It Is Getaway Day, Individual Stat Leaders, Team Stats, Decline of Fighting in the ECHL by the Numbers & More

The Allen Americans head to Kansas City today where they take on the Mavericks on Friday night. The hotel stay tonight will be the last for the Americans until April 4, unheard of in AA hockey. Allen has just one road game after tonight before closing out the season in Wichita on April 5 and 6. The team will take a same day trip to Tulsa on March 3.


- I will have a complete roster update and game preview tomorrow but unless C.J. Motte is sent back to Allen, which is always a possibility, Kyle Hayton will get the start in Kansas City. It is hard to overstate the performance of Hayton in his 33 save shutout in Wichita on Tuesday. To play like Kyle did after almost two months without any real game pressure work was remarkable. Here is what coach Martinson told me about Kyle's performance in Wichita, "Obviously it was a big night for Hayton. It is tough to sit and wait for your next chance. Kyle was solid but also played with poise and confidence."


- Coach Martinson also mentioned, "Eight players out of the lineup like we have now is something I have never had before. We need to find a way to get this next big game against Kansas City on Friday."



INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS AND TEAM STATS


- Haven't done this for a while so thought it might be instructive to take a look at Allen's stats leaders with 21 games remaining in the season. Below are the team leaders in various statistical categories with the league rank in parentheses:

Points:
46 - Zach Pochiro (10th)
36 - Spencer Asuchak (41st)
36 - Adam Miller (41st)


Goals:
26 - Zach Pochiro (1st)
15 - Spencer Asuchak (47th)
13 - Braylon Shmyr (64th)
13 - Adam Miller (64th)
13 - Riley Bourbonnais (64th)


Assists:
25 - Dante Salituro (25th)
23 - Adam Miller (36th) 
22 - Alex Breton (43rd)


Plus/Minus: (Games played for Allen)
+8 - Riley Bourbonnais (88th)
+2 - Alex Ranger (227th)
+2 - Etienne Boutet (227th)


Penalty Minutes:
102 - David Makowski (19th)
93 - Zach Pochiro (25th)
91 - Jake Doty (27th)


Fighting Majors:
9 - Jake Doty (13th)
4 - Curt Gogol
4 - Josh Thrower 
  

Shots On Goal:
152 - Zach Pochiro (12th)
137 - Dante Salituro (24th)
125 - David Makowski (37th)
125 - Spencer Asuchak (37th)


Points by Defensemen
31 - Alex Breton (3rd)
24 - Joel Chouinard (20th)
23 - David Makowski (21st)


Goals by Defensemen
9 - Alex Breton (6th)
9 - David Makowski (6th)
5- Joel Chouinard (32nd)


Assists by Defensemen
22 - Alex Breton (5th)
19 - Joel Chouinard (18th)
16 - Josh Atkinson (33rd)


Save Percentage
.913 - C.J. Motte (10th)
.897 - Kyle Hayton (30th)



-  Here is how the Americans rank in the ECHL in some critical statistical categories:

Goal differential - 25th (-41)
Shot differential - 27th (-283)
Average PIMS per game - 3rd (20.57)
Minor penalties - 1st (297)
Power play % - 15th (17.8%)
Penalty kill % - 14th (82.9%)
Ave. goals scored - 23rd (2.82)
Ave. goals allowed - 24th (3.63)
Ave. shots for per game - 21st (30.47)
Ave. shots against per game - 25th (36.02)
Shooting percentage - 21st (9.1%)
Team save percentage - 17th (.900)


- The team stats tell the story. Allen has shown improvement in most categories in the last two months but still rank toward the bottom of the league with few exceptions. With such a poor start it is difficult to improve the season long stats very much. On December 18, 2018 Allen was #27 in points (14) and #27 in  winning percentage (.233). After earning points in 11 of their last 13 games they are now #26 in points (38) and #26 in winning percentage (.373).


- Over the last 20 games here is how much Allen has improved their season long team stats.

+2.5% - power play percentage (15.3% to 17.8%)
+2.2% - penalty kill percentage (80.7% to 82.9%)
+.35 - average goals per game scored (2.27 to 2.82)
-.37 - average goals per game allowed (4.00 to 3.63)
+1.4% - increase in shooting percentage (7.7% to 9.1%)
+.008 -  increase in team save percentage (.892 to .900)



DID YOU KNOW: Everyone agrees the role of the enforcer has been diminished over time and the number of fights have been reduced. There are about half as many fights in the ECHL as there were 20 years ago. Here are some stats that show the decline in fights. This info was taken from the website dropyourgloves.com and shows average fights per game in the ECHL. If you graph every season it is not a straight line down but the trend is definitely in that direction. Here are average ECHL fights per game over time:

1.01 - 1999-2000
.95 - 2008-09
.87 - 2012-13  
.69 - 2016-17
.64 - 2017-18
.56 - 2018-19


How does Allen compare to the averages? They have always been overachievers when it comes to dropping the gloves. Here are the Americans average fights per game over their 10 year history. The asterisks show the seasons Allen won the championship.

