The Schedule, The Standings, The Stats, Plus Great Updates on Chad Costello, Vincent Arseneau and Alex Guptill

There are only two weekends all season when the Allen Americans don't play on Saturday and Sunday and this past weekend was the first. It means a week off between games and time to regroup and let the bumps and bruises heal. At this time of year every player is playing hurt but most remain in the lineup.


- The remaining schedule is stranger than normal if you ask me. Between now and January 30 the Americans will play three games in three nights against Wichita with the only home game against the Thunder on Friday night. Allen then plays three games in four nights in Utah followed by three games in three nights in Tulsa. From January 30 to the end of March the Americans will play 23 games with 20 of them at home. The three away games are Wichita, Kansas City and Tulsa. 


- Under normal circumstances playing 20 of 23 games at home would mean a winning streak that would propel Allen in the standings. That is not the case this season as Allen's home record is 4-11-0-0 and they are 15 points from getting out of last place in the Mountain Division.


- I was looking at the standings page of the ECHL website and decided to click on the 10 headings at the top of the page to see how the Americans rank. Here are the results:

Games played - Allen has played more games (38) than any other team in the league. Utah has played only 32 games and the Grizzlies have 24 more points than Allen.

Wins - Allen is ranked #26 in wins with nine. Atlanta is last with eight wins but they have played five fewer games than the Americans. Florida and Cincinnati lead the ECHL with 23 wins.

Regulation losses - Allen leads the ECHL with 27 regulation losses. The next closest is Greenville and Atlanta with 19 losses. Florida and Cincinnati have just seven regulation losses.

Overtime losses - Allen is one of five teams that have not lost an overtime game. Wichita and Florida lead with five overtime losses.

Shootout losses - Allen is tied for fourth with two shootout losses. Reading leads with five shootout losses.

Points - Allen is ranked #27 with 20 points. Florida is #1 with 51 points.

Winning percentage - Allen is last in winning percentage at .263 and there is only one other team (Atlanta at .333) below .434. The best winning percentage belongs to Cincinnati at .735.

Goals for - Allen is ranked #24 with 93 goals scored. Worcester is last with 79 goals scored while Florida is first with 131 goals scored.

Goals against - Allen is ranked #27 having allowed 146 goals. Cincinnati is #1 having allowed only 81 goals.

Penalty minutes - Allen is second with 783 penalty minutes. Rapid City is #1 with 847 minutes. Manchester has the fewest penalty minutes with 341.


- I will have a complete update on the Allen roster tomorrow after I attend practice today. It will include those out with injuries, players on loan to the AHL, new players arriving and what coach Martinson has in the works.


- If you haven't been keeping track of Vincent Arseneau he has been on a hot streak lately. Arseneau had a rough start to the season as he was a healthy scratch for some games and then was injured which kept him out of the lineup five weeks. He is back in form now and has five goals in his last five games after going scoreless in his first 12 games. Arseneau's team (Utica) is in third place in the division.


- Chad Costello has just signed a one year extension to play for his current team (Krefeld Pinguine) in 2019-20. Chad is having a great season with 40 points (14G, 26A) in 37 games. He leads his team in scoring and is the second leading scorer in the entire league.


- Alex Guptill is having an outstanding year playing for Nottingham in the top league in Great Britain (EIHL). Guptill leads the league with 25 goals in 38 games.


- ECHL teams that score first have a winning percentage of .739 this season. That is a leaguewide record of 320-97-31-18. The best team when scoring first is Toledo who is 19-2-2-0 when scoring first.


- Will this be the season the Mountain Division doesn't win the Kelly Cup? Here is the Mountain Division's record against the other divisions:

Central Division:   6-16-2-2
South Division:     2-2-0-0
North Division:     0-3-0-0


- Worcester is the only ECHL team that has not scored a short handed goal this season. Kalamazoo leads the ECHL with 11 shorthanded goals. Two Kalamazoo players have four shorthanded goals (Chris Collins & Justin Taylor). Only 13 of 27 ECHL teams have more shorthanded goals than Collins and Taylor have as individuals.


- Of all of the bad stats this season and there are plenty, the most surprising to me has been shooting percentage. Allen is dead last in the ECHL with a shooting percentage of 7.5%. Allen has always had teams with a lot of offensive skill and a high shooting percentage. Here are the team shooting percentages since Allen joined the ECHL.

2018-19:  7.5% (through 38 games)
2017-18:  10.5%
2016-17:  12.9%
2015-16:  10.6%
2014-15:  12.2%

The difference between a 7.5% and 12.9% shooting percentage is 125 goals over the course of a typical season.


DID YOU KNOW: There are 17 ECHL goalies who have played over 1000 minutes this season. One of the 17 goalies is C.J. Motte who has 1204 minutes in goal. Even though Allen is the worst team in the league, only four of the 17 goalies with over 1000 minutes played have a save percentage higher than Motte. Here are the top five.

