a game. We were flat from puck drop and didn't have any push back. They had a couple of goals off the rush and a few seeing eye shots from the point we need to block before they get to the net. And we let the game get away from us which isn't a recipe for success on the road. It was nice to see the flurry of three goals in the second period and a bright spot was getting some offense from our defensemen. There is no other way to say it, tonight was a clunker. I know we will respond Wednesday at home."

 

- Allen will fly home today and have couple of days to rest, recover and figure out a plan to play better on Wednesday. The games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday will be last time these teams will play this season. Allen can ill afford to lose two of the three games against the Rush if they want to escape the last place position in the division and in the league, which they currently occupy.

OTHER COMMENTS

- In addition to Rapid City's 8-4 win over Allen there were some other impressive wins by Mountain Division teams last night. Maybe the most impressive was Kansas City beating Wheeling 7-1 on the road. Wheeling was just passed by Florida for the best record in the league. Utah had a big 9-3 win over Wichita and Tahoe beat Fort Wayne 2-0. Not sure many people had Tahoe as the best team in the division at the end of January. Tulsa beat Idaho on the road 4-3 in overtime. Not many people predicted Idaho would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs at this time of the season. Still a long way to go in the season (around 45%), but teams like Idaho need to find another gear. 

- Other than Allen, the Mountain Division has been very even over the last 10 games.  Here are the points earned by each team (max is 20 points). It is hard to gain or lose much ground when everyone is playing around .500 hockey. 

• 12 points - Tahoe
• 11 points - Kansas City
• 11 points - Wichita
• 11 points - Idaho
• 11 points - Tulsa
  
• 10 points - Rapid City
• 10 points - Utah
• 7 points - Allen
  

- It is a pretty busy Sunday around the ECHL today with nine games on the schedule. Just two Mountain Division teams will be in action. Kansas is at Wheeling and Fort Wayne is at Tahoe. In both of these three game series they split the first two games, so the rubber matches today will determine the series winner. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-today-jan-26

 

- Brayden Watts had an assist last night to extend his road assist streak to 10 games. It is the longest road assist streak in the ECHL this season. Watts is also on a 10 game road point streak and has 15 points in the last 10 road games. That is also #1 in the league this season.Second on the current road point streak list is Kyle Crnkovic who has a point in his last seven road games.

 

-  Florida shutout Savannah 2-0 last night. Remember, the Everblades have given up two or fewer goals in over 70% of their games. Contrast that with Allen who is at 23%. Florida is allowing an average of 1.97 goals per game which is #1 in the league. Allen is #28 giving up an average of 4.18 goals per game. 

- South Carolina is statistically the most balanced team in the ECHL. The Stingrays are #2 in average goals scored (3.92) and #3 in average goals allowed (2.47). That is a goal differential of +1.45. Compare that to the Americans who are #25 in average goals scored (2.56) and #28 is average goals allowed (4.18). That is a goal differential of  -1.62. More than any other stat this shows how much improvement is need if Allen wants to be a contending team. It is too late for this season, but it should inform recruiting for next season.

- Brandon Hawkins, who won the ECHL scoring title last season with 93 points is back on top again this season. Hawkins is the first player to reach 50 points and has 20 goals and 30 assists. If he plays in all remaining games for Toledo, at his current scoring pace, he will finish with 88 points. 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the goalies that have played the most minutes. Anson Thornton is not in the top five in minutes played but he is #1 in the ECHL in saves with 741. 

The 2024-25 ECHL workhorse goalies. Leaders in minutes played. Percentage of their team’s games they have played in is in parenthesis:

 

1518 - Cam Johnson, FLA (66%)

1457 - Jan Bednar, TOL (60%)

1453 - Victor Ostman, KC (68%)

1400 - Ben Gaudreau, IND (67%)

1399 - Ethan Haider, ATL (59%)

 

 

What is the ECHL record for most minutes played by a goalie in a single season?

