From 3-0 Deficit to 6-4 Allen Win, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, New AHL CBA Details, Fan Fest, All-Star Team Selection Process, IR Stats

 

You don't find ECHL teams coming back very often when trailing 3-0 after the first period. That is what fans witnessed last night in an exciting Allen Americans 6-4 win over Wichita. The game was quite a contrast to Allen's last game, where the Americans set a team record 63 shots in a 5-1 win over Tahoe. Last night, Allen was much more efficient, scoring six goals on 29 shots, a 20.7% shooting percentage.

 

 - It was an inauspicious beginning for the Americans. An early power play opportunity (3:12) produced no shots on goal despite controlling the puck for most of the two minutes. Allen must have missed the net five or six times. The final tally was zero shots for Allen and one for Wichita. 

 

- Wichita struck first at the 8:45 mark of the opening period, but what got Allen behind the eight ball was two Thunder goals in the last minute of the period. Defensive breakdowns allowed Wichita to take a 2-0 lead with 45 seconds remaining in the period and a 3-0 lead with seven seconds remaining. 

 

- Despite trailing 3-0 and being outshot 9-8 in the first period, the Americans had the better of the play. The analytics software shows Allen took 20 shots in the first period; only nine ended up on the net.

 

- Allen came roaring back in the second with four goals:

• 3:48 - Danny Katic scored his 13th goal on the power play to make the score 3-1.
• 7:52 - Ty Prefontaine scored his 2nd goal in his 5th pro game to make the score 3-2
• 13:31 - Wichita regained its two-goal lead to make the score 4-2.
• 14:39 - Brad Morrison scored his 3rd goal of the season to make the score 4-3.
• 16:37 - Brayden Watts scored his 13th goal to tie the score 4-4. 

 

- The game winner came at 4:18 of the third period, courtesy of  Colton Hargrove, his sixth goal of the season. Colby McAuley scored an insurance goal at the 15:06 mark, his ninth of the season, to make the comeback complete and the final score 6-4.

 

- What the stats say:

• Allen played shorthanded, two forwards and one defenseman after Quinn Warmuth left the game with an injury early in the first period. Allen received contributions from all three lines, with five goals coming from five different players. 
• They didn't score goals but made big contributions with multiple assists. Hank Crone (3), Sam Sedley (2), and Spencer Asuchak (2). Sedley leads the team in assists (21), Crone is #2 (19). Sedley is #5 in the league in assists, Crone is #9.
• Allen took one minor penalty and killed it off. The Americans were 1-4 on the power play.
• In the last seven Allen wins, the Americans have scored 6,5,8,6,5,5,5 goals. That is an average of 5.7 goals per game.

 

- Here are game recaps from both teams and the video highlights: 

• Allen Americans - "Americans Rally From Three Down to Defeat Wichita": https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/01/game-recap-americans-rally-from-three-down-to-beat-wichita 
• Wichita Thunder - "Quick Start Not Enough in Loss at Allen": https://wichitathunder.com/news/2026/01/quick-start-not-enough-in-loss-at-allen-on-wednesday
• Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/wichita-thunder-vs-allen-americans-jan-7-2026 

 

COACH'S COMMENTS

"Quinn Warmuth was injured in the first period and will be out for a while. I think the hit deserves a suspension, and I will be submitting it to the league. Hargrove was suspended for two games for a less severe hit."  

"It is feast or famine. Last week, we had extra guys, and now we are shorthanded, with five guys injured, four of them in the last three games."

"It was a nice comeback win tonight. All I said after the first period is that we are outplaying them and dominating puck possession. What hurt were the turnovers and mistakes. The difference was that they were hitting the net, and we were not. We missed the net 19 times in the game."

"We are moving the puck so much better, and our skill is showing. It isn't that we are more skillful; it is because we are quicker. The more time that you have, the more you can use your skill. It has been a lot more enjoyable for everyone to watch."

"It was good to see offense from all of the lines, and that was a big plus. I think Murray will be available on Friday, and I am trying to add at least one more player."

"We are okay playing with 11 forwards. I don't think we need to get to 12. The problem is that if we get to 12, it will be a line that has not played together. On the road, when I don't get the last change, Wichita will put their top line out against them. 

Update: Martinson is signing two players, who should be in Allen for the game tomorrow." 

 

 OTHER COMMENTS

- With the win last night, Allen has now won eight of its last 11 games for a points percentage of .727. The Americans have 35 points, four behind third-place Tahoe with two games in hand. 

 

- If you are a resident of Allen, you can attend the upcoming Fan Fest as part of the All-Star Classic for free. That is because the City of Allen is one of the sponsors of the event. You can enjoy live music, prizes, autograph sessions with Mike Modano and the Cavinder Twins, plus take a photo with the Stanley Cup. The event takes place at the CUTX Event Center on Sunday, January 19, from 11:00 and 4:00 pm (celebrity hours vary). Check out the details and order tickets at this link. There will be a place to select "Allen Resident" and the tickets will be free: https://www.gofevo.com/event/fanfest2026 

 

- The AHL and PHPA have come to a tentative agreement on a new CBA, which needs to be ratified. Neither the league nor the PHPA has issued details, but insiders have shared some of the details. Here are some of those details:

• Increase to AHL playoff pool, per diem rates, and minimum players' salaries. 
• A leaguewide limit on the number of three-games-in-three days situations.
• Six "veteran spots" per game (up from five).
• Introduction of a new AHL-only one-year entry-level contract with the possibility of a qualifying offer.
• Four-game and below suspensions are determined by the Commissioner; longer suspensions may involve an independent arbitrator.

 

- The ECHL All-Star team was announced yesterday. I am not an expert on this process, but I have had a vote as part of the media in the past. I have seen a lot of questions and comments, so I wanted to share my thoughts/opinions.

• The All-Star team is selected by a vote of coaches, media relations directors, broadcasters, team captains, and members of the media. 
• Voters cannot vote for players from their own team.
• One all-star is selected from each team.
• Not sure if it is still true today, but in the past, the All-Star game was intended to be a showcase for younger players.
• This year, the format is different than in the past. There will be two teams (Stars and Stripes). Allen players will be on both teams. 
• Here is the press release with the All-Star selections: https://echl.com/news/2026/01/echl-all-stars-announced-for-2026-warriorechl-all-star-classic   

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about players on 14-day IR. What the list below doesn't include is injured players who have not been placed in IR. Allen has five players out injured just in the last week, but none are on IR. As long as Coach Martinson doesn't need the roster spots, there is no need to put the players on IR. If Martinson signs players and needs these roster spots, he can put players on the 14-day IR retroactive to the day after they were injured.

Avoiding injuries can be a key to team success. 85 ECHL players are currently on the 14-day injured reserve. Here are the numbers for each ECHL team. Notice all four division leaders are at the bottom of the list, with just one player on 14-day IR:

 

7: TUL

6: MNE

5: KAL, SC

4: ADK, BLM, FLA, FW, IA, IND, JAX, NOR

3: GSO, RC, REA, SAV, WOR

2: ALN, CIN, TR, UTA, WIC

1: *ATL, IDH, *KC, *TOL, *WHL

0: GVL, ORL, TAH

 

*Division leaders (by points percentage)