Kansas City, Missouri – The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), earned a split on their two-game road trip beating the Kansas City Mavericks on Sunday afternoon 5-4 in front of 3,420 fans at Cable Dahmer Arena.
The Americans never trailed in this game jumping out to a 3-0 first period lead. Grant Hebert (1), his first professional goal, Liam Finlay (13), and Chad Butcher provided the offense in the opening period.
The Americans added to the lead in the second period as Jared Bethune scored his third of the season on the power play to put the Americans up 4-0. The team was cruising along until the final three minutes of the period when Kansas City scored three goals in less than three minutes to cut the lead to 4-3. The Mavericks nearly tied the game in the final seconds of the period, but Luke Peressini denied their chance making it 4-3 after two periods.
The Americans regained their two-goal lead in the third when Colton Hargrove and Hank Crone teamed up for Crone’s 19th of the season. Kansas City cut the lead to 5-4 with a power play goal but couldn’t get any closer. The Americans held on for the victory finishing the weekend with a 1-1 record.
Postgame Quotes:
Chad Costello: “We had a bad stretch late in the second period. While you never want to see that happen, we were pleased to get the bounce back goal in the third and get two big points on the road.”
Grant Hebert: “It was nice to get that first one and put it behind me. If you get that goal and lose the game, it doesn’t mean as much, so getting the goal along with a win makes it a little sweeter.”
Three Stars:1. ALN – L. Finlay2. ALN – H. Crone3. KC – J. McKenna