3,777 - Joel Martin (Kalamazoo, 2015-16)

3,739 - Joel Martin (Kalamazoo, 2012-13)

3,724 - Brian Eklund (Pensacola, 2003-04)

3,723 - Mark Michaud (Hampton Roads, 1993-94)

3,522 - Davis Parley (South Carolina, 2006-07)

 

Allen Loses in Shootout, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Tonight's Preview and More

 

Given how close Allen and Rapid City are statistically and the fact the three previous times they have played this season were one goal games, it was no surprise the game last night was another one goal game. Neither team lead by more than a single goal. The final outcome was a 4-3 shootout win for Rapid City. It was an entertaining game given it was between the last place teams in the ECHL. Since both teams earned points and Utah lost to Wichita, the battle for the "Best of the Rest" now has Utah in last place:

• .382 -Rapid City
  
• .368 - Allen 
• .365 - Utah 

 -  One of the keys to the game was being ready from the opening puck drop and Allen certainly was. Kyle Crnkovic scored his ninth goal of the season just 74 seconds after the opening puck drop. Allen's 1-0 lead lasted until late in the first period (16:45) when Rapid City scored on the power play. The Americans got the lead back just 43 seconds after the Rush tied the score 1-1. Quinn Warmuth scored his second goal of the season assisted by Brayden Watts and J.C. Brassard. For Watts it was his ninth straight road game with an assist which is the longest road assist streak in the ECHL this season.

 

- Allen took its 2-1 lead into the first intermission which was a good sign given the Americans record when leading after the first period on the road was 4-1-1-0. However, as has happened so often this season, the second period was the difference maker. There were two goals scored in the second period, both by Rapid City and the Rush took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. That was definitely not a good sign for the Americans given their record when trailing after the second period was 1-17-2-0.

 

- Allen dominated the third period outshooting Rapid City 17-7, but had trouble getting the equalizer. Allen had 50 seconds of 5-on-3 power play time and managed just one shot. It really looked bleak for the Americans when they took a penalty with 2:36 remaining in the game. Allen did a good job killing the penalty and just one second after the penalty expired Brayden Guy scored with 34.5 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.

- Both teams had great opportunities to end the game in overtime. There were a total of 12 shots in the overtime period (5 Allen, 7 Rapid City). You rarely see 12 shots in overtime with no goals scored. The shootout was the first this season for Allen and the fourth for Rapid City (they were 0-3). Rapid City went first in the shootout and scored, which put the pressure on the Americans. Allen sent out Polino, Crnkovic and Watts but all were stopped. 

- Allen outshot Rapid City 39-37. It was just the fourth time all season the Americans have outshot the opponent. The 39 shots were also the highest total of the season. 

- The difference in the game turned out to be special teams. One of the keys to the game was special teams had to be special. As coach Ferguson told me, "We need to end up plus on the score sheet on special teams to give us a chance to win." Allen had a better power play percentage (21.2% vs 14.5%) and a better penalty kill percentage (79.5% vs 78.6%) than the Rush. Allen lost the special teams battle. The Americans were 0-4 on the power play which included almost a minute of 5-on-3 time. Rapid City was 1-3 on the power play. 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams with more details plus the video highlights:

Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/01/americans-fall-in-a-shootout-4-3 

Rapid City Rush game recap: https://rapidcityrush.com/news/2025/01/game-recap-rush-defeats-americans-in-shootout

Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-rapid-city-rush-jan-24-2025

 

 COACH FERGUSON'S COMMENTS

- I had a chance to swap messages with coach Ferguson after the game. Here is what he had to say:

"We got off to a good start. Scoring early in the game is a great boost."

"I liked the way we were playing off the puck too in the first period, always on the right side of the puck, finishing checks and closing gaps."

"They seamed us on that power play goal and Bennett isn't going to miss those. That being said, we had a big kill late in the third period to set up the tying goal."

"Unfortunately our power play had some looks, including a post, that could have been the difference maker, but that is the way the puck bounces sometimes."

"A couple of hiccups with the puck in our own zone in the second period ended up in the back of our net."