.49 - 2018-19 (after 51 games)
.89 - 2017-18
1.2 - 2016-17
.99 - 2015-16*
1.1 - 2014-15*
1.1 - 2013-14*
1.4 - 2012-13*
.95 - 2011-12
1.1 - 2010-11
1.0 - 2009-10

Allen Wins Behind a Kyle Hayton Shutout, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Stats to Consider Including Allen's Shutout History and More

Playing without top goalie C.J. Motte who had started the last 20 games for Allen and Zach Pochiro, who is the ECHL leader in goals, the Americans beat the Thunder in Wichita by a score of 2-0 last night. A crowd of 2847 at Intrust Bank Arena watched rookie goalie Kyle Hayton, starting his first game since December 16, beat Wichita with a 33 save shutout.


- After a scoreless first period, the game winning goal was scored by Riley Bourbonnais at the 7:13 mark of the second period. It was a shorthanded goal assisted by Joel Chouinard and Dante Salituro. It was Riley's 13 goal of the season. Bourbonnais leads Allen with three shorthanded and he has scored all three in the last eight games. He is now tied for fifth in the ECHL in shorthanded goals.


- Alex Breton scored an insurance goal for Allen at the 6:53 mark of the third period. Alex jumped into the play from the point, found open space in the slot, took a great pass from Curt Gogol who was behind the net and put the puck in the net. It was Breton's ninth goal of the season to go along with 22 assists. Alex is now tied for third in points (31) among all ECHL defensemen.


- You can't say enough about the shutout effort of Kyle Hayton. To go almost two months without a start and just 20 minutes of cleanup action since December 16 and then stop all 33 shots last night was remarkable. He certainly deserved his recognition as the #1 star of the game. It has to be very difficult going so long without any game time but when called on he was ready. Job well done!


- Allen's penalty kill unit was perfect last night (0-3) and also had a shorthanded goal. The Americans have not allowed a power play goal in the last four games against Wichita (0-13). Allen was 0-3 on the power play but still has a big advantage going 7-18 (38.9%) in the last four games against the Thunder. The Americans have won four in a row against the Thunder (three of them in Wichita) and have outscored Wichita 21-9 in those four games.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/americans-and-kyle-hayton-shut-out-wichita-2-0/


- Here is the game recap issued by the Wichita Thunder: https://www.wichitathunder.com/news/press-release/hayton-americans-shut-down-thunder.html    


- Here are the video highlights of the two Allen goals and a lot of great saves by both goalies:

- The Americans headed home right after the game and will spend one night in their own bed before they board the bus again on Thursday and head to Kansas City where they will play the Mavericks on Friday night (7:05 pm).



OTHER COMMENTS

- With the win in Wichita last night Allen moved to within five points of sixth place Rapid City. Allen has played two more games than the Rush.


- The good news is Allen is only nine points behind Kansas City for the fourth and final playoffs spot and will have the chance to gain ground on the Mavericks when they go head to head on Friday. The bad news is Kansas City has played only 43 games compared to 51 for the Americans. You don't see a team have eight games in hand very often.


- Allen has now earned at least one point in 11 of their last 13 games. In those 13 games going back to January 11 the Americans have earned 18 of a possible 26 points for a winning percentage of .692.


- Riley Bourbonnais scored his third shorthanded goal of the season last night and it was Allen's seventh shorty this year. Wheeling and Kalamazoo lead the ECHL with 13 shorthanded goals. The Americans have only allowed two shorthanded goal all season. Only Adirondack with one shorty has fewer.


- Allen has been slowly improving their goals allowed average. The Americans were in last place for a long time giving up over four goals per game. They have improved that average to 3.63 per game and are now ranked #24. Over the last 15 games Allen's goals allowed average has been 2.93.


DID YOU KNOW: Allen has four shutouts this season (3 by Motte & 1 by Hayton) with 21 games remaining. Last season the Americans had no shutouts. The most shutouts Allen has had since joining the ECHL was nine in 2016-17. Riley Gill led the ECHL in shutouts that year with seven. Here are the shutouts by season:

4 - 2018-19: Motte (3), Hayton (1)
0 - 2017-18
9 - 2016-17: Gill (7), Murray (2)
4 - 2015-16: Gill (2), Rumpel (2)
2 - 2014-15: Gill (1), Dell (1)  

Allen vs Wichita Game Preview, Roster Update Including Who's In, Who's Out & Who May Be Returning, Gary Steffes Gets Married and Dire Playoff Picture

The Allen Americans have two road trips this week which means a lot of bus time. The team left yesterday for the 360 mile trip to Wichita. After the Americans play the Thunder tonight they will head back to Allen, take the day off on Wednesday, get back on the bus on Thursday for the 475 mile trip to Kansas City, play the Mavericks Friday night and return to Allen after the game. You add it all up and you have around 28 hours of bus time in 90 hours for two away games.