.924 - Mitch Gillam (Worcester)
.923 - Brandon Halverson (Maine)
.915 - Joe Cannata (Utah)
.914 - Chris Nell (Greenville)
.913 - C.J. Motte (Allen)   

Where Are They Now - Kevin Young

Kevin & Becky Young - A Canadian Christmas

I have written a lot of player profiles and player introductions for the blog over the years but there is little doubt one of the most memorable was with Kevin Young in the summer of 2014. Kevin was the first player announced by the Allen Americans for the 2014-15 season after playing for the Colorado Eagles in 2013-14.


What made that first interview so memorable? Here is what I wrote at the time (July 2014):

"After quickly getting settled in Allen, Kevin and his girlfriend, Becky Geyer, (who is from Illinois) headed to Illinois for a short trip over the fourth of July. To my surprise Kevin said to me, "If you write this story after Tuesday you can say I am engaged as I am going to ask Becky to marry me while we are in Illinois." And what is an indication of his dry sense of humor Kevin also said, "I will text you to let you know if she says yes." True to his word I got a text from Kevin Tuesday at 10:00 am saying, "I am now engaged." Congrats to Kevin & Becky! They met when Kevin was playing in Wichita and Becky worked as the Director, Fan Relations/Ticket Operations for the Thunder."


Allen fans were already familiar with Kevin when he signed to play with the Americans because he was a member of the Wichita Thunder during the 2012-13 season when Allen won their first championship in the most dramatic game in Allen history. He wasn't on the ice for the game seven overtime goal by Todd Robinson but that goal is etched in his mind. In that 2012-13 season Kevin was named the Most Outstanding Defenseman in the Central Hockey League (CHL). He was the top scoring CHL defenseman during the regular season with 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) and was also the top scoring defenseman in the playoffs with 17 points (4 goals 13 assists) in 15 games.


By the time Kevin arrived in Allen in the summer of 2014 he was a seasoned veteran starting his 10th professional season. His career included five years in Europe (Netherlands, England & Germany). He had already been to the championship finals five different times and won two championships. In 2005-06 he won the championship in the Netherlands and in 2010-11 he won the CHL championship playing for the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  If you recall, the Mudbugs beat what might have been the best Allen team ever in the semifinals in five games and then beat Colorado in the finals.


How and why did Kevin sign in Allen? Here is what he said at the time, "Steve Martinson reached out to me to play for the Americans. It is pretty flattering to have a team such as Allen want you to play for them. Knowing their championship tradition you want to be on a team that will do what it takes to win. It is a great team to play for at this point in my career."


Kevin was part of a dream season in 2014-15. Nobody gave any of the seven teams that joined the ECHL that season from the CHL a chance. When the Americans came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the Western Conference finals against the Ontario Reign everyone started to take notice. South Carolina was favored in the Kelly Cup final but Allen won the series in a game seven 6-1 blowout at the Allen Event Center.


Young had 44 points (8G, 36A) during the regular season and was part a prolific group of high scoring defensemen. Four defensemen were in the top 10 scorers for Allen that season. Aaron Gens (56 points), Kevin with 44 points, Justin Baker (39 points) and Tyler Ludwig (37 points).

In the Kelly Cup playoffs Kevin led all defensemen in assists (12) and plus/minus (+10).

Kevin averaged .78 points per game in 503 games as a pro

Kevin is from White Rock, British Columbia. White Rock is located on the ocean in the southwest corner of British Columbia, 30 miles south of Vancouver and is flanked on the south by the US/Canadian border. And yes the name comes from a 400 ton white rock that is on the beach in the town center. Kevin describes White Rock as the perfect place to live that is never too hot, never too cold, with mountains and the ocean.


Here is an update on Kevin in his own words:

Can you give us an update on you and your family?
I have been married to Becky for over three years now. After my hockey career we moved back to her hometown in Illinois. Becky is coaching gymnastics in the gym she attended when she was younger. I got my real estate license during my final playing year and tried to put that to use. I found it pretty hard to break into that market, especially not being from the area or having many contacts. Luckily for me our Maid of Honor put me in contact with her company my first year out here. I have now been with Sports Made Personal for almost two years and am their Director of Operations. We have multiple youth  sports clubs in soccer and lacrosse and also two event companies who put on tournaments all over the Midwest. We were a top 500 fastest growing company in the USA last year and it has been an exciting ride so far. Becky and I visited my family in Vancouver over Christmas and are now planning on adopting two puppies and welcoming them into our brand new home. Things are going well for  "The Youngs."


    
What involvement do you have in hockey?
I have actually not touched the ice since my last professional shift even though our new neighbors are trying to get me out on the frozen pond in their back yard. Also, Becky has a pair of skates but has never used them, so we might have to remedy that. 


What are your hobbies/interests now that you no longer play professional hockey?
My main hobby now is golf. During the summer I try and get out once a week. I am down to a nine handicap now but for gambling purposes I am a 13!


Can you share something about your experience playing in Allen?
I was recently talking about this with Becky and my sister Shawna. Playing in Allen was my favorite year of hockey in North America. The fans are among the best in the league, the city is second to none and the way players are treated is top notch. My memories consist mostly of the locker room and bus rides. That was the tightest group of players I've ever been part of and all of the time we spent together was a blast, from the kangaroo court almost weekly with Garrett Clarke to the live concerts on the bus trips from Uncle Schlitzy (Ian Schultz) and Aaron Gens.


