If the Kelly Cup playoffs started today, the four Mountain Division teams would be #1 Kansas City, #2 Idaho, #3 Allen, and #4 Tahoe. The question is, can Allen play with the top two seeds? So far this season, the answer to that question is no. The Americans have played Idaho five times and Kansas City three times and lost all eight games. Allen will have a chance to show that they can play with Idaho and Kansas City, with five of the next eight games against these two teams. It starts tonight with the first of three road games against Kansas City. After this weekend, the Americans return to Allen for a five-game homestand. Three games against Tulsa next week and two games against Idaho the following week (March 13 &14).
After the 14th, Allen will have just one game left against Kansas City and Idaho. The Americans finish the season (April 18) against Kansas City.
- Here are some comparison stats between Allen and Tulsa:
- Allen's record is 27-18-5-0, Kansas City's is 40-8-1-0
- Allen is 5-4-1-0 over the last 10 games, Kansas City is 10-0-0-0.
- Allen is 12-11-3-0 on the road, Kansas City is 21-6-0-0 at home.
- Allen's goal differential is +18 (171-153), Kansas City's is +66 (172-106).
- Allen's team plus/minus is +15, Kansas City's is +208.
- Allen's team save percentage is.913, Kansas City's is .919.
- Here is the more traditional statistical comparison between the two teams. The league rank is in parentheses:
- Goals scored average: Allen 3.44 (#6) - Kansas City 3.42 (#5)
- Goals allowed average: Allen 3.1 (#17) - Kansas City 2.1 (#1)
- Shots for average: Allen 33.5 (#3) - Kansas City 33.9 (#2)
- Shots against average: Allen 35.3 (#28) - Kansas City 26.0 (#3)
- Power play percentage: Allen 21.1% (#7) - Kansas City 22.2% (#4)
- Penalty kill percentage: Allen 84.9% (#4) - Kansas City 89.9% (#1)
- If you look at the stats above, a couple of things stand out. Kansas City has the better stat in all 12 comparisons. However, the offensive stats are close, and the big differences are the defensive numbers.
- Kansas City is #1 in goals allowed, Allen is #17. The Americans give up a goal per game more than the Mavericks.
- Kansas City is #3 in shots allowed, Allen #28. The Americans allow almost 10 more shots per game than the Mavericks.
- In their last five games, Allen has scored 2,2,2,5,0,1 goals. A key to this series is whether Allen can up its recent goal production against the best defensive team in the ECHL. FYI, Kansas City just got its two contracted goalies assigned on Saturday after they had been called up.
- Special teams are key to any series, but even more important in this series. A combined power play and penalty kill percentage of greater than 105% is considered excellent. Few teams reach that benchmark. Allen's combined percentage is 106.0%, and Kansas City's is 112.1%. The question that will be answered in this series is whether Allen's power play cracks Kansas City's #1 penalty kill. If you compare road vs home percentages, the numbers are a little different:
- Allen's road power play percentage is ranked #2 (26.0%), Kansas City's home percentage is ranked #6 (22.9%).
- Allen's road penalty kill percentage is ranked #14 (81.1%). Kansas City's home percentage is ranked #5 (87.5%).
If Allen expects to win this series, the Americans must win the special teams battle.
- A good start and not playing from behind will also be a big key against Kansas City. Here are the stats that Allen will have to overcome:
- Allen has given up the first goal in four of its last five games.
- Kansas City's record when scoring first is 27-2-1-0 (.917).
- Allen's 1st period goal differential is -12.
- Kansas City's 1st period goal differential is +4.
- Allen is 5-14-2-0 when trailing after the 1st period, 2-14-2-0 after the second period.
- Kansas City is 15-1-0-0 when leading after the 1st period, 25-0-0-0 after the 2nd period.
The team that scores first and maintains the lead will win this series.
- Since Allen has been in three straight overtime games, winning two of them, here are the overtime and shootout stats for both teams:
- Allen is 2-5 in overtime and 2-0 in shootouts for a win percentage of .444.
- Kansas City is 6-1 in overtime and 0-1 in shootouts for a win percentage of .750.
- If you plan to watch the games against Kansas City, it will give you the chance to watch the ECHL's leading scorer, Marcus Crawford (#15). He is having an amazing season, and it is even more amazing that he is a defenseman. A defenseman has never won the ECHL scoring title. Here are some of Crawford's stats:
- Leads the scoring race by 6 points.
- Averaging 1.26 points per game.
- His 63 points are 19 more than any other defenseman.
- Leads the Mavericks in scoring by 18 points.
- Scored at least one point in 40 of his 50 games.
- Hasn't missed a game all season.
- There will be 22 players on the trip to Kansas City. Players not traveling with the team are Spencer Asuchak, David Tendeck, Troy Murray, and Lukas Sillinger. Since Colby McAuley is listed as day-to-day Caoch Martinson is bringing in forward Avery Smith from the FPHL Topeka Scarecrows for the series. Smith is a 6'3" and 209-pound right-shot forward from the DFW area (Trophy Club). In 38 games with Topeka this season, he has 21 points (7G, 14A) and 102 penalty minutes.