- The good news is after theses two road games the Americans will spend 52 of the next 53 days at home. One same day road trip to Tulsa is the only time the team will spend away from Allen between February 9 and April 4.



ROSTER UPDATE

- There are a lot of moving parts related to the roster so here is a run down of what is happening with the team.

C.J. Motte - Motte was recalled by Iowa yesterday and the hope is he will not be gone a long time but you just never know. That means Kyle Hayton will carry the load for Allen, starting with the game tonight in Wichita. Thomas Hodges accompanied the team on the trip and will be the EBUG (emergency backup goalie). Hayton has appeared in 13 games for Allen and has a record of 2-8-0-0. His GAA is 3.79 and save percentage is .886. Kyle played the third period the last time Allen was in Wichita (January 13) after the Americans took a 8-1 lead after the second period. Hayton's last start was on December 16.

Throwers - Dalton and Josh are not with the team. They were given permission to travel home (British Columbia) to take care of a family matter.

Emerson Clark - Clark did not travel with the team to Wichita and is not expected to make the trip to Kansas City on Thursday.

Thomas Frazee - Frazee hasn't played since the end of November and will be out for the remainder of the season.

Kevin Sundher - Sundher has been out of the lineup since the beginning of January but is getting closer to returning.

Casey Pierro-Zabotel - Casey will not play again this season but did hit a milestone yesterday. For the first time since he was injured in early November and had a season ending surgery he was back on the ice as a coach yesterday. He is a one armed coach at this point and he said he felt wobbly skating for the first time in over three months but it was great to see him back on the ice.

Gary Steffes - You may have heard that Gary got married this weekend so congrats to him and his bride (Michelle). Gary and Michelle will be moving back to Texas. Coach Martinson reports he and Gary have had discussions about the possibility of Steffes coming out of retirement to join the Americans. Nothing has been decided at this point but discussions are ongoing.



ALLEN VS WICHITA GAME PREVIEW

- The game tonight will be number 10 of 14 against Wichita this season. In their nine previous meetings Allen's record against Wichita is 5-2-0-2. Allen swept Wichita three straight games the last time they played (January 11, 12, 13) winning 7-3 at home before beating the Thunder 4-3 and 8-3 in Wichita.


- Head to head Allen has the edge in goals (39-31) and shots (321-316). The Americans are ranked #21 in the ECHL in shots, averaging just over 30 per game but against Wichita have averaged 36 shots per game.


- Allen dominated special teams in the three games they played against Wichita in January. The Americans were 7-15 (46.7%) on the power play and 100% on the penalty kill (0-10). It is hard to expect those kind of stats tonight but if Allen can win the special teams battle it will go a long way in securing a win. If you look at season long special team stats these team are fairly close. At home the Thunder are at 20.0% on the power play and 79.1% on the penalty kill. On the road Allen is 18.4% on the power play and 84.0% on the penalty kill.


- Allen has been playing better hockey but has struggled over the last 10 games losing in overtime four times. The Americans record in the last 10 games is 4-2-4-0. Wichita's record over their last 10 games is 4-5-1-0.


- Penalties will play a big part in the game tonight. With these team's history you never know what will transpire. In their nine head to head match ups this season they have had as few as nine penalties for a combined 18 minutes and as many as 33 penalties for 112 minutes. What is true is 36% (9 of 25) of Allen's fights this season have been against Wichita.


- Two of the best rookie defensemen in the ECHL will be in action tonight. Wichita's Keoni Texeira has 31 points (5G 26A) to rank #3 among ECHL defensemen and Allen's Alex Breton ranks #4 with 30 points (8G, 22A).


- The referee schedule for the game tonight is Stephen Reneau (#17) and the linesmen will be Chris Provost (#50) and Addison Brush (#80).



OTHER COMMENTS

- It is a light schedule around the ECHL tonight with four games on the schedule. The only other Mountain Division action is Tulsa at Kansas City. The Mavericks are chasing the Oilers for third place in the division.


- I mentioned above that Gary Steffes got married this weekend in California. Here is a photo from the wedding. Thanks to the Allen fan that sent the photo and to Gary for saying it was okay to share.