What is your fondest memory of your time in Allen?
Plain and simple, my fondest memory was winning the 2015 Kelly Cup championship. Getting to share that moment with Becky and my teammates was the best moment in my playing career. I was lucky enough to win two other championships but this one was easily my favorite. Getting the Kelly Cup first after Captain Schaafsma was an honor for me that may go unnoticed by some, but for me, it was a very emotional moment.

Kevin Raising the Kelly Cup

Who was your favorite/closest teammate in Allen?
I have stayed in touch with a good number of guys from that championship team. Schaafsma, Gens, Costello, Greger, Spencer, The Ludwigs, Dyson, Rumpel, and Gill are probably the most frequent but I feel we could all pick up conversations with each other like we saw each other yesterday.


In closing, 2014-15 was quite the year for the guy that was known as Younger or KY in the locker room. He played one more season after his time in Allen and then retired. Kevin had an 11 year pro career and won a Dutch championship, a CHL championship and an ECHL championship. He was twice voted the Best Defenseman in his league (Netherlands and Central Hockey League). When you see quotes from his coaches along the way they frequently talk about Kevin's high hockey IQ and that is what made him successful. Obviously Kevin's hockey IQ and hockey sense was extremely high. His patience and poise with the puck was exceptional. He had great decision making skills and the biggest key to his success was how he could read plays.
 

Job well done!

Becky & Kevin at Notre Dame attending the NHL Winter Classic

Allen Suffers Fifth Shutout of the Season, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Defensmen Shortage Continues, Spencer Asuchak Climbs All-Time Leader List & More

When your goalie stops 34 of 36 shots for a .944 save percentage you generally have a good chance of winning but not when you can't put the puck in the net. That is what happened to the Allen Americans last night as they lost to the Tulsa Oilers 2-0 before a crowd of 4846 at the BOK Center.


- One game after scoring the most goals (5) they have scored in over two months the Americans were shutout for the fifth time this season. The loss was typical of many of the 29 losses Allen has suffered this season. They gave up the first goal which they have done in 28 of 38 games, they were outshot (36-31), they didn't score a power play goal (0-3), gave up a power play goal (1-4), took more penalties (6-4) and had more penalty minutes (20-8) than Tulsa.


- Allen has played Tulsa six times this season and lost five times. The Americans have scored only seven even strength goals in the six games (1.17 per game). No matter how well you play defensively you are not going to win very many games with offensive production like that.


- Here are two versions/recaps of the game.

Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/oilers-blank-americans-2-0-2/

Tulsa Oilers game recap: https://tulsaoilers.com/oilers-blank-allen-to-open-2019/


- Here are the video highlights where you can see the defensive breakdowns on the two Tulsa goals. Notice on the second goal how long the Tulsa player (Tesink) stands by the side of the goal uncovered.

- The Americans headed back to Allen immediately after the game and will not play again until the Wichita Thunder visit the Allen Event Center next Friday. The team has had few practice days over the last month. Not the case this week as they will have plenty of time to practice.



OTHER COMMENTS

- Now that the Americans have traded Olivier Archambault's ECHL rights to Orlando they have two players on loan to AHL teams. Rookie defenseman Alex Breton is in Belleville and has been a healthy scratch twice. His team plays again tonight so hopefully he gets to play. Newly acquired defenseman Etienne Boutet is on loan to Stockton and has also been a healthy scratch the last two games. Stockton plays at home tonight against Colorado. Would be nice to have both players back in Allen if they aren't going to play.


- Between injuries and loans to the AHL, Allen has not had a full group of seven defensemen for a long time. Josh Atkinson returned to the lineup last night but Mike Gunn did not play. Mike has been playing with an injury that will require surgery and he might now be out of the lineup long term. Add Garrett Clarke who is injured along with Breton and Boutet in the AHL and the Americans may be playing with just five defensemen for a while.


- Rapid City has lost five in a row and Wichita has lost four in a row to join Allen as the teams that would not make the playoffs if they started today. Here are the current Mountain Division standings based on winning percentage. The gap between the top four and the bottom three continues to grow.

.677 - Utah
.641 - Idaho
.594 - Kansas City
.588 - Tulsa
.514 - Wichita
.458 - Rapid City
.270 - Allen


- The 2-0 loss to Tulsa last night was the fifth time Allen has been shutout this season and they have only played 38 games. The total number of times the Americans were shutout in their first three seasons in the ECHL (2014-17) was five.  


- Over the last 10 games the hottest team in the ECHL is Idaho (8-2-0-0) and the coldest team in the ECHL is Worcester (2-7-0-1). 


- The "Where Are They Now" series continues tomorrow as I will catch up with defenseman Kevin Young, who was a member of the Allen Americans 2015 Kelly Cup championship team.


DID YOU KNOW: I heard Tommy Daniels mention on his broadcast last night that Spencer Asuchak is 11 goals away from becoming the all-time Allen goals scorer. Chad Costello and Greger Hanson are the leaders with 98 career goals. Here are more details as Asuchak climbs the all-time list in many categories:

Games - Spencer is already #1 all time (268) and is now 21 games ahead of #2 (Tyler Ludwig).

