Let's Go!, Allen vs Kansas City Series Preview, Importance of Winning Game One, 2026-27 Schedule Release, Baby on Board, #1 Seeds Record and More

 

The day has finally arrived! Talking to coaches, players, and fans, everyone is past ready to get this party started with game one of the Mountain Division finals tonight in Kansas City. Allen's last game was April 28, and Kansas City's was April 30, so both teams are well rested. 

 

- The Americans didn't practice yesterday, and left by bus (sleeper) for Kansas City early in the morning for a leisurely 475-mile trip. They stopped in Joplin, MO, for a late lunch and arrived at the hotel around 5:00 pm. The team will have a pregame skate this morning as the final preparation for the series.

 

- Allen was 3-4-0-0 against Kansas City during the regular season. The Americans lost the first four games and won the last three, including back-to-back wins in Kansas City at the end of February.  

 

- Allen has the best record in the league since the end of  March at 15-1-1-0 and defeated Idaho 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Kansas City is right there with Allen. The Mavericks' record is 15-2-1-1 and they defeated Tahoe 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs.

 

- During the regular season, Allen had the #1 offense in the league, averaging 3.72 goals per game. Kansas City was right behind, ranked #3, averaging 3.54 goals per game. On defense. Kansas City was #2, allowing an average of 2.21 goals per game. Allen was ranked #13, allowing 2.90 goals per game. 

 

- Rather than going through all of the regular-season stats, let's take a look at how these teams have done in the playoffs:

Goal Differential

+12 - Kansas City

+6 - Allen

 

 

Power Play %

28.6% - Allen

22.2% - Kansas City

 

 

Penalty Kill %

82.4% - Kansas City

75.0% - Allen

 

 

Goals Scored Average

4.25 - Kansas City

4.00 - Allen 

 

 

Goals Allowed Average

1.25 - Kansas City

2.80 - Allen 

 

 

Plus/Minus

+55 - Kansas City 

+24 - Allen 

 

 

Team Save %

.945 - Kansas City

.908 - Allen

 

 

Team Shooting Percentage

14.3% - Kansas City 

12.5% - Allen 

 

 

Penalty Minutes (Average)

19.00 - Kansas City

17.20 - Allen 

  

- It is a small playoff sample size, but relevant all the same. Neither team has lost when scoring first, leading after the first period, or leading after the second period. Good starts and playing with the lead will be imperative in this series.

 

 

- Allen has all 25 players on the playoff roster on the trip and available to play. Kansas City will be missing ECHL MVP and defenseman Marcus Crawford tonight, who will serve the third game of a three-game suspension. The Mavericks have been saving four roster spots for playoff-eligible players in the AHL. They got one of those players back yesterday. Defenseman Zach Uens split time between Kansas City (32 games, +28) and Coachella Valley (21 games) this season. He did not play in the AHL playoffs.

 

 Kansas City's AHL affiliate, Coachella Valley, is playing tonight in Ontario in game five of a best-of-five series. If they lose, Kansas City will get three more players sent back. If Coachella Valley pulls an upset tonight (Ontario is the #1 seed), the next round is also a best-of-five series. 

    

 

- I won't have the lineup until this afternoon and will update here when I get it, so you can check back later. At practice on Thursday, Martinson had Riley Kidney centering Harrison Blaisdell and Landen Hookey. Kidney will be playing his first game in Allen. The 23-year-old was the second-round draft choice of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2021 NHL draft. He had over 100 points in his last two seasons in juniors (QMJHL) and has played in 132 AHL games (39 points, 11G, 28A). He has been a pass-first playmaker with great vision and high hockey IQ. Keep an eye on this line with speed and skill. It should be fun to watch in this series.

 

UPDATE

Allen’s lineup tonight against Kansas City. Healthy scratches are Crone, Sillinger, LeDonne, Warmuth, Mirwald.

 

Forwards

92 McAuley - 7 Hargrove - 27 Duarte

29 Watts - 91 Gildon - 9 Katic

18 Blaisdell - 76 Kidney - 55 Hookey

26 Asuchak - 44 Dubois - 11 Barbashev

 

Defense

8 Prefontaine - 23 Sedley

86 Anania - 40 Toure

21 Decker - 22 Costantini

 

Goalies

31 Parsons

33 Costantini (backup)

 

 

- Allen and Kansas City are two high-powered offenses with a lot of point scorers. Here are the playoff stats:

• Kansas City has five players tied for the lead in points with five. Seven players averaged 1.00 to 1.25 points per game in the first round of the playoffs.
• Danny Katic leads the league in playoff points with ten. He is averaging 2.00 points per game and 1.00 goals per game.
• Brayden Watts is #3 in the league in points (9) and is averaging 1.80 points per game. 
• Allen has five players averaging 1.00 or more points per game. In addition to Katic and Watts, Hargrove, McAuley, and Sedley averaged a point per game in the first round.  

 

- Here is the Americans Weekly with even more stats and information to help get you ready for what should be a great series: https://allenamericans.com/news/2026/05/news-americans-weekly

 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Congratulations to Spencer and Cass Asuchak, who have announced they are expecting their first child. Baby Asuchak is due in October. 

 

- Three of four division finals series will be in action tonight:

• #2 Allen at #1 Kansas City  - Game 1 (Game 2 is tomorrow)
• #2 South Carolina at #1 Florida - Everblades lead the series 1-0 (Game 3 is Wednesday)
• #2 Maine at #1 Wheeling - Nailers lead the series 1-0 (Game 3 is Monday)

• #2 Toledo at #1 Fort Wayne play game one tomorrow (Sunday).  

Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2026/05/echl-today-may-9 

 

- How important is winning game one tonight for the Americans?

• The ECHL MVP will return to the lineup Sunday.
• If Coachella Valley loses tonight, Kansas City could add three players from the AHL, possibly by the Sunday afternoon game.
• Home teams that win game one of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series about 75% of the time.

 

- The two best teams in the ECHL when scoring first during the regular season were Allen and Kansas City. They were almost unbeatable when scoring first. Their combined record was 70-4-6-0 for a points percentage of .913. 

 

- I have heard the intention is to release the 2026-27 schedule on Thursday (14th), but that has not been confirmed yet. What is known is that the Allen schedule will be front-loaded with road games. The CUTX Event Center will host three major stages of the 2026 League of Legends World Championships. League of Legends is the largest esport in the World (multi-player video game). The actual tournament, according to the CUTX Event Center calendar, is in three different stages through the semifinals, running from October 23 to November 8.  But you can be sure the event center will be tied up before and after the tournament. The tournament finals will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. All of the games are streamlined live, and at their peak can reach close to seven million worldwide viewers.  

 

- Coach Martinson has always preferred more road games early in the season. It gives the team a chance to bond and also avoids conflicts with Texas high school football games. He will definitely get his wish next season. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Kelly Cup Division Finals began last night and the #1 seeds continue to roll, going 2-0. Florida and Wheeling won. The combined playoff record of the four #1 seeds is now 18-1-1. 

 

5-0-0: Florida

4-0-0: Kansas City

5-0-1: Wheeling

4-1-0: Fort Wayne