Gary & Michelle Steffes

- Atlanta is ranked #25 in the ECHL in points but has the top power play in the league at. 23.7%. Indy is ranked #12 in the league in points but is #1 in penalty kill percentage at 87.0. The best overall special teams leader is Utah, their combined power play and penalty kill percentage is 108.0%. Anything above 105% is considered excellent. Anything below 100% is considered poor. Allen's combined percentage is 100.7%


DID YOU KNOW: If Allen wins all their remaining 22 games they would finish with 80 points. Here are the number of points it took to make the playoffs in Allen's division since they joined the ECHL.

76 points - 2017-18
79 points - 2016-17
84 points - 2015-16
80 points - 2014-15

Where Are They Now - Tobias Whelan

Today we continue the "Where Are They Now" series by catching  up with one of the players from the 2009-2010 team who played a key role in the Americans first year playoff run to the Central Hockey League (CHL) championship finals. Tobias "Wheels" Whelan was a speedy two way player and a great penalty killer. He played two seasons in Allen (2009-11) and totaled 86 points (35G, 51A) in 117 games. He was the second captain of the Allen Americans.

Tobias Whelan

 
Tobias grew up in Orillia, Ontario and was drafted by the Ontario Hockey League Oshawa Generals when he was 16. He played for Oshawa for four years (2000-2004) and was captain of the team in his last year, a position he would also have with the Allen Americans. He then went on to play for Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration.

The best way to give you an idea of what Tobias was like as a player and leader is to quote some of those that have coached and known him.

As he left Oshawa to head to college at Lakehead University his coach, George Burnett said, "Tobias, your development as a player, leader, captain, but more importantly, as a young man, have made everyone here in Oshawa very proud," wrote Burnett. "You have represented the Generals on the ice, in our community and around the Ontario Hockey League with class and set an excellent example for all to follow."


A profile written as he was graduating from Lakehead University said: "The Orillia, Ontario native is known as a very cerebral hockey player and his intelligence showed in his play.  Strong on the faceoff, able to play tenacious defense, play on both the penalty and power play units, and supply the team with offense; Whelan could do it all."


Tommy Daniels, the voice of the Allen Americans had this to say about Tobias:

"Tobias Whelan was a true leader and the type of player every coach wants on his hockey team. Whelan could play on any line for Allen and fit right in. You could use him with the scoring line and many nights Coach Mullins would have him centering our checking line. He scored many big goals for the Americans in his two years with the team. He wasn’t a big guy but boy he played with the biggest heart. His speed and grit made him a true two way player."


Bill "Macker" McDonald who was the Associate Coach of the Americans in the early years recruited many players for Allen and Tobias was one of them. McDonald recalls first hearing about Tobias from Allen goalie Chris Whitley who he also recruited. Tobias and Chris played together at Lakehead.  Here is what Macker had to say about Whelan, "Tobias was a great player and great leader for the Americans. You could put him on the ice in any situation and you knew he would be successful. He was a hard worker who led by example. The fact that he was named captain of the team tells you all you need to know about his leadership skills. He was a pleasure to have on the team."
 

Here is an update from Tobias in his own words:

Can you give us an update on you and your family?
After professional hockey (2011) Lindsay and I returned to our hometown, Orillia, Ontario which is just north of Toronto. Orillia is surrounded by two lakes and is the home of our parents, siblings, extended family and friends.

I work at Freedom 55 Financial as a Director and Financial Advisor. Lindsay works for the provincial government’s social services department.

We have three children; Henry is six, Violet is four and Norah is two. Our dog Sadie, a Husky/Shepard mix, is 12 years old and has seen us through it all.

The Whelan Family - Lindsay and Tobias with their three beautiful children, Norah, Violet, Henry plus pet Sadie

What involvement do you have in hockey?
I am still very involved in hockey. I am the Skill Development coach for the local AAA organization (North Central Predators) and also spend time on the bench with their Major Atom team (nine & ten years old). I also provide skills development for Orillia Minor Hockey's Initiation Program. I am co-founder of Orillia Hockey Academy and I am also the proud coach of my children's hockey and lacrosse teams.

Tobias, the hockey coach

What are your hobbies/interests now that you no longer play professional hockey?
Professional hockey may be over but that doesn't mean there is much time for new hobbies or interests. A lot of our time is now spent entertaining our kids' interests which still find us spending a lot of time at the arena. When I do find time I still enjoy hunting, boating and the occasional concert with Lindsay.




Can you share something about your experience playing in Allen?
Allen was a great city to live in and play hockey. The organization treated its players really well and the fans were very supportive. I am looking forward to returning for the alumni game.




What was your highlight, fondest memory of your time in Allen?
I have a lot of great memories from my first year in Allen. We had a really good group of guys and a great team. Making it all the way to the finals was definitely a highlight. 