Goals - Spencer is currently #5 all-time with 88 goals. He needs four goals to pass #4 (Gary Steffes), 10 goals to pass #3 (Bruce Graham) and 11 goals to make #1.

Assists - Spencer is #3 all time with 133 assists and needs just six more to pass #2 (Bruce Graham). He will probably have to play another six seasons if he plans to catch #1, Chad Costello with 252 assists.

Total Points - Spencer is #4 all time with 221 points. He will be #2 soon as he needs five points to pass #3 (Greger Hanson) and 15 points to pass #2 (Bruce Graham). It will be a long slog to get to #1 which is Chad Costello with 350 points.

PIMS - Spencer doesn't take a lot of penalties but longevity has him #5 all time with 285 penalty minutes. He needs 36 penalty minutes to catch #4 (Trevor Hendrikx) and 41 minutes to catch #3 (Bryan Moore). #1 all time is Garrett Clarke with 487 PIMS.  

 

Details on Allen Trading Rights to Olivier Archambault for Three Players, Allen vs Tulsa Game Preview, Roster Update, All-Star Classic, Jersey Reversal and More

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they make the one road trip destination (Tulsa) where they can leave the same day. Every once in a while I get asked why the team drives to Tulsa the same day as the game. It obviously saves money since they return home right after the game thus avoiding an overnight stay. Here is the wording from the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), "An overnight stay shall be required when the distance to be traveled one-way to a stand alone game exceeds 325 miles." Tulsa is 230 miles from Allen. The next closest destination for the Americans is Wichita which is 360 miles one way so an overnight stay is required.


- Steve Martinson will be back behind the bench after serving a two game suspension for what the ECHL described as multiple post-game abuse of officials game misconducts. Casey Pierro-Zabotel will also be behind the bench tonight helping Martinson.


- According to coach Martinson, defenseman Josh Atkinson will be making the trip to Tulsa and will be in the lineup for the first time since November 24. The Americans have been playing short defensemen so Atkinson's return will help. Alex Breton is in Belleville (AHL) and was a healthy scratch on Wednesday. Belleville has home games tonight and Saturday so hopefully Alex will get his first AHL game.


- Allen made a move yesterday that could bring as many as three players to the Americans. Steve Martinson traded the ECHL rights to Olivier Archambault to the Orlando Solar Bears for defenseman Etienne Boutet, forward Curt Gogol and the ECHL rights to defenseman Sam Jardine. Boutet and Jardine are currently playing in the AHL. Here is my take on this transaction. The Syracuse Crunch (AHL) wanted to send Archambault to the ECHL and had no interest in sending him to Allen as they wanted to send him to their ECHL affiliate (Orlando). Once Martinson was convinced Archambault would not be coming to Allen he negotiated for the three players in the deal. Gogal is on his way to Allen and it is possible he arrives in time to accompany the team to Tulsa. Boutet was signed to a tryout agreement (PTO) with Stockton (AHL) on December 27 and will report to Allen when he is released from his PTO. It is possible he could stay in Stockton long term.


- Defensman Sam Jardine is a different story since he is signed to an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. He played in Orlando last season so they were able to retain his ECHL rights which they included in the deal with Allen. Here is part of a Marlies press release about Jardine when they announced the signing of seven players to AHL deals back in July, "Jardine spent last season in Orlando and is still on their reserve list, meaning for the Marlies to send him to the Growlers (Toronto's ECHL affiliate, Newfoundland Growlers), they will have to make a deal for his rights. They do that routinely in the ECHL, and given the logjam of defenders in the AHL, the Growlers seems to be where Jardine will spend most of his time."  Jardine has spent all season thus far with the Marlies having played in 13 games. If they get to the point of wanting to send him to Newfoundland they will have to deal with Allen to obtain his rights. It seems to me he will not be sent to Allen but another player will be in exchange for Jardine's rights. Just a guess on my part but Allen could end up with Gogol, Butet and a player from the Marlies organization for giving up the rights to Archambault who was never going to be sent to Allen. Stay tuned.


GAME PREVIEW

- The game tonight in Tulsa will be the sixth of 13 times these team will meet this season. Tulsa has won four of the five games they have played thus far including a 3-1 win in Allen last Monday.


- In the five head to head meetings Tulsa has outscored the Americans 15-11 and outshot them 209-129. Allen has done better on special teams as they are 4-16 (25%) on the power play compared to Tulsa at 2-23 (8.7%).


- Allen's biggest problem against Tulsa has been their in ability to score even strength. In the five games they have played against the Oilers, Allen has managed just seven even strength goals, 1.4 per goals per game. 


- The five games between Allen and Tulsa have been pretty meek and mild. Over the five games the teams have combined for an average of only 19 penalty minutes per game. That is fewer than Allen's season long average by themselves of 20.62 minutes per game. The New Year's Eve game was a little different as there were 34 penalty minutes and a fight between Jake Doty and Tulsa'a Mike McKee. Tulsa has only nine fights all season and if you discount the five fights Doty has had since arriving in Allen, the Americans have had only 10 fights all season. The point being with Jake Doty in the lineup, who is always looking for a dance partner, this game may not be as meek and mild as most of the past games.


