Cyclones Sweep Allen, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Steve Martinson’s Comments, Which ECHL Division is the Best and More

The Allen series in Cincinnati ended yesterday as it began, with another disappointing loss to the Cyclones. Two goals by Cincinnati in the second period, just 68 seconds apart, gave the Cyclones a 3-1 lead and the game was essentially over.

– Rather than turning things around with four top notch players added to the lineup, Allen lost all three games in Cincinnati and finished 0-2-1-0. The Americans are now in last place by themselves in the Mountain Division with a points percentage below .500 (.490). Allen hasn’t had a points percentage below .500 this late in the season since 2018-19, the only season in franchise history when the Americans didn’t make the playoffs.

– I won’t bore you with all of the details but suffice it to say Allen once again gave up the first goal of the game and were chasing from that point. Allen never had a lead in the game, lost the special teams battle (Cincinnati was 2-4, Allen 0-4) and failed to score in the last half of the game. Allen managed just seven goals in the three games in this series, an average of 2.33 goals per game.

– All of Allen’s offense was provided by the Combs-Winquist-Troock line. Jack Combs scored both goals, his 16th and 17th of the season. Here are the video highlights: https://youtu.be/bxSXN9eks9I

– Game recap from the Allen Americans:  https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-swept-by-cyclones/

–  Game recap from the Cincinnati Cyclones: https://cycloneshockey.com/news/2022/02/andrusiak-s-3-point-game-leads-clones-to-sweep-of-allen

COACH’S CORNER WITH STEVE MARTINSON

“It was a frustrating weekend, losing three games with an improved lineup. We are making way too many basic, Hockey 101, defensive mistakes.”

“After traveling back to Allen today, we will be back at it tomorrow to get ready for Idaho on Friday and Saturday. We have to get this turned around, we have to be better.”

“D-Jay Jerome took a puck in the nose and needed some stitches but he should be okay for the weekend.”

“Canadian colleges are finishing the season and the playoffs have started. As teams get eliminated from the playoffs, some players will be looking to turn professional. As I do every season, I am recruiting some of these players. The top end players are waiting to see if they can get AHL deals, but others will come to the ECHL right away.”

“We will be a better team next weekend when we get Chad Butcher back. It will allow me to make some line changes that will make us stronger across all three lines.”

OTHER COMMENTS

– Allen spent most of the series in Cincinnati trying to come from behind. It was not a good position considering the Cyclones are the best team in the ECHL playing with a lead. Cincinnati hasn’t lost a game in regulation all season with a lead after the first or second period. The Cyclones are 12-0-2-0 when leading after the first period and 23-0-1-0 when leading after the second period.

– Allen has played better against Idaho than any other team in the Mountain Division even though the majority of the Americans wins have come against the bottom teams. Here is Allen’s record against each team in the division with the team’s point percentage in parenthesis:

• 6-6-0-0: Wichita (.500)
• 4-1-1-0: Idaho (.575)
• 4-3-0-1: Kansas City (.500)
• 2-3-2-0: Tulsa (.510)
• 2-3-0-0: Rapid City (.575)
• 0-2-2-0: Utah (.613)

– If you look at points percentages, the Mountain Division is the weakest division in the ECHL. Here are the top two teams in each division by points percentage:

NORTH

• .663 – Reading
• .625 – Newfoundland

SOUTH

• .653 – Jacksonville
• .642 – Florida

CENTRAL

• .719 – Toledo
• .602 – Wheeling

MOUNTAIN

• .613 – Utah
• .575 – Idaho

– The conventional wisdom is defense wins championships. The top seven ECHL teams in average goals allowed per game (all below 3.00) are in playoff spots. Just two of the bottom 10 in average goals allowed (all above 3.20) are in playoff positions.

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about teams playing outside the division. Allen’s record outside the Mountain Division is 3-3-1-0 with three games against Iowa remaining. The three wins were against Newfoundland.

How does each ECHL division do playing teams outside the division? Here is the points percentage and record for each division in games played outside the division. Is this a proxy for strength of division? It is not a balanced schedule, so probably not..659 – Central (42-20-3-4).596 – North (28-18-6-0).500 – Mountain (30-30-3-2).429 – South (21-29-5-1)

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