Tobias circa 2010

Who were your closest teammates in Allen? Who do you still stay in touch with? Any stories you can share?
Like I said we had a great group of guys who were all really close. The stories that jump out at me, I thought were sacred, until Bruce Graham answered his "Where Are They Now" story questions (haha). All I can say is we had a lot of fun.


Most of us take the chance to see former teammates when we find ourselves in the same place at the same time. A couple of years ago Tyler Wooddisse, Justin Bowers and Nathan O'Nabigon and I found ourselves playing on the same Senior A hockey team, the Kenora Thistles.




My thanks to Lindsay and Tobias for taking the time to bring their Allen fans up to date.






DID YOU KNOW: After being the surprise team in the 2010 CHL playoffs and going all the way to the championship finals as a first year team the Allen Americans were a huge favorite in the 2011 playoffs. Allen finished the regular season with 97 points and a record of 47-16-3. They won their conference by 20 points over second place the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. However, the Mudbugs beat Allen in the Conference finals and went on to win the championship. Tobias Whelan set an all-time record in the 2011 playoffs for shorthanded goals. The Americans played 13 playoff games in 2011 and had a total of three shorthanded goals. Tobias had all three shorties. He also had six goals in the 13 playoff games which was tied for second on the team. He led the team in shooting percentage, scoring his six goals on just 23 shots (26.1%).
 

Another Overtime Loss to Idaho, Game Recap, Sporfie Highlights, Steve Martinson's Post Game Comments, Penalty Shots by the Numbers & More

Whenever there is a specialty jersey night combined with a large crowd at the Allen Event Center (AEC) you hear many long time Allen fans talk about the curse of such nights that leads to the Americans losing. The curse struck again last night as the Allen Americans lost 4-3 in overtime to the Idaho Steelheads before the largest crowd of the season (5373) on Star Wars Night.

As the “curse” typically does, it gave hope to Allen fans as the Americans scored on their first shot of the game and it came on a penalty shot by Alex Breton. Penalty shots are successful about one third of the time but the Americans are now 2-2 this season. Zach Pochiro scored on a penalty shot on January 11 against Wichita.


- Back to the curse. By scoring the first goal of the game Allen looked to win the game. After all, their winning percentage when they score first is .639 compared with .203 when they don’t score first.


- There were other signs that the curse would not prevail on Star Wars Night. Allen had the lead after the first period (2-1) and the Americans were getting more power play opportunities than they were giving up. Everything was going smoothly with a 3-2 Allen lead until an ill-advised crosschecking penalty late in the second period gave the curse the opportunity to strike back. Idaho scored to tie the score 3-3 with a scant 3.9 seconds remaining in the period.


- A scoreless third period followed and the curse definitely had Allen in its grasp as the teams headed to overtime. It took just 40 seconds of overtime for Idaho to score and prove once again the force wasn’t with the Americans on a specialty jersey night in front of a big crowd at the AEC.


- Here is a more traditional game recap from the Idaho Steelheads:   https://www.idahosteelheads.com/en/articles/steelheads-close-weekend-with-thrilling-4-3-ot-win





- The goal scorers for Allen were Alex Breton (8), Alex Ranger (6) and David Makowski (9). Here are the Sporfie highlights of the goals:

Alex Breton - A great start for Allen as Breton gets a penalty shot and converts. It was the Americans first shot of the game:








Alex Ranger - Chase Lang takes a shot and it trickles through the goalie. Alex along with an Idaho defensemen dive at the puck and with bodies and sticks flying it looks like the puck goes in the net off Ranger's skate. 











 David Makowski - David comes in from the point and is parked at the side of the net. He picks up the rebound and deflects the puck off the goalie's skate just inside the post.







- Here is the game winning overtime goal by Idaho. Tough to see the Steelheads make it look so easy given the Americans were playing a more conservative defensive group at the time.








STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS

- I had the chance to spend some time with coach Martinson after the game and he was really disappointed in the outcome of the game. The overtime was part of it since he deliberately put out two defensemen and a forward on the ice but Idaho skated right down and scored. Martinson's concerns were a lot more than the overtime. As he said, "We keep shooting ourselves in the foot and tonight again we took a retaliation penalty that cost us a goal at the end of the second period. I think we have a lot of agendas going on right now that are more important than winning." 



OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen has now lost six of their last eight games. Granted four of the losses were in overtime so they came away with a point but they will have to do better if they plan to move up in the standings. 


- With four overtime losses, three against Idaho, in the last eight games Allen is now 1-4 in overtimes and 3-2 in shootouts this season. 


- Two of Allen's five remaining road games take place this week with a game in Wichita on Tuesday and in Kansas City on Friday. These are must win games for Allen.