- If the game goes to a shootout the advantage is with Allen. The Americans are 3-2 in shootouts this year after going 3-2 last season. Tulsa is 0-2 this season in shootouts after going 0-9 last season.


- Tulsa is one of two ECHL teams (Florida the other) that has not lost a game in regulation when they score first. Their record when scoring first is 10-0-3-1.


- After the win against Kansas City on Wednesday Jason Deitsch who was behind the bench and Steve Martinson who was watching the game from the second level agreed that the team did better in avoiding costly turnovers, especially in the neutral zone but there is still improvement needed. This will be key in the game tonight. Tulsa is ranked #1 in the ECHL in average shots taken per game (35.45) but they are also ranked #1 in shots allowed (26.30). Allen is #18 in shots taken (31.39) and #26 in shots allowed (36.68). In the five games these teams have played this season Tulsa has averaged 16 more shots on goal than Allen. If the Americans expect to win they need to close this shot gap and avoiding turnovers will help in that effort.


- Tulsa seems to have righted the ship after losing 11 games straight between December 1-27. They have now won three straight. Allen broke an 11 game road losing streak with a win in Utah last Saturday. Allen went from November 21 to December 29 without a road win.



OTHER COMMENTS

- It may not seem like Allen has turned things around but they are 3-3 over their last six games. That means one third of Allen's wins for the entire season came in just 13 days which included the Christmas break. They have a chance for two wins in a row with a win in Tulsa tonight. The Americans have not won more than two straight games all season and they have won two in a row just once (October 26 & 27).


- The ECHL All-Star Classic will be held in Toledo on January 21. The members of the all-star team will be announced on Monday. The all-star team is a showcase for young talent around the ECHL and it is hard to imagine Allen's representative will be anyone other than Alex Breton who is on loan to Belleville (AHL). Alex leads the Americans in assists (18) and is fifth among all ECHL defensemen in points (23).


- Had someone ask about the jersey reversal date when the Americans switch to their white jerseys at home. The jersey reversal date is January 25.


- The Mountain Division has been close all season but this weekend could start to see some separation. Utah (.667) and Idaho (.641) are starting to put some distance from the rest of the group. Wichita (.529) and Rapid City (.471) are starting to struggle. Wichita is on the road for two games in Utah and Rapid City is in Kansas City for two games. Here are the current Mountain Division standings based on winning percentage:

.667 - Utah
.641 - Idaho
.581 - Kansas City
.576 - Tulsa
.529 - Wichita
.471 - Rapid City
.270 - Allen



DID YOU KNOW: Not sure how this computes but there are only nine of the 27 ECHL teams with a winning percentage below .500. Just two below .400 and one below .300. Here is the list.

.484 - Kalamazoo
.484 - Worcester
.484 - Manchester
.471 - Rapid City
.470 - Norfolk
.470 - Brampton
.431 - Greenville
.323 - Atlanta
.270 - Allen

Allen Defies the Odds to Kickoff 2019 with a Win, Game Recap, Sporfie Highlights, Coach's Comments, Allen's 30 Goal Scorers and More

The Allen Americans kicked off 2019 last night with a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Mavericks before a sparse crowd of 2678 on a cold and rainy night at the Allen Event Center (AEC). The Americans had to defy some statistical odds to get the win. Here are a few examples:


- Kansas City scored first: Prior to last night Allen was 3-22-0-2 when allowing the first goal.

- Kansas City was leading 1-0 after the first period: Prior to last night Allen was 3-14-0-1 when trailing after the first period.

- Kansas City was leading 3-2 after the second period: Prior to last night Allen was 0-6-0-0 when trailing after two periods at home.

- Allen tied the score 3-3 on a shorthanded goal: It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by Kansas City all season.

- Allen scored one power play goal but gave up two power play goals to Kansas City.

- Allen played shorthanded as Kevin Sundher was added to the already long injury list.


- Despite the odds the Americans were able to hold the Mavericks scoreless in the third period while scoring three goals themselves on a shorthanded goal, a power play goal and an empty net goal to secure their fourth home win of the season.


- Goal scorers for Allen were David Makowski (7), Spencer Asuchak (12), Chase Lang (2) and Braylon Shmyr (8) and Adam Miller (10). Here are the Sporfie highlights of all of the Allen goals except the Miller empty net goal.

David Makowski - A couple of things to look for in this clip. Spencer Asuchak goes down after colliding with the linesman. It looks like Makowski's shot hits Adam Miller who is screening the goalie but apparently it didn't.




Spencer Asuchak - Spencer shows how good things happen when you go to the net. Also, notice the great play and pass from Zach Pochiro.







Chase Lang - Lang makes a great play on this shorthanded goal but watch Mitch Maloney drive the net and arrive just in time to screen the goalie. Nothing on the scoresheet for Maloney but a big part of this goal.






