Barry the Blogger – Allen vs Utah Series Preview

The Allen Americans are presented with a great opportunity with three games in the next four days at home against the Utah Grizzlies. The series kicks off tonight followed by games on Friday and Saturday. Statistically these teams are very close. Here are a few examples:

• Allen’s record is 2-3-0-0 (.400), Utah’s record in 4-3-0-0 (.571). If Allen wins tonight the teams will have identical .500 points percentages.
• Allen has scored and allowed the same number of goals (13), which is an average of 2.6 per game. Utah has also scored and allowed the same number of goals (21), an average of 3.0 per game.
• Power Play Percentage: Allen 19.0% vs Utah 20.0%
• Penalty Kill Percentage: Allen 78.6% vs Utah 77.8%

– Unless somebody shows up hurt or sick this morning, the Americans will have a full squad for the game tonight. With Jared Bethune playing forward, Allen will have 10 forwards and seven defensemen. Luke Peressini will start in goal and Logan Flodell, will be the backup.

– The Americans are ranked #2 in the ECHL in shots allowed per game (24.0). The good news is Allen gave up only six goals in its last three games. The bad news is in those same three games the Americans managed to score just five goals and lost two of the three games. If Allen is going to be successful in this three-game series against Utah, the Americans will have to convert on more of their scoring opportunities.

– Scoring first and maintaining an early lead will be key for the Americans. This season, Allen is 2-0 in games they scored first and 0-3 in games they gave up the first goal. Allen has not lost when they have had a first or second period lead and haven’t won when the have trailed after the first or second period.

– Utah defensemen, Andrew Nielsen (#44) was just selected as the ECHL Player of the Week. He had six assists in Utah’s 7-3 win over Kansas City last Saturday. The six assists is tied for the second most assists in a single game in ECHL history. Nielsen leads all ECHL defensemen in scoring with 11 points (1G, 10A).

– Jack Combs will be looking to extend a couple of streaks tonight. Jack has a point in all five of Allen’s games and has a three-game goal scoring streak. Allen has scored a total five goals in the last three games, Combs has scored three of them.

– The referee scheduled tonight is #30 Yannick Jobin-Manseau. Don’t think he has ever worked an Allen game.

OTHER COMMENTS

– There are only three games in the ECHL tonight. In addition to Utah at Allen, Idaho (6-1-0-0) is at Rapid City (2-5-0-0) and Wheeling is at Toledo. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews:  https://www.echl.com/en/news/2022/11/echl-today-nov-9

– In the last five seasons, Allen’s record at home against Utah is 11-6-2-1. Last season the teams played five times and Utah won all five. Two of the games were in Allen and both went to overtime.

– By my calculation Utah has seven NHL/AHL assigned players, Allen has two.

–  Scott Conway, who played in Allen in 2020-21 is having another great season in Europe playing for the Belfast Giants in the EIHL. They have several different competitions, but if you add them all together Conway has played in 23 games and has 36 points (20G, 16A). Clearly the highest scoring former player in Europe.

DID YOU KNOW: Here is the ECHL Stats post for today. FYI, Spencer Asuchak has the most goals by an Allen player since 2019-20 with 55.Most goals scored by current ECHL players since the 2019-20 season:77 – Spencer Watson, Indy76 – Brandon Hawkins, Toledo76 – Blake Winiecki, Florida70 – Andrew Cherniwchan, South Carolina60 – Joe Pendenza, Florida59 – Stefan Fournier, Wichita

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