- Dante Salituro's assist streak came to an end last night. Dante had at least one assist in every Allen game since January 13. In nine games he had 13 points (3G, 10A). Salituro's nine game assist streak is tied for the longest in the ECHL this season.


- Alex Ranger had a goal last night and now has four goals in the last five games including three straight. Alex has a plus/minus of +4 over the last three games. 


- The Mountain Division winners last night were Idaho, Rapid City, and Wichita, The losers were Allen, Utah, Kansas City and Tulsa. The Americans are still the league leaders in games played (50) but are seven points out of sixth  place in the division, 10 points out of fifth place and 11 points from the fourth and final playoff spot.  



DID YOU KNOW: Alex Breton’s penalty shot goal at 3:24 of the first period was the earliest a penalty shot has been called all season. Here are a few facts about the ECHL penalty shots this season. There have been 34 penalty shots taken this season with 12 being successful for a success rate of 35.3%. Prior to last night the earliest a penalty shot was successful was the 11:33 mark of the second period. The penalty shots called by period vary widely. Here are penalty shot results by period with the success percentage:

1-3 (33.3%)   1st Period
4-11  (36.4%) 2nd Period
6-18  (33.3%) 3rd Period
0-2  (0.00%)   Overtime

Allen Loses 6-3, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Steve Martinson's Post Game Comments, Rubber Match Preview and More

The Allen Americans lost to the Idaho Steelheads 6-3 last night before a Friday night crowd of 4015 at the Allen Event Center. The game was closer than the final score because of two empty net goals late in the game by the Steelheads.


- The Americans missed all of the keys to the game. They gave up the first goal of the game and the second goal of the game just 12 seconds a part midway through the first period. Allen was out shot in every period for a game total of 35-24. The Americans couldn't stay out of the penalty box and spent almost a third of the game killing penalties. Allen was called for 11 infractions which led to eight Idaho power plays. The Steelheads were called for just six penalties which led to three Allen power plays.


- Despite the bad first period when Allen got down 2-0 and despite taking so many stick penalties the Americans had a chance to win the game. Zach Pochiro scored early in the second period on a power play goal but 17 seconds later Idaho answered back to take a 3-1 lead. Then it was Allen's turn as they scored two goals (Riley Bourbonnais shorthanded & Alex Ranger) in 51 seconds to tie the score 3-3. The summary was four goals in 158 seconds from the 1:06 mark to the 3:44 mark of the second period.


- Idaho took the lead for good at the 12:13 mark of the second period scoring a power play goal on yet another stick penalty by the Americans. Allen had 28 minutes to get the tying goal but came up short. Idaho closed out the scoring with two empty net goals (18:42 & 19:59) to make the final score 6-3 and snap Allen's three game home winning streak and hand the Americans just their second loss in regulation in the last month.


- Goal scorers for Allen were Zach Pochiro (26), Riley Bourbonnais (12) and Alex Ranger (5). All three goals came in 158 seconds early in the second period.


- Here is the game recap issued by the Idaho Steelheads: https://www.idahosteelheads.com/en/articles/steelheads-stand-strong-in-6-3-win-over-americans


- Here are the Sporfie highlights of the Allen goals:

Zach Pochiro - This is a play Allen fans have seen a lot this season. The Americans are on the power play, Asuchak wins the faceoff and the  play ends with the patented Pochiro one timer. This was Zach's 11th power play goal and his 26th goal of the season, both tops in the ECHL.

  



Riley Bourbonnais - Riley's second shorthanded goal of the season, he beats the goalie under his stick side arm.




 
Alex Ranger -- Notice how Ranger is all by himself in the offensive zone with the other four Allen players outside the blue line making a shift change. There was some controversy as to whether the puck went in the net but the referee called it a good goal immediately.







- Here are the video highlights which includes, the goals, close calls, big hits and a skirmish:

 



STEVE MARTINSON'S POST GAME COMMENTS

"We made a couple of weak plays to start the game and dug ourselves a 2-0 hole. The second goal was kind of crazy. We passed the puck "D" to "D" right to Idaho and I not sure what we were doing when the puck went up in the air."

"On their third goal our defenseman is up at the top of the circle and we didn't defend the front of the net very well, it was the same guys making mistakes."

"We had a lack of discipline with all of the penalties, especially the ones in our offensive zone. It is obvious individual stuff is more important to some players than what it takes to win."

"I was disappointed in our offensive production tonight. There are times when we just need to get the puck in and go to work. We struggle to play that way consistently but when we do we are successful."

"We took another step backward tonight and we have to go out and play a smarter game tomorrow night."

"I am coaching to win until the last game of the season, my focus is the rest of this season, not next season. I want to win every game and I want a team that plays hard. If guys aren't buying into that I will move them."