Braylon Shmyr - Here are three views on Shmyr's power play goal. The first view shows how he gets open on the side of the net and roofs the puck over the goalie. The second view shows how the play develops with pass by Dante Salituro. The third view shows the celebration including Braylon throwing the monkey off his back. If you remember, Shmyr had seven goals in the first seven games of the season and was signed to a tryout agreement with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL). After he returned to Allen he has struggled to score. Braylon went 20 games without a goal before the game winner last night.

The roof shot:



The pass:




The Celly:




- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-open-2019-with-5-3-win-over-kansas-city/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Kansas City Mavericks: https://kcmavericks.com/en/news/2018/12/three-in-the-third-doom-the-mavs-in-allen


- Jason Deitsch was behind the bench for Allen as coach Steve Martinson was serving the second game of his two game suspension. Here is Jason's post game interview:

OTHER COMMENTS

 - The Americans will have a practice today in preparation for their game in Tulsa on Friday night. Practices have been few and far between the last month with 15 games played and the Christmas break. There will be plenty to work on at practice today.


- Allen scored five goals last night. The last time the Americans scored that many goals was way back on October 27th.


- Kevin Sundher has managed to play in only eight games this season as he has dealt with numerous injuries and is once again out with an injury. He has one assist in the eight games he has been in the lineup.


- I talk about this frequently that Steve Martinson has not given up on this season and continues to try to improve the roster. There is no doubt in my mind there will be roster changes going forward and sooner rather than later.


- Things don't get any easier for the Americans the rest of January. Nine of their next 10 games are on the road. Allen plays Tulsa four times, Idaho three times and Wichita twice, all on the road. The Americans lone home game between now and January 30 is against Wichita on January 11.


- Allen has played more games (37) than any other team in the ECHL. Utah has played the fewest (30). There are 19 ECHL teams that have played 32 or fewer games.


- The Mountain Division has been close all season but this weekend could start to see some separation. Utah (.667) and Idaho (.641) are starting to put some distance from the rest of the group. Wichita (.529) and Rapid City (.471) are starting to struggle. Wichita is on the road for two games in Utah and Rapid City is in Kansas City for two games.



DID YOU KNOW: Zach Pochiro has 17 goals and if he keeps his current pace the rest of the season would finish with 35 goals. If Zach hits 30 goals this season he will join an elite group of Allen Americans. In 10 seasons the 30 goal plateau has been reached only eight time with two players accomplishing the feat twice. Here is the all-time single season list of players with 30 or more goals.

44 goals - Gary Steffes (2014-15)
41 goals - Chad Costello (2014-15)
35 goals - Greger Hanson (2016-17)
34 goals - Bruce Graham (2010-11)
34 goals - Nino Musitelli (2010-11)
33 goals - Chad Costello (2016-17)
33 goals - Colton Yellow Horn (2010-11)
31 goals - Bruce Graham (2009-10)

Allen vs Kansas City Preview, 2018 in Review, Hockey Fails to Make You Laugh, Allen Ironman Down to Spencer Asuchak and More

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they try to put 2018 behind them and start anew in 2019. The Americans made the playoffs last season primarily because they played well at the start of the season in calendar year 2017. On January 1, 2018 Allen's record was 18-9-4-1. Once 2018 rolled around things started to go down hill. The rest of the season the Americans record was 17-20-2-1 but they still made the playoffs. The playoffs turned out to be a disaster as Allen was eliminated in the first round in historic fashion. For just the second time in the 30 year history of the ECHL a team (Allen) took a 3-0 series lead and then lost the series.


- When you thought 2018 couldn't get any worse after the playoff debacle the 2018-19 season rolled around and brought calendar year 2018 to a close with a record of 8-26-0-2. So to recap the Americans calendar year 2018 results the regular season record was 25-46-4-3 with an epic fail in the playoffs thrown in for good measure.


- With 2018 now in the rear view mirror the Allen Americans have a chance to start the New Year with a victory as they take on the Kansas City Mavericks at the Allen Event Center (AEC) tonight (7:05 pm). It won't be an easy task for the Americans as they are 0-6 against the Mavericks this season and have been outscored 29-13.


- To make matters worse Allen coach Steve Martinson will not be behind the bench as he will be serving the second game of his two game suspension. Assistant coach Jason Deitsch will take over behind the bench with help from Casey Pierro-Zabotel and Thomas Frazee.


-  Defenseman Josh Atkinson could return to the lineup tonight for the first time since November 24. With Garrett Clarke out with an injury and Alex Breton on loan to the AHL it would be a big boost if Atkinson can get back in the lineup.


- Kansas City is third in the Mountain Division in winning percentage (.600) but have struggled recently. Their record over the last nine games is 3-6-0-0. In their last game on Monday they beat Wichita at home 5-4 in overtime.


- Kansas City has outscored Allen 29-13 and outshot the Americans 209-173 in their six head to head games this season. The special team stats really tell the story of the Mavericks dominance over the Americans. Allen has had 28 power play opportunities in the six games against Kansas City and has converted on just two for a power play percentage of 7.1%. The Mavericks have converted on 11 of 37 power play opportunities against Allen for a power play percentage of 29.7%. Kansas City scored at least one power play goal in all six games and in four of the six the Mavericks had multiple power play goals.


