Allen Shutout First Time in 126 games, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Standings Update Including Remaining Games and More

The Allen Americans felt the full effect of the ECHL’s best offense (4.07 goals per game) and best defense (2.14 goals per game) last night. Idaho poured in five goals while handing the Allen Americans their first shutout of the season. The 5-0 win before a home crowd of 5270 at the Idaho Central Arena was the 25th straight sellout for the Steelheads. Idaho improved its home record to 25-3-0-0 with its 12th straight home win.

– It didn’t take long for the game to go south last night. Idaho scored on its first shot on goal just 71 seconds after the opening puck drop and never looked back. Idaho outshot Allen in every period and outscored Allen in every period. The Steelheads had a 2-0 lead after the first period and a 3-0 lead after the second period. It didn’t look good going into the third period considering Idaho’s home record with a second period lead is a prefect 22-0-0-0.

– Allen’s attempt at a third period comeback went nowhere. Idaho’s smothering defense limited Allen to just four shots in the third period and the Americans lone power play turned into a shorthanded goal for the Steelheads.

– Allen was held to 21 shots in the game while Idaho scored five goals on 33 shots. Five different players scored goals for Idaho who has 14 players with 10+ goals. In contrast Allen has five players with 10+ goals.

– Here are the game recaps from both teams:

Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-shutout-by-idaho-5-0/

Idaho Steelheads: https://www.idahosteelheads.com/en/articles/steelheads-pick-up-their-ninth-shutout-of-the-season-improving-home-win-streak-to-twelve-games

– Here is the video highlight package from the Idaho Steelheads. You can see some of the defensive breakdowns that led to the Idaho goals. https://www.echl.com/en/video/2023/3/allen-americans-vs-idaho-steelheads—mar-11-2023-pavrIiJw

– The team will travel back to Allen today and get ready for another huge week. The Americans will be literally playing for a playoff spot when Utah comes to town for games on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The loser of the series will likely end the week outside of a playoff position. Can’t get much more important than that.

OTHER COMMENTS

– Matt Register has played great against the Americans at all of his stops since leaving Allen. From the playoffs in Colorado to this season in Idaho. Zane Franklin has done the same. In five games against Allen this season Idaho is 5-0. Register leads the Steelheads in points against the Americans with eight assists in the five games. Franklin leads Idaho in goals against Allen and has six points (4G, 2A). Allen fans will have the opportunity to get reacquainted with Register and Franklin when Idaho visits Allen for three games on March 22, 24 and 25.

– Cincinnati beat Tulsa 4-1 last night and became the third team to qualify for the Kelly Cup playoffs. The Cyclones join Toledo and Idaho as the first three of 16 teams that will qualify for the playoffs. Many of the playoff spots will not be decided until the last week of the regular season which ends on April 16.

– With the loss last night Allen is now tied with Utah for the final playoff position in the Mountain Division. The Grizzlies play Kansas City at home this afternoon with a chance to push Allen out of a playoff position. Kansas City at Utah are the only Mountain Division teams in action today.

– Here are the standings by points for the five teams competing for three playoff spots with the team’s remaining schedule:

60 points: Kansas City (15 games remaining, 6H, 9A)

• at Utah today
• 5 games against Tulsa (2H, 3A)
• 3 games at Idaho
• 2 games against Wichita (1H, 1A)
• 2 home games against Cincinnati
• 1 game at Allen
• 1 home game against Rapid City

59 points: Wichita (13 games remaining, 5H, 8A)

• 3 games at Iowa
• 3 games at Utah
• 2 games against Allen (1H, 1A)
• 2 games against Kansas City (1H, 1A)
• 2 home games against Rapid City
• 1 home game against Tulsa

57 points: Allen (16 games remaining, 11H, 5A)

• 3 games at home against Utah
• 3 games at home against Idaho
• 3 games at Rapid City
• 3 games at home against Savannah
• 2 games against Wichita (1H, 1A)
• 1 game at Tulsa
• 1 game at home against Kansas City

57 points: Utah (16 games remaining, 11H, 5A)

• at home against Kansas City today
• 3 games at Allen
• 3 games at home against Cincinnati
• 3 games at home against Wichita
• 3 games against Idaho (1H, 2A)
• 3 games at home against Tulsa

53 points: Rapid City (15 games remaining, 9H, 6A)

• 3 games at home against Tulsa
• 3 games at Fort Wayne
• 3 home games against Allen
• 3 home games against Idaho
• 2 games at Wichita
• 1 game at Kansas City

– A few things standout when looking at the information above:

• Allen and Utah have the most games remaining (16) so more opportunities to earn points and the remaining games are mostly at home (11).
• Kansas City (9 of 15) and Wichita (8 of 13) have the most road games remaining and have poor road records. Wichita is 8-19-1-0 (.304) and Kansas City is 9-17-0-1 (.352). FYI, the best road points percentage of the group is Utah (.532) followed by Allen (.484).
•  Wichita is the only team done playing Idaho. The other four teams play the Steelheads three times. Kansas City has to play its three games at Idaho.
•  Teams outside the division will have a say on who makes the playoffs. Kansas City plays Cincinnati twice at home, Allen plays Savannah three times at home, Utah plays Cincinnati three times at home and Rapid City visits Fort Wayne for three games. Only Wichita has all remaining games within the division.

– You have to go back to opening night last season to find the last time the Allen Americans were shutout prior to last night. On October 23, 2021, Allen was shutout 7-0 by Wichita. That is a total of 126 games between shutouts for the American.

– Allen gave up a shorthanded goal last night after scoring a shorthanded goal on Friday. The Americans have now scored six shorthanded goals this season and allowed six shorthanded goals. That is a big improvement over last season when Allen scored seven shorthanded goals but allowed a league high 20 shorthanded goals.

The three teams that have clinched playoff spots happen to be the hottest teams in the ECHL right now. Led by Toledo with a winless streak of 17-0-0-1 and followed by Cincinnati with a streak of 13-0-1-1. The third playoff team, Idaho, is 9-1-0-0 over the last 10 games. The Western Conference playoffs will be something to watch this season.

DID YOU KNOW: There were 2 shootouts in the ECHL last night and all four goalies shined:– Savannah goalie Michael Bullion and Jacksonville goalie Parker Gahagen both recorded shutouts, allowing no goals in 60 minutes of regulation and seven minutes of overtime. It took 18 shooters in the shootout before Savannah won the game 1-0.– Kansas City goalie Shane Starrett and Utah goalie Trent Minor combined to stopped 15 straight shooters in the shootout before Utah scored in round eight to win the game.