If you were lucky enough to attend the Allen Americans' games against Wichita on Wednesday and last night, you saw two of the most entertaining and enjoyable hockey games in recent times. I talk to a lot of fans at the games, and the first thing they say is how much fun it is to watch this team.
- Allen won last night with a 4-0 shutout, the Americans' third shutout of the season. Here is what the stats say:
- The best player on the ice was goalie David Tendeck with a 42-save shutout. Only one other shutout in the ECHL all season had more saves.
- Allen scored first to improve its record when scoring first to 11-1-2-0 (.857).
- Allen led 2-0 after the first period and improved its record with a first-period lead to 6-1-1-0.
- Allen led 3-0 after the second period to improve its record with a second-period lead to 12-0-0-0.
- Allen was 1-4 on the power play and has scored a power play goal in nine of the last 10 games.
- Allen was 0-5 on the penalty kill and has given up one power play goal to Wichita in the four games they have played. (1-17 - 94.1%).
- Sam Sedley had a goal and an assist last night and is now ranked #4 among the league's defensemen in points (25) and #2 in assists (22).
- Ty Prefontaine scored his third goal since arriving in Allen six games ago. He is already tied for second on the team in goals by defensemen. Watrmuth leads with four. Prefontaine, Sedley, and Anania have three.
- McAuley and Katic have a point in seven straight home games. Longest current streak in the league.
- Sedley has an assist in six straight home games, the longest current streak in the league.
- Allen has won five straight home games, the current second-longest streak in the league.
- With his 42-shot shutout, David Tendeck raised his save percentage to .927, #6 in the league.
- Overall speed and speed through the neutral zone are allowing Allen to create more and more opportunities. The chemistry between the line mates is showing some amazing skill. The McAuley-Hargrove-Crone line has recently been reunited and is looking great. Martinson has said he will maintain more consistency in the lines for the remainder of the season.
-Goal scorers last night were Sedley (3), Hargrove (7), Prefontaine (3), and McAuley (10). Here are the game recaps from both teams. and the video highlights with all of the goals and many great saves by David Tendeck.
- Allen Americans - "Americans Blank Thunder 4-0" - https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/01/game-recap-americans-blank-thunder-4-0
- Wichita Thunder - "Tendeck Blanks Thunder in 4-0 Allen Win" - https://wichitathunder.com/news/2026/01/tendeck-blanks-thunder-in-4-0-allen-win
- Video Highlights:
- The recipe for continuing the perfect record against Wichita is more of the same from the last five periods. Allen outscored Wichita 10-1 over the last five periods. The Americans won the special teams battle in both games in Allen, scoring a power play goal in each while allowing none. Throw in a good start, and all should be good. Remember, the game tonight is an early start, 6:05 pm CST.
COACH'S COMMENTS
- I had a chance to spend a few minutes in the coach's office as the team was packing up to get on the bus. Here is what he had to say:
"It is nice to get an early goal and then the power play goal in the first period."
"I keep saying this, we are moving the puck around so much better. You can see their skill at work because we are playing a faster game."
"That top line is so unselfish. There are times they should shoot rather than keep passing."
"I have more flexibility in the defensive pairings at home because of the last change. I will change up the pairings in Wichita, because we don't have the last change."
TONIGHT'S PREVIEW
- The recipe for continuing the perfect record against Wichita is more of the same from the last five periods. Allen outscored Wichita 10-1 over the last five periods. The Americans won the special teams battle in both games in Allen, scoring a power play goal in each while allowing none. Throw in a good start, and all should be good. Remember, the game tonight is an early start, 6:05 pm CST.
- Here is the lineup tonight. It is exactly the same as last night. If you wonder why Tendeck is starting in goal after 42 saves last night and then bussing to Wichita overnight, it is simple. Coach Martinson typically gives a goalie the choice to play the next game if they have a shutout. My guess is Tendeck was given the choice and opted to play tonight.
OTHER COMMENTS
- I had to update the list from yesterday on the six players who have been averaging a point or more per game. Here is the list with game 11 (last night) added. Each player's point per game average is in parentheses. Having six players average 1.00+ points per game over the last month tells you all you need to know about how well the team is playing and the offensive juggernaut they have become.
- 15 points (7G, 8A) - McAuley (1.36)
- 13 points (4G, 9A) - Hargrove (1.18)
- 13 points (8G, 5A) - Katic (1.18)
- 12 points (4G, 8A) - Watts (1.09)
- 12 points (1G, 11A) - Sedley (1.09)
- 11 points (1G, 10A) - Crone (1.00)
Katic is the only player averaging a point per game for the season. He has 26 points (13G, 13A) in 23 games. If the team continues to play like it is now, several players will reach the point-per-game mark. FYI, in the entire league, only 17 players are averaging a point per game or more (minimum 20 games).
- I came across this video interview of Michael Greco from last year when he was playing for Steve Martinson in Athens. You can learn about his passion for hockey, his post-career desire to become a coach, and his atypical hobby for a hockey player as an artist.
- Despite Allen playing great hockey and winning nine of the last 12 games, there are challenges ahead for the Americans. They won't play again at home until January 30, other than the All-Star game. It is another stretch of six straight road games; two in Wichita, two in Tulsa, and two in Idaho. If Allen can win four of the six games or earn eight of the possible 12 points, the Americans will hit a stretch of 20 games through the middle of March where 14 of the 20 games are at home.
- All 30 ECHL teams are in action today, and lots of movement in the standings is possible. Two Mountain Division teams host teams from other divisions. Indy is in Rapid City, and Greensboro is in Idaho. That means five of the eight Mountain Division teams could be winners (or losers) tonight. Here are the previews for all 15 games: https://echl.com/news/2026/01/echl-today-jan-10
- Here are the Mountain Division standings by points percentage with points in parentheses:
- 48 points - Kansas City (.750)
- 43 points - Idaho (.652)
- 41 points - Tahoe (.603)
- 37 points - Allen (.578)
- 32 points - Rapid City (,516)
- 31 points - Wichita (.500)
- 29 points - Utah (.468)
- 22 points - Tulsa (.344)
DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about goal differential. Allen makes the list as one of 13 teams with a positive goal differential. Allen has improved its goal differential over the last six weeks. After a six-game losing streak in November, Allen's goal differential was -11. Today it is +12:
I maintain this prediction from a week ago, but Idaho may now end at 55 points, not 57, meaning we are one win away from Idaho at the end of January;
ReplyDeleteI predict we obliterate Wichita, defeat Tulsa, split Idaho and beat Rapid City to end the month at .769 (10-3).
Should end January at 53 points with a 25-15-3-0 record and in 3rd position. Idaho will end January at 57 points, setting us up for a run into February (where we have a favorable schedule) to look at taking 2nd spot.
Go Red!
LFG RED!!!!
ReplyDeletePrefontaine was such a great signing!!!
ReplyDeleteMarty Magic 💪🏻
DeleteParsons who……..?
ReplyDeletePUCK YEAH BOYS!!!
ReplyDeleteWould love a guest report from a player on the next roadtrip.
ReplyDelete- Talk about the bus trip
- How the hotel set up works and proximity to arena, how logistics work
- The game and practice/team meetings leading up to the game
- Post game discussion
- Off days on road trip, what goes on
- Bus ride back etc
Would be great to hear some of this from a players perspective and outline the reality of the ECHL travel.