"I loved the effort in the third period with 17 shots on goal and many grade A chances. Their goalie stood tall until we were finally able to get one past him late in the game."

"The goalies put on a performance in overtime. Wells stopped two breakaways before we even got to the shootout."

"I loved their effort tonight and the never out of the fight attitude. We will be ready to bounce back tomorrow.."

GAME TWO PREVIEW

- Allen's losing streak has reached six games, but the Americans have earned points in three of the six on a record of 0-3-2-1. You get the feeling they are close to breaking out of this slump and if they continue to play like they did in the third period last night and capitalize on their special teams advantage, tonight could be a win. 

- Rapid City tends to have forwards that cheat for offense and fly the zone, a trade mark of a Chad Costello coached team. Allen has to be aware of this and limit the odd man rushes. Coach Ferguson mentioned the team has to manage the puck better at both bluelines. It cost the Americans two goals last night when they didn't execute plays to get the puck out of the zone. 

 

    

OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen lost last night despite scoring the first goal of the game. While scoring first is a huge advantage considering across the ECHL teams that score first win 74% of the points, not the case for Allen. The Americans are the only team in the league with a losing record when they score first. Allen has scored first in 50% (19-38) of its games and has a record of 6-8-4-1 (.442).

- There is a full schedule of 14 games on tap in the ECHL tonight. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-today-jan-25 

 

- I have referenced the story I did about Brett Ferguson when he first arrived in Allen several times but not sure if I have ever reposted it. If you haven't read this story I encourage you to do so. He has been much more than a video coach. Plus a video coach at the NHL level is a vital part of the coaching staff. Brett also spent time behind the bench as an assistant coach when he was in San Diego and one of his responsibilities was the power play. Running an AHL power play is a significant experience. Anyone who says coach Ferguson is just a video coach doesn't understand the depth and breadth of his experience: https://allenamericansblog.blogspot.com/2024/09/meet-allen-americans-assistant-coach.html

- On his broadcast tonight Tommy Daniels mentioned Allen's first year as a franchise (2009-10) when the Americans went to the championship finals before losing to Rapid City. Scott Wray scored the championship winning goal with with 39.2 seconds left in double overtime. Wray's #17 jersey is retired and hanging in the rafters in Rapid City. Tommy mentioning Wray got me wondering what he is doing today. After many years as an assistant in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) for the North Bay Battalion he was selected as the head coach of the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL for the 2024-25 season. 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today shows just how far the bottom three teams in the Mountain Division are out of the playoffs. Rapid City is 19 points from a playoff spot, Allen 20 points and Utah 21 points. These are the widest gaps in the league:

Which ECHL division is most competitive from top to bottom by point percentage? 

 

North

.757 - Wheeling

.412 - Adirondack

.345 - difference

 

Central

.688 - Toledo

.389 - Kalamazoo

.299 - difference

 

Mountain

.654 - Tahoe

.365 - Utah

.289- difference

 

South

.737 - Florida

.459 - Greenville

.278 - difference

 

Here is the point difference between the last place team in each division and the final playoff spot (4th place).

21 points - Mountain Division

13 points - South Division

10 points - North Division

9 points - Central Division

Allen vs Rapid City Series Preview, Irony of This Series, Battle for the Basement, Best ECHL Road Teams and More

 

Allen's next five games, all against the Rapid City Rush, could not be more ironic. Check this out:

• Two teams tied for the worst points percentage in the league (.365), playing five straight times (twice in Rapid City, then three times in Allen). After these next five games, these teams will not play again this season. 
• Allen struggles at home, 3-10-4-0 (.294)  while Rapid City struggles on the road, 4-11-3-0 (.306).
• The teams have identical records (10-20-7) with the only difference being Allen losing seven games in overtime while Rapid City's seven extra time losses being four in overtime and three in shootouts.
• The teams played three times in Rapid City at the end of November and all three games were close. Rapid City won game one 2-1.  Allen won game two 4-3 in overtime. Allen won game three 2-1. The one goal allowed in game three by the Americans on November 30 was the last time Allen allowed fewer than two goals in a game. 
• Most ironic of all is who will be behind the bench for this five game series. Chad Costello was fired by Allen in the off season and recently hired as the associate coach in Rapid City after the Rush head coach, Scott Burt, had to take a medical leave. Allen will be coached by Brett Ferguson, who was recently named interim head coach after the Americans fired B.J. Adams, the coach they had hired in the off season to replace Costello. 
• And to prove fact can be stranger than fiction, Costello and Ferguson played together on a youth team in Des Moines. Chad grew up in the area and Brett's dad was the coach for the USHL team in Des Moines in the early 1990's.  
• It has been a tough go for Costello and Ferguson since they were named to their new postilions. They both have losing records. Costello's record is 5-8-2-1 (.406). Ferguson's record is 0-3-2-0 (.200). 
• This five game series is critical for both teams. The loser of the series will likely find themselves in the unenviable position of being all alone as the worst team in the league. 

- Here is how Allen and Rapid City rank is some key stats this season:

• Ave. goals scored: Allen #24 (2.51) - Rapid City #24 (2.51)
• Ave. goals allowed: Allen #28 (4.08) - Rapid City #27 (3.78)
• Ave. shots for: Allen #27 (27.22) - Rapid City #10 (31.57)
• Ave shots allowed: Allen #29 (39.32) - Rapid City #23 (32.49) 
  
• Power play percentage: Allen #8 (21.2%) - Rapid City #25 (14.5%)
• Penalty kill percentage: Allen #18 (79.5%) - Rapid City #20 (78.6%) 

- Given where these teams are in the standings it is no surprise they don't score a lot (identical average of 2.51 goals per game) and they are at the bottom of the list in goals allowed. In the three game series these teams played at the end of November the winning team allowed one goal, one goal and three goals. That will likely be the kind of game it will take to win in the upcoming five game series.

 

- Allen does have the advantage when it comes to special teams. The Americans have one of the better power plays in the league. In the three game series at the end of November, Allen was 3-8 (37.5%) on the power play and Rapid City was 1-14 (7.1%). Even with the power play advantage, the Americans need to stay out of the penalty box and avoid giving the Rush extra power play opportunities.

 

-  Don't normally talk about shorthanded goals, but it might be a factor in this series. Rapid City has scored six shorthanded goals and allowed three for a plus three. Allen has scored just two shorthanded goals and allowed five for a minus three. Beware the shorthanded goal in this series. 

- These teams are so close statistically these games might be decided by will as much as skill. They have identical records, they have both scored 93 goals and they don't do well playing from behind. Allen is 2-13-2-0 when trailing after the first period, Rapid City is 1-12-0-1. Allen is 1-17-2-0 when trailing after the second period, Rapid City is 0-19-3-0. Playing with the lead will be critical in this series.

 

- Brayden Watts was on a tear before missing the last two games with an illness. In the prior six games Watts had 11 points (6G, 5A). The line of Watts-Asuchak-Crnkovic have been great since they were re-untied. Mark Duarte has seven points (4G, 3A) in the last six games and should be a factor in this series against his prior team.  

- I had a chance to swap messages with coach Ferguson this morning and this is what he had to say, 

"We need to be ready to go from the opening puck drop. It is a loud, packed barn and they start fast on the puck drop."

"Our special teams have to be special. We need to end up plus on the score sheet on special teams to give us a chance to win." 

"We need to win games 3-2 that we are losing 3-2 or 4-2 with an empty net goal."

 

- It will be a one referee game tonight. JR Strager (#2) will work the game. Avoiding stick penalties, especially behind the play will be critical.  

OTHER COMMENTS

- With all that has happened in Allen since last summer with the firing of Chad Costello, hiring of  B.J. Adams and recent firing of  B.J. Adams, I have to believe some long time Allen Americans fans will be routing for Chad and Rapid City in this series. Let me be clear I am not in that category even though I consider myself to be a close friend of Chad. 

