Getaway Day for the Allen Americans, Belleville Assigns Defenseman Zachary Massicotte, EBUG Needed Friday, Historical Record Against Wichita

It’s getaway day for the Allen Americans. The team will practice late this morning and then jump on the bus for the six-hour trip to Wichita where the Americans will take on the Thunder Friday night (7:05 pm). Some good news and bad news related to the roster yesterday. The good news was Belleville loaned rookie defenseman Zachary Massicotte to Allen, and he will play in Wichita. The bad news is goalie Logan Flodell will not accompany the team to Wichita so the Americans will be using an EBUG. Under an abundance of caution, it was decided it is best for Flodell to stay in Allen and rest a slight injury.

– Allen will have a full lineup of 19 players for the game in Wichita but the mix is different. An EBUG, eight defensemen and nine forwards. Luckily Jared Bethune, who is listed as a defenseman as was intended to primarily play that position this season, has had to play forward a lot and will move up front. With Bethune playing forward the Americans will have seven defensemen and 10 forwards. Bethune has played forward for most of his career, so his flexibility has been very helpful this season. Here is the roster for the Wichita trip.Goalies

• #31 – Luke Peressini
• #1 – EBUG

Defensemen

• #3 – Ryan Gagnon
• #4 – Kris Myllari
• #5 – Nick Albano
• #23 – Colton Saucerman
• #24 – Dalton Skelly
• #49 – Zachary Massicotte
• #55 – Lord-Anthony Grissom

Forwards

• #7 – Colton Hargrove
• #10 – Jackson Leppard
• #15 – Liam Finlay
• #18 – Zach Pochiro
• #19 – Jared Bethune
• #21 – Jack Combs
• #29 – Nico Blachman
• #44 – Andrew Durham
• #58 – Marcel Godbout
• #67 – Hank Crone

ZACHARY MASSICOTTE PLAYER PROFILE

– Zachary Massicotte is a 21-year-old, 6’4″ rookie who weighs 216 pounds. The left shot defensemen spent the last four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) splitting time between Rimouski and Shawinigan. A native of Shawinigan, Quebec, last season (2021-22) Massicotte helped his hometown team, Shawinigan Cataractes, win the QMJHL championship.

Massicotte participated in the 2022 Prospects Challenge with the Quebec Senators where he had a goal and a fight. He was then invited to training camp as an amateur tryout player. On October 13 he signed his AHL deal.

Here are some facts and stats:

• 202 QMJHL games, 70 points (16G, 54A)
• +43 career plus/minus in QMJHL
• Alternate captain on companionship team in 2021-22
• Has yet to play in a professional game
• French is his first language
• He wore #89 in juniors, #39 in Belleville and will be #49 in Allen

OTHER COMMENTS

– There were only two games in the ECHL last night. Newfoundland was at Worcester and lost 4-3 in overtime. In the other game, Idaho beat Rapid City 3-2 at home. Idaho leads the Mountain Division with a record of 4-1-0-0. Allen will visit Idaho over Thanksgiving (November 24) with games on November 23, 25, 26. Allen has been scheduled out west (Idaho or Utah) over Thanksgiving in six of the nine years the Americans have been in the ECHL.

– I mentioned yesterday there are reports that the Ottawa Senators owners are beginning preparation to put the team up for sale. Here is a story about one of the potential bidders, actor Ryan Reynolds, should the team go up for sale:  https://nypost.com/2022/11/03/ryan-reynolds-eyeing-up-potential-ottawa-senators-purchase-report/

– Wichita goalie Strauss Mann who made 29 saves in the Thunder win over Allen on Saturday was named the ECHL Goalie of the Month for October.

– Allen and Wichita have always been rivals stemming from the Central Hockey League (CHL) days when both teams had hardnosed and skilled teams. The rivalry was solidified in the 2012-13 season when the teams met in the CHL finals, and the Americans won the championship in a come from behind overtime win in game seven. For the most part it has been a one-sided rivalry since the teams joined the ECHL in 2014-15. Allen has won two Kelly Cups, while Wichita has only made the playoffs twice. Allen’s ECHL regular season record against Wichita is now 74-26-8-3. That computes to a points percentage of .716.

DID YOU KNOW: Last night, in a battle of undefeated 5-0 teams, Worcester beat Newfoundland 4-3 in overtime. Worcester is now 6-0 and within two wins of the all-time record for wins to start an ECHL season:LONGEST WINNING STREAK FROM START OF SEASON8 – Trenton Titans, Oct. 12-26, 20018 – Dayton Bombers, Oct. 19-Nov. 4, 1994New franchise, Savannah Ghost Pirates, is the only other ECHL team still undefeated with a record of 4-0