- Allen leads the ECHL in minor penalties (210) and the number of times they have been on the penalty kill (186). This compares to Kansas City with 154 minor penalties and 122 times on the penalty kill. It will be imperative if Allen is to win tonight they stay out of the penalty box.


- If you are attending the game tonight or watching on ECHL-TV look for how many times Allen dumps the puck. I know in talking to the coaches on Monday after the game they will emphasize for the umpteenth time that neutral ice turnovers have to be eliminated. If there is no play dump the puck behind the defense and win puck battles.


- The one stat that favors the Americans is that Kansas City has struggled on the road this season. The Mavericks have the best home record in the ECHL at 12-1-0-0. However, their road record is one of the worst in the league at 5-10-1-1. Not to be forgotten however, is Allen has the worst home record in the ECHL at 3-11-0-0.


- Record when scoring first is another stat worthy of note. Allen is 5-4-0-1. Kansas City has been close to unbeatable when scoring first with a record of 11-1-1-0.


- Kansas City is ranked #9 in the ECHL in average goals scored per game at 3.40, Allen is ranked #25 at 2.44 goals per game. There is a similar disparity in average goals allowed with Kansas City ranked #12 (3.10) and Allen ranked #27 (3.92).


- If you are looking for who might be the hero for Allen tonight the leading goal scorers in the six previous games against the Mavericks were Zach Pochiro and Spencer Asuchak with three goals each. The leading scorers for Kansas City have been #22 David Dziurzynski with five goals and #12 Rocco Carzo with four goals and 10 points.


- If you need to leave the game early tonight and either team has the lead after the second period the outcome is almost certain. With a second period lead Allen and Kansas City have a combined record of 18-0-0-1.


- Officials scheduled for the game tonight are referee Sean Fernandez (#21) and linesmen Aaron Schacht (#31) and Jordan Solomon (#78).



OTHER COMMENTS

- Here is the ECHL Today which previews the four games on tap in the ECHL tonight. https://www.echl.com/en/news/2019/1/echl-today-jan-2


- Wichita is at Utah tonight and if they can beat the Grizzlies in regulation time they will vault from fourth place to second place in the Mountain Division. It would be quite an accomplishment for the Thunder who as late as November 24th were battling Allen for last place in the division.


-  It has been a tough season thus far for Allen fans so hope 2019 brings a turnaround. On a lighter note try not to laugh at these hockey fails.

  



DID YOU KNOW: The Allen Americans have always had at least one player play in every game during the season. In all but two seasons there has been more than one "Ironman." At the halfway point this season Spencer Asuchak is the only player still eligible for Ironman status as he is the only player that  has played in all 36 games. Here is the list of Ironmen in Allen Americans franchise history.

2018-19 - Spencer Asuchak (after 36 of 72 games)
2017-18 - Joel Chouinard, Casey Pierro-Zabotel
2016-17 - Chad Costello, Joel Chouinard
2015-16 - Chad Costello
2014-15 - Chad Costello, Aaron Gens, Jamie Schaafsma
2013-14 - Spencer Asuchak, Daniel Tetrault, Mike Berube
2012-13 - Jamie Schaafsma, Jason Deitsch
2011-12 - Jason Deitsch
2010-11 - Colton Yellow Horn, David Strathman
2009-10 - Bruce Graham, Christian Gaudet
  

Allen Finishes 2018 With Another Loss, Game Recap, Coaches Comments, Sporfie Highlight, Martinson's Suspension, Breton Heads to AHL & Halfway Stats

I arrived at the Allen Event Center (AEC) early (4:30 pm) last night full of optimism after the Americans beat Utah 4-2 on the road Sunday afternoon. I had listened to that game as I was traveling from my North Dakota pheasant hunting trip back to Minneapolis. It was quite the hunting trip if you call -11 temps, 30 MPH winds, eight inches of snow, whiteout conditions and getting stuck in a snowdrift an exciting trip. The windchill in those conditions is -40. As odd as it sounds (you have to be a hunter to appreciate this) it was an adventure and a lot of fun.


- My alarm clock went off at 2:30 am yesterday for my trek back to Allen which was probably similar to the Americans schedule. My trip included a luggage claim as American Airlines may have put my luggage through a trash compactor. Actually, I think it must have been caught in the luggage conveyor and it was a mess. The good news is the contents (including my pheasants) were intact when the luggage arrived because I always put a strap on the outside of the luggage.


- I share this story because as I was sitting in the pressbox at the AEC around 5:00 pm it hit me how tired I felt with the lack of sleep. All I did the past few days was stomp around frozen sloughs and marshes in North Dakota. I could only imagine what the Allen Americans must feel based on their last few days with 40 hours on a bus that is a coach bus not a sleeper bus, playing two games in 19 hours and then getting up early to fly back to Allen for a third game in less than 48 hours.