 

- There are four ECHL teams with point percentages below .400. While Allen and Rapid City are in last place (.365), Utah (.375) and Kalamazoo (.386) are also in the last place sweepstakes. While the Americans and Rush play five straight games, Utah will play six straight home games (three vs Wichita and three vs Idaho).  Kalamazoo will play single games against Toledo (A), Indy (H) and Bloomington (H) before playing three games at Iowa. The bottom line is Allen and Rapid City can hope Utah and Kalamazoo go on long losing streaks which will help keep them out of the cellar. The odds are whichever teams loses the Allen vs Rapid City series will find themselves in lone possession of last place.     

- The ECHL will be back in full swing tonight after the All-Star break with 12 games on the schedule. All eight Mountain Division teams will be in action with some great match-ups.

• Allen at Rapid City
• Kansas City at Wheeling
• Tulsa at Idaho
• Wichita at Utah
• Fort Wayne at Tahoe

Here is the ECHL Today with previews of all 12 games: https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-today-jan-24

 

 - Chaz Smedsrud, who started the season with Allen is Rapid City's third leading scorer with 21 points in 36 games (6 G, 15A). Rapid City's leader in penalty minutes, Connor Mylymok, who has already logged seven fights was just recalled by Calgary AHL). Here are the details: https://rapidcityrush.com/news/2025/01/connor-mylymok-called-up-to-wranglers 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about teams that play well on the road. Allen is one of the teams that has a better road point percentage (.425) than home point percentage (.294).

Nine ECHL teams have road records above .600. Five of the nine have a better road record than home record. The home point percentage is shown in parenthesis for the five teams that play better on the road. Pretty dramatic difference between road and home point percentage for several of these teams. Here are the nine teams with road point percentages above .600:

 

North Division

.733 - Norfolk (.568)

.675 - Wheeling

.675 - Trois Rivières 

 

South Division

.711 - Florida 

 

Central Division

.750 - Fort Wayne (.578)

.714 - Toledo (.639)

 

Mountain Division

.738 - Kansas City (.567)

.684 - Tulsa (.550)

.619 - Tahoe

It's Getaway Day, Battle for the Basement, My Opinion on Roster Moves, 14-Day IR Stats and More

It is getaway day for the Allen Americans who will fly to Rapid City this morning and hold a practice this afternoon. The Americans will play their next five games against the Rush. Friday and Saturday in Rapid City followed by three games in Allen next Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. These are the two worst teams in the entire ECHL with identical .365 point percentages. Utah is also in the mix for last place with a .375 point percentage. One of these three teams will end up in last place in the Mountain Division and about all they have to play for at this point is avoiding the basement. 

- I will have a complete series preview tomorrow, but it is obvious Allen needs to split the two games in Rapid City to avoid coming home in last place. The Americans record over the last 10 games is 2-6-2-0 and they have lost five straight. Rapid City's record over the last 10 games is 4-6-0-0 and they have lost two straight.

 

- Allen made another trade yesterday sending defenseman Ryan Gagnon to Idaho for forward Kamerin Nault. With the departure of Gagnon, all six players who finished last season with Allen and started this season with the Americans are now gone. (Brodzinski, Orzeck, Hardie, Gagnon, Smedsrud and Costantini.).

- There have been plenty of comments about the wisdom of each and every trade both before B.J. Adams was fired and since. Here is my take on what coach Ferguson is trying to do with the roster. Allen has a roster that can't score and can't prevent other teams from scoring. Here are the goals scored and allowed by each team in the Mountain Division:

Goals Scored

• 146 - Tahoe
• 132 - Tulsa
• 130 - Kansas City
• 126 - Wichita
• 125 - Idaho
• 109 - Utah
• 93 - Rapid City
• 93 - Allen

Goals Allowed

• 152 - Utah
  
• 151 - Allen
• 140 - Rapid City
• 126 - Idaho
• 122 - Tahoe
• 117 - Tulsa
• 99 - Kansas City
• 98 - Wichita

- Since the beginning of December, Allen is averaging 2.43 goals per game while allowing 4.29 goals per game. You are not going to win many games with a goal differential like that. Allen's record since the beginning of December is 3-14-3-0 (.225). My take is the recent roster moves are about lowering the 4.29 number. Allen has allowed two or fewer goals in just 24% of its games, the second lowest percentage in the league. The good teams are at 50% and the best team (Florida) is at 68%. If the Americans are going to get back on a winning track, the goals allowed have to come down a lot. 