Goalies
- #31 - Jackson Parsons
- #33 - Marco Costantini
Defensemen
- #86 - Andre Anania
- #22 - Anthony Costantini
- #21 - Jackson Decker
- #25 - Trevor LeDonne
- #8 - Ty Prefontaine
- #23 - Sam Sedley
- #6 - Braidan Simmons-Fischer
- #2 - Quinn Warmuth
Forwards
- #11 - Jake Chiasson
- #18 - Harrison Blaisdell
- #67 - Hank Crone
- #91 - Michael Gildon
- #14 - Kevin Gursoy
- #7 - Colton Hargrove
- #9 - Danny Katic
- #19 - Chase Maxwell
- #92 - Colby McAuley
- #3 - Avery Smith
- #44 - Sam Stange
- #29 - Brayden Watts
- Allen lineup tonight vs Kansas City. McAuley is out and still listed as day-to-day. Avery Smith gets his first-ever ECHL game, and Marco Costantini gets the start in goal. Notice the second line is an all NHL/AHL contracted line:
OTHER COMMENTS
- The ECHL schedule is always unbalanced, and with two teams dominating the Mountain Division, the luck of the draw has a big impact. I decided to look at the four teams chasing the final two playoff spots to see how many times they have played Idaho and Kansas City thus far and how many times they have left to play these teams. Allen (59 points) and Tahoe (57 points) are the clear favorites to make the playoffs. Wichita (50 points) has the toughest remaining schedule, in number of games against Kansas City and Idaho. Rapid City (48 points) has the easiest. Here are the numbers:
- Games already played against Kansas City and Idaho
- 15 games - Wichita (9 KC, 6 IDH)
- 12 games - Rapid City (8 IDH, 4 KC)
- 11 games - Tahoe (9 IDH, 2 KC)
- 8 games - Allen (5 IDH, 3 IDH)
- Games remaining against Kansas City and Idaho
- 8 games - Wichita (6 KC, 2 IDH)
- 6 games - Allen (2 IDH, 4 KC)
- 5 games - Tahoe (5 KC, 0 IDH)
- 0 games - Rapid City
- Total games this season against Kansas City and Idaho
- 23 - Wichita (15 KC, 8 IDH)
- 16 - Tahoe (9 IDH, 7 KC)
- 14 - Allen (7 KC, 7 IDH)
- 12 - Rapid City (8 IDH, 4 KC
- A month ago, Allen had seven players averaging a point a game or more over the previous 10 games. That is not the case in the recent Americans scoring drought, when they scored two or fewer goals in five of six games. Here are the leading scorers over the last six games:
- 5 points (1G, 4A) - Brayden Watts
- 4 points (1G, 3A) - Andre Anania (5 games)
- 3 points (3G, 0A) - Harrison Blaisdell
- 3 points (2G, 1A) - Michael Gildon
- 3 points (1G, 2A ) - Danny Katic
- 3 points (0G, 3A) - Sam Sedley
- 3 points (0G, 3A) - Hank Crone
- Kansas City is climbing up the all-time list for home winning streak in a single season:
- 19 games - Newfoundland (2019-20)
- 18 games - South Carolina (1995-96)
- 17 games - Wheeling (1994-95)
- 16 games - Idaho (2022-23)
- 15 games - Kansas City (haven't lost at home since December 20)
- Here are the game notes issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-day-the-americans-face-the-mavericks-tonight
- There are eight games in the ECHL tonight, with six Mountain Division teams in action.
- Allen at Kansas City
- Wichita at Iowa
- Tahoe at Utah
Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/02/game-day-the-americans-face-the-mavericks-tonight
DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about the roster makeup of the top ECHL teams. Allen's numbers are five NHL/AHL contracted players, nine rookies, and three veterans (two vets are on 14-day IR).
Watts has 5 points his last 6 games..
ReplyDeleteGood call on bringing up Smith, coach. I’ve watched every Topeka game this season, and Smith plays hard. You always notice when he’s on the ice. Glad he’s getting his chance, gotta make the best of it… though I do enjoy watching him play for free on YouTube in Topeka lol. FloHockey 👎
ReplyDeleteSydney Harris is the referee 🙄
ReplyDeleteWe’re F&$@ed.
She lost control of the Tahoe game she last reffed for Allen.
Crazy bat$hit referee.
Wow. When an organization signs a convicted rapist and displays a FAFO sign in the rink, I don’t think their coach has much room to talk about leave politics out of sports. Because of politics in sports, players play with safer protocols. Without advocacy and political action, the PWHL would not exist, and women’s sports would lack critical resources, visibility, and structural support. Given that Marty brought his daughter to serve as assistant coach for this team, one would expect greater awareness of these realities. His interview was disappointing and unnecessary. If you want guys to just be athletes, how about you JUST coach.
ReplyDeleteHow about you plant tulips for Marty?
Delete