- The next revelation in the pressbox was Steve Martinson would not be behind the bench. Martinson was suspended for two games as a result of a game misconduct penalty he was assessed after Allen's last home game (December 22) against Cincinnati. The penalty was assessed by referee, Andrea Barone, at the 20:00 mark of the third period. Where the on ice officials enter their locker room and the Americans enter their locker room is only a few feet apart so "verbal exchanges" take place from time to time. That is my understanding of what happened after that game.


- So the team was tired and they were without their coach on the bench but that is not an excuse. Tulsa played in Wichita on Sunday and had to travel to Allen overnight. Allen was playing three games in three days with travel but the Oilers were playing four games in five days with travel so don't think the tired card works as an excuse.


- That is a long preface to say Allen got beat last night 3-1 by the Tulsa Oilers before a New Years Eve crowd of 4405 at the AEC.


- There were some good points for the Americans. They scored first for the second straight game and just the 10th time this season (36 games). Unfortunately Allen's record when scoring first of 5-4-0-1  is way below the ECHL average. Allen had a 1-0 lead after the first period and historically that has been almost an assured victory. Last year the Americans were 12-1-1-0 at home when leading after the first period. This season they are 0-3.


- In addition to scoring first and taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission the Americans were perfect on the penalty kill (0-6) and their lone goal by Joel Chouinard came on the power play.


- The downside for Allen was the same issues that have plagued them all season. They could not generate any offense even strength. The Americans managed just six shots in the first period and five in the second. The shot totals after two periods were 27-11 in favor of the Oilers and 37-23 for the game.


- Allen had no answer for Tulsa's second line who scored all three Tulsa goals. Allen's top line was scoreless and were on the ice for two of the three Tulsa goals.


- The Americans have scored two or fewer goals in half of their games and for the season are ranked #25 scoring with an average of 2.44 goals per game. You combine that with allowing a league worst 3.93 goals per game and you can see why Allen continues to struggle.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Tulsa Oilers: https://tulsaoilers.com/oilers-win-third-straight-entering-the-new-year/


- Here Allen's only goal of the game which was Joel Chouinard's fourth goal of the season. Watching the goal live I thought Kevin Sundher deflected the puck but if you look close it was the Tulsa defenseman that got a piece of the puck.





-  I had a chance to hear from Jason Deitsch who stepped in as head coach for the game and from Steve Martinson who watched the game from the second level. While they both talked about several issues that contributed to the loss the primary issue was the numerous turnovers, mostly at neutral ice. This team has too many players that insist on trying to stick handle the puck into the offensive zone and create turnovers. If there is no play they have to dump the puck and get it behind the defense. By turning the puck over in the neutral zone, Allen loses a shooting opportunity but also gives up one to the opponent. This contributes to the disparity in shots on goal. As Deitsch told the season ticket holders after the game, it is a lot of work to dump and chase the puck but if you don't have a play that is what you have to do.


OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen was playing without defensman Alex Breton who has been signed to a tryout contract by the Belleville Senators (AHL). Of the injured players (Josh Atkinson, Thomas Frazee, Garrett Clarke, Alex Ranger) only Atkinson may be ready for the Americans home game on Wednesday against Kansas City. Jason Deitsch will be the coach for that game as Steve Martinson sits out again.


- With the game last night Allen has completed half of the season. They are 15 points from getting out of the cellar, 19 points from a playoff spot and 23 points from first place. For those of you that still hold out hope Allen can make the playoffs here is the task at hand. Based on history to make the playoffs the Americans will have to have a record in the last half of the season of around 29-7-0-0 or a winning percentage of .805. Getting out of the cellar is actually a stretch goal at this point.


- Allen has won eight games in the first half of the season but only four have been won in regulation time, one in overtime and three in shootouts. The Americans have three wins at home and five on the road. They are flirting with the fewest wins in a season (current record is 14). Allen's first half winning percentage of .250 is the fifth worst all-time for a full season. The fewest home wins ever is five.


- Allen starts 2019 with eight more losses than any other team in the ECHL. The Americans have allowed almost twice as many goals (141) than first place Cincinnati (74). 


- The Mountain Division remains close because most of the teams in the division have not been playing well. Other than Idaho who is 8-2-0-0 over the last 10 games, no other team in the division has won more than four of their last 10 games.


- The top two teams in the Western Conference come from the Central Division. Cincinnati leads the ECHL in points (48) and winning percentage (.750). Toledo is third in points (45) and winning percentage (.726). Florida is the only other ECHL team with a winning percentage above .700 (.734). 


- How is this for a stat to think about? Allen has 26 regulation time loses at the halfway point (36 games). In 2014-15 the Allen Americans had 14 regulation losses for the entire season (72 games).



DID YOU KNOW: At the halfway point of the season Allen has the deadly combination of scoring at the lowest pace while allowing the most goals since joining the ECHL. Here are the goals scored and allowed by number of games:

Goals Scored
0 goals - 4 games
1 goal  -  6 games
2 goals -  8 games
3 goals -  9 games
4 goals -  7 games
5 goals -  1 game
6 goals -  1 game 

Goal Allowed
0 goals - 2 games
1 goal -   1 game
2 goals -  4 games
3 goals -  6 games
4 goals -  7 games
5 goals -  10 games
6 goals -  6 games