 

- It is pretty clear coach Ferguson wants a team that is tougher to play against along the boards and in front of the net. Some guys didn't like to go to the dirty areas. Other guys had trouble scoring and bad plus/minus stats. The other factor is the salary cap. If you noticed Allen played shorthanded for a couple of games, that was a salary cap issue. For Allen to win it will have to win games 3-2. Coach Ferguson is making the moves to try and turn this around. Standing pat was clearly not the answer. 

 

- Allen will have 21 players on the trip to Rapid City. Goalie Luke Richardson and forward Brian Chambers are not with the team. Kamerin Nault is driving to Allen from Norfolk and will not be available until next week. Here is the travel group:

Goalies

• #35 Anson Thornton
• #39 Dylan Wells

Defensemen

• #23 J.C Brassard
• #82 Cole Fraser 
• #55 Kenny Johnson
• #66 Artyum Kulakov  
• #21 Mike Van Unen
  
• #2 Quinn Warmuth 
• #5 Hudson Wilson 

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak 
• #42 Robbie Baillergeon 
• #24 Harrison Blaisdell
  
• #16 Kyle Crnkovic
• #8 Mark Duarte 
• #10 Will Gavin
  
• #84 Liam Gorman 
• #14 Brayden Guy
• #9 Nick Isaacson 
• #17 Colin Jacobs
• #89 Patrick Polino
• #92 Brayden Watts

 

- I referenced above the percentage of games ECHL teams hold their opponents to two or fewer goals. Here are the teams with the highest and lowest percentage. Notice Utah, Allen and Rapid City have the lowest percentages in the ECHL:

ECHL teams with the highest and lowest percentage of games holding opponents to two or fewer goals:

 

Highest

68% - Florida

65% - Bloomington

61% - Wheeling

57% - Trois Rivières

56% - Wichita 

 

Lowest

14% - Utah

24% - Allen

27% - Rapid City

29% - Adirondack

29% - Maine  

 

 

 

- The ECHL announced the 2024-25 Mid Season All-Star Team yesterday. Congrats to Brayden Watts who was Allen's representative. Here is the complete list if you haven't seen it. https://echl.com/news/2025/01/echl-announces-2024-25-midseason-all-stars  

- Here are the number of players on 14-day IR for every ECHL team. Allen has remained relatively healthy this season. I expect the Americans will be down to one player on 14-day IR by the game tomorrow. Florida's depth keeps shining through. The Everblades have seven players on 14-day IR and still have the second best point percentage (.743) in the ECHL.

Injuries can play a key role in team success, especially this time of the season. Here are the number of players currently on 14-day IR for each team. Teams currently in a playoff position (by point percentage) are marked with an asterisk. Notice the playoff teams are heavily weighted to those at the bottom of this list.

 

8: REA

7: *FLA, IDH

6: ADK, BLM, *IA

5: UTA

4: GVL, *IND, MNE

3: *TR, CIN, KAL, *TUL, *NOR

2: ALN, *FW, *ORL, RC, *TAH

1: ATL, SAV, *SC, *TOL, *WHL, *WOR, *JAX, *WIC

0: *KC

DID YOU KNOW: Here are the ECHL teams with the longest point streaks and losing streaks. Some teams you wouldn't expect are on these lists:

Point Streak

• Iowa: 6-0-1-1
• Worcester: 5-0-1-2
• Fort Wayne: 5-0-0-0

Losing Streak

• Adirondack: 0-7-1-0
• Allen: 0-3-2-0