"I am not going to be all doom and gloom because we have been playing better. But we don't have any room to play the way we did tonight given where we are in the standings."



ALLEN VS IDAHO GAME PREVIEW


- Tonight is the last game of the season against Idaho and Allen has a chance to go 2-1 in the three games this week and also finish the six games against Idaho with a record of 2-1-2-0.


- The keys to victory remain the same and Allen needs to do the opposite of what they did last night. The Americans have to get off to a better start. Last night Idaho scored first and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. The Steelheads are 17-4-1-1 when they scored first and 12-1-1-1 when they have a first period lead.


- It is imperative the Americans avoid stick penalties and stay out of the penalty box. They can't give up eight power plays like they did last night and expect to win. It will be the same officiating crew tonight as last night so players should know what to expect. Allen has had the better power play unit in the head to head games against Idaho (27.8% vs 11.5%)  but when you give up eight power plays and only have three of your own that advantage is offset.


- The most shots Allen has managed in their five games against Idaho is 30. The shots on goal have been 30, 29, 26, 23, 24. That is an average of 26 shots per game. Idaho is averaging 36 shots per game against Allen. In their two wins Allen kept the shots close (30-30 & 28-23) but in the three loses they were out shot by 16, 16 and 11 shots. Bottom line is Allen needs to keep the shots close if they expect to win tonight.


- I am sure it sounds like a broken record to the players as often as coach Martinson brings it up but avoiding costly turnovers and getting the puck in deep has been the key to success recently. Trying to make plays in the neutral zone and turning the puck over, rather than getting it in deep, is the type of individual play Martinson talks about when players care more about themselves than the team.   


- If you didn't like the officiating crew last night you won't like them tonight because it will be the same group. The referee tonight is Steven Rouillard (#3) and the linesmen will be Jordan Solomon (#78) and Aaron Schacht (#31).



OTHER COMMENTS

- Since Riley Bourbonnais arrived in Allen just before Christmas he has quietly become the most efficient and effective player on the team. Riley has 18 points (8G, 10A) in 19 games. He has played in all situations and is an excellent defensive player and penalty killer. Bourbonnais leads the Americans  in plus/minus with a +8. The only other player on the team in plus territory is Alex Ranger at +1. At the other end of the spectrum are eight players who have a plus/minus of between -10 and -30.


- Garrett Clarke was traded to Fort Wayne yesterday for future considerations. I often get asked what future considerations mean. The answer is it can mean whatever the two teams involved agree to. Most often trades are for a player and/or cash. The futures could involve a specific player to be named later, it could be choosing from a list of players at a later date or it could be an agreement to try and agree on a player at the deadline and if there is no agreement the deal becomes a cash transaction. It can be any combination and is only limited by what the teams agree to. I have even seen future considerations be I will do a favor for you in the future with no more specificity than that.


- The Mountain Division winners last night were Tulsa, Utah, Idaho and Kansas City who happen to be the top four teams in the division. The losers were Allen, Wichita and Rapid City who are the bottom three teams in the division. Here are the current Mountain Division standings based on winning percentage with games remaining in parentheses.

.659 - Utah 28 games remaining)
.656 - Idaho (27 games)
.604 - Tulsa (24 games)
.560 - Kansas City (30 games)
.489 - Wichita (27 games)
.427 - Rapid City (24 games)
.356 - Allen (23 games)


- Here is another way to look at Allen making the playoffs. If fourth place Kansas City plays their remaining 30 games at their current pace (.560) they will end up with 80 points. If Allen goes undefeated in their 23 remaining games they will have 81 points. If Kansas City goes 10-20 over their last 30 games Allen will have to have a record of 16-8 to catch the Mavericks.



DID YOU KNOW: It is rare for the Kelly Cup champion to have a regular season winning percentage below .650. It has only happened once in the last five years. Here are the six ECHL teams that have winning percentages above .650. It is highly likely the 2019 Kelly Cup champion will come from the this list.

.744 - Florida
.738 - Cincinnati
.698 - Newfoundland
.670 - Toledo
.659 - Utah
.656 - Idaho

The Stats Explain the Allen Turn Around, Allen vs Idaho Preview, Salituro Assist Streak, Mountain Division Action & Allen's Shooting Percentage in Perspective

It is game day as the Allen Americans take on the Idaho Steelheads tonight (7:05 pm) in the second of their three game series.


-Before discussing the game tonight I want to share some stats that describe the turnaround that has taken place by the Americans in the last month. The most important stat is the record and prior to January 1st Allen's record was 8-26-0-2. In January the Americans record was 7-2-3-0.


- Here are a few stats comparing the Americans January performance and their performance from October through December. 


