Idaho Top Line Burns Allen 5-1, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson Comments, Playoff Standings and More

 

If you go by the stats sheet, it is hard to explain Allen's 5-1 loss to Idaho last night. The Americans held a 3-0 series lead and were looking to sweep. Instead, they gave up four unanswered goals over the first two periods and were never in the game. 

 

- Allen outshot Idaho in the first period and had three power play opportunities to none for the Steelheads, but were outscored 2-0. Allen outshot  Idaho in the second period, but Idaho outscored Allen 2-0. Allen also outshot Idaho in the third period and got one on the scoreboard with a power play goal by Colton Hargrove, but the Steelheads responded with a power play goal of its own to make the final score 5-1. 

 

- Comebacks are rare in the playoffs; teams trailing after the second period are 1-15 thus far. Allen is the lone exception with its comeback on Sunday, but last night the Americans paid the price for giving up the first goal of the game and falling behind 2-0 midway through the first period. It was a lead they could never overcome. The Steelheads have scored 11 goals in this series, five of them in the first period.  

 

- In addition to giving up the first goal and trailing after the first period (2-0), and the second period, which all spell defeat, Allen also lost the special teams battle. It is rare for Allen to get more power-play opportunities than the Steelheads when playing in Idaho. There was a game in November when power plays favored Idaho 9-2. Last night, Allen had seven power play opportunities and converted on one (14.3%). Idaho has six power play opportunities and converted on two (33.3%).

 

-  If you want to read a goal-by-goal recap of the game, here is the game recap from both teams:

• Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-recap-americans-drop-game-4

•  Idaho Steelheads: https://idahosteelheads.com/news/2026/04/idaho-stays-alive-with-5-1-win-in-game-4

- The Americans need to re-group for the game tonight and finish off this series in Idaho. Here is some food for thought:

•  Looking at the analytics, you can make the argument that Allen had its best scoring chances of the series, dominating in shots 42-29 and puck possession, 59% to 41%. The Americans also had a 23-8 advantage in blocked shots.   
• Allen has to get off to a better start after giving up the first goal in the last two games and being outscored 5-0 in the first period (2-0 & 3-0). 
• Who gets the start in goal tonight? Mirwald has started the last two games and has been pulled in both. On Sunday, he gave up three goals on 13 shots (.769) and was replaced by Jackson Parsons to start the second period. Parsons stopped all 25 shots he faced and earned the win in Allen's comeback. Last night Mirwald gave up four goals on 15 shots (.733) and was pulled in the second period. Marco Costantini played the final 30:44 of the game and gave up one goal (power play) on 15 shots (.938).
• Normally, Parsons would have gotten the start last night after his two-period shutout on Sunday. If, for some reason, he can't go tonight, Costantini will get the start. Having three goalies, all with regular-season save percentages at .917 or above, is a real benefit. Idaho, on the other hand, is rolling the dice with one goalie (Jake Barczewski), who has played every minute of the series. If he starts again tonight, it will be five games in six days, and he faced 40 shots last night.
• Andre Anania was given a game misconduct last night. The rule cited in the box score (23.9) says, in part, that any player involved in an altercation with a spectator who throws or shoots any object at a spectator or out of the playing surface shall automatically incur a game misconduct penalty, and the referee shall report the infraction to the Commissioner, who shall have full power to impose further penalty as he deems appropriate. In Anania's case, the thrown "object" was water that he squirted after receiving verbal abuse. A fan then threw a beer on Andre. Based on what I have seen in the past, these types of situations don't end well for the player. It will be a big loss if Anania misses the game tonight. UPDATE: Anania suspended one game..
• When Brenden Hoffmann returned from the AHL on Saturday, it was clear he would have an impact on this series. After all, he had 32 goals in 44 games when he was loaned to the San Jose Barracuda in early February. In two games, he has four points (2G, 2A), and the two goals came in the win last night. Allen has to find a way to account for Hoffmann, or he will become a one-man wrecking crew.
• Special teams couldn't be more even in this series. Both teams are 4-18  (22.2%). Allen lost the special teams battle last night (1-7 vs 2-6), and they need to turn that around tonight.  

  

  - I had a chance to talk to Coach Martinson this morning. This is what he shared:

"I told the guys after the game that we had the best scoring chances in any of the games in the series, with a bunch of point-blank opportunities, and their goalie stood on his head." 

"Idaho shot the puck better, and the first line did all of the damage. They stacked the first line, and it worked. You can't give their top goal scorers the time and space we were giving them."

"Whoever is playing against the top line has to defend harder, has to back pressure, and the defensemen can't give them that kind of time."    

"We will make adjustments to the power play, which was 1-7 last night. We have to find a way to get it going.

"I will spend this morning breaking down their scoring chances, and ours, as well as the power plays, and use the video in our pregame meetings."

"Parsons is not available today. I am not sure if Anania will be available (UPDATE: suspended for one game). I will also make other lineup changes today."

 

- I will update the blog with the lineup later today. UPDATE:

Allen’s lineup tonight against Idaho:

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

18 Blaisdell - 55 Hookey - 11 Barbashev

26 Asuchak - 44 Dubois - 67 Crone

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

22 Costantini - 40 Toure

21 Decker - 2 Warmuth

 

Goalies

33 Costantini

32 Mirwald (backup)

 

 

- Here are the video highlights, which show what Coach Martinson was talking about in his comments above: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads-apr-27-2026-game-4 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 - Here are the game notes from the Allen Americans for the game tonight: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/04/game-5-tonight-in-boise-810-pm-cdt 

 

 - All of the #1 seeds are 2-0 and looking to sweep the first round. The #2 vs #3 seeds series are closer. Toledo is the only #2 seed looking to sweep. Here is the status:

• 3-0: #2 Toledo leads #3 Bloomington (Game #4 is tomorrow) 
• 3-1: #2 Allen leads #3 Idaho (Game #5 is tonight)
• 2-1: #2 South Carolina leads #3 Atlanta (Game 4 is tonight)
• 1-1: #2 Maine is tied with #3 Adirondack  (Game 3 is tomorrow)

 

 - The average ECHL playoff attendance is 5056 after 20 first-round games. That is an excellent average when you consider teams don't have much time to market the first round games. 

 

-  It is another light night on the playoff schedule with only three games being played. Allen at Idaho, Fort Wayne at Indy, and South Carolina at Atlanta. Allen can become the first team to advance to the second round with a win. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/04/echl-today-apr-28

 

- It is a small sample size, but two players lead the league in average playoff  points per game at 2.50:

• Brenden Hoffmann - Idaho (2G, 3A)
• Matthew Quescia - Wheeling (2G, 3A) 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The four #1 seeds in the Kelly Cup playoffs are undefeated. Will they all sweep their first-round series? Goals for and against for the #1 seeds are in parentheses:

 

2-0: #1 Fort Wayne vs #4 Indy (8-1)

2-0: #1 Kansas City vs #4 Tahoe (6-2)

2-0: #1 Wheeling vs #4 Reading (9-1)

2-0: #1 Florida vs #4 Savannah (6-1)