Goals - Allen averaged 4.0 goals per game and allowed 2.83 goals per game in the month of January. In October, November and December the Americans averaged 2.44 goals per game and allowed 3.92 goals per game. That is a goal differential of +1.17 after January 1st compared to -1.48 before.

Power Play - Allen's power play percentage in January was 27.7% (13-47). Prior to January 1st the power play percentage was 15.0% (23-153).

Penalty Kill - Allen's penalty kill percentage in January was 86.5% (7-52). Prior to January 1st the penalty kill percentage was 82.0% (34-189).

Shots - In January Allen averaged 28.8 shots per game while allowing their opponents 34.2 shots per game. Prior to January 1st Allen averaged 31.4 shots per game while allowing 36.75 shots per game.


-  It is very clear from looking at the stats above why Allen has played so well in January. They are scoring more and allowing fewer goals, the power play is much improved and the penalty kill is better. The one stat that is surprising is shots. Allen is allowing fewer shots per game but they are also taking fewer shots than earlier in the season. How can the offense be so much more productive yet the Americans are taking fewer shots. The answer is two fold. First, C.J. Motte had a better save percentage in January (.919) than prior to January (.912). However, the big difference has been in shooting percentage. The first three months of the season Allen had 88 goals on 1131 shots for a shooting percentage of 7.8%. In January Allen had 48 goals on 345 shots for a shooting percentage of 13.8%. The Americans are taking fewer shots but converting at a much higher rate.



GAME PREVIEW

 - The head to head stats in the four games against Idaho start with the Americans record of 2-0-2-0 which is excellent given Idaho is the top team in the Mountain Division. Allen has a 12-11 edge in goals but the Steelheads have the advantage in shots (144-108). In the two Allen wins the shots were close (58-53) but in the two overtime losses the Americans were out shot 86-55. Keeping the shot total close is a key in the game tonight.


-  When Allen plays well they do a good job of reducing turnovers and getting the puck in deep. Coach Martinson mentions this every time he is interviewed. If the Americans can accomplish this goal tonight they will keep the shots on goal down for Idaho and up for Allen which will give them a great chance of winning.

 
- Something to watch in the game tonight is whether there will be carryover of the bad blood from the game in Idaho on January 18 that resulted in suspensions for Allen's Zach Pochiro (2 games), Curt Gogol (5 games), Emerson Clark (5 games) and Idaho's Kale Kessy (10 games). With Gogol and Clark back in the lineup tonight you can be assured Allen will be hard to play against. The question is how will the Steelheads respond. Idaho is ranked #1 in average penalty minutes per game (21.25) and Allen is ranked #3 (20.92).


- Special teams will be a factor in the game tonight and that starts with staying out of the penalty box unless you take someone with you. In the first four games Allen is 4-15 (26.7%) on the power play while Idaho is 2-18 (11.1%) so the Americans have the advantage as long as they don't take a bunch more penalties than Idaho.


- Scoring first has not been important in the four previous games between Allen and Idaho. In three of the four games, including Allen's win in Wednesday, the team that scored first lost the game. With that said the odds remain very high the team that scores first tonight will win the game.


- Keep an eye on #15 Dante Salituro tonight. If he gets an assist in the game he will tie the ECHL's longest assist streak this season, nine straight games.



- The referee scheduled tonight is Steven Rouillard (#3) and the linesmen will be Jordan Solomon (#78) and Aaron Schacht (#31)



OTHER COMMENTS

- Allen has won their last three home games after starting the season 3-11-0-0 at home. With the three straight home wins the Americans have raised their home winning percentage to .353. That is still lower than the road winning percentage (.371) but it is headed in the right direction. Just to get to .500 at home for the season, Allen will have to have a record of 12-7 over their remaining 19 home games.


- Three Mountain Division teams will be playing teams outside the division tonight. Tulsa is at Toledo, Rapid City is at Cincinnati and Kansas City hosts South Carolina. These will all be tough games for the Mountain Division teams who have not fared well in inter divisional play this season. In other action, in addition to Idaho at Allen, the Utah Grizzlies visit the Wichita Thunder. Here is the ECHL Today with a short preview of all 11 games on tap tonight. https://www.echl.com/en/news/2019/2/echl-today-feb-1 


- If you haven't seen the full highlight package from Allen's 4-2 win on Wednesday here it is with all of the goals and some great saves by both goalies:

DID YOU KNOW: One of the big reasons for Allen's resurgence in the month of January was their shooting percentage of  13.8%. It is only one month but here is how it compares to prior seasons. Here are the team shooting percentages since the Americans joined the ECHL.

13.8%   2018-19 (January)
7.8%     2018-19 (October - December)
10.5%   2017-18
12.9%   2016-17
10.6%   2015-16
12.2%   2014-15