Game Day Preview: Americans looking for a weekend sweep

Dallas/Allen, Texas - The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), and Belleville Senators (AHL), face the Wichita Thunder this afternoon in the final game of a three-game weekend. The Americans beat Wichita on Saturday night 8-4. It’s Pucks-N-Paws Day in Allen.  Puck drop is at 2:10 PM.

Allen Americans Tonight: 

Pregame Show: 2:00 PM CST

Puck Drop: 2:10 PM CST

Watch Live: FLOHOCKEY.TV
Listen Live:  AMERICANS 24/7

On the Call: Tommy Daniels and Maurice Fitzgerald

Promotion: Pucks-N-Paws

Next Home Game: 3/9/24 vs. Kansas City, 7:10 PM CST

First Period Eruption: The Americans scored a season-high five goals in the first period as Allen cruised to an 8-4 victory on Saturday night in Wichita. Bennett MacArthur (8,9) Tarun Fizer (3,4) Johnny Walker (6) all with first period goals as the Americans put up 19 shots in the opening frame. The lead grew to 7-0 in the second period as Liam Finaly (4) scored for the second straight game. Gavin Gould (8) made it 7-0 Allen and the rout was on. Wichita did cut into the lead late in the second period scoring three times to make it 7-3 after two periods of play. Blake Murray notched his 16th of the year to increase the lead back to five goals. Wichita would get their fourth goal of the night in the final minute to make it 8-4. That is the way the game would end as the Americans won their fifth in a row against the Thunder.  Marco Costantini made the start, winning his sixth straight game to improve to 7-2-1-1.

Sinclair backs up in Belleville: Americans netminder and Ottawa Senators prospect Mark Sinclair was the backup netminder on Saturday night in the Belleville Senators 4-1 win over Rochester. Sinclair sat behind Kevin Mandolese, who stopped 22 of 23 Rochester shots to get the win. Sinclair is 8-10 this season with Allen.

Finlay goes back-to-back: Liam Finlay scored for the second straight game in the Americans 8-4 win over Wichita on Saturday night. It was his fourth goal of the year to put Allen up 7-0 in the second period. Before returning on Friday night, he missed 46 straight games due to illness. Finlay’s other two goals this season came on October 21^st in Idaho.

Head-to-Head: The Americans won their fifth straight game against Wichita, beating the Thunder on Saturday night 8-4. The Americans lead the season series 6-1-0.

MacArthur and Fizer doubled their fun: Bennett MacArthur and Tarun Fizer both had two-goal night’s on Saturday for the Americans. MacArthur had a five-point game with two goals and three helpers. Tarun Fizer had a four-point night with two goals and two assists. Both were named stars of the game (1) MacArthur, (2) Fizer, (3) Murray.

Comparing Allen and Wichita

Allen Americans

Home: 11-13-0-0

Away: 13-12-2-1

Overall: 24-25-2-1

Last 10: 6-4-0-0

Allen Americans Leaders:

Goals: (22) Colby McAuley

Assists: (33) Hank Crone

Points: (48) Hank Crone

+/-: (+14) Blake Murray

PIM’s: (132) Mikael Robidoux

Wichita Thunder:

Home: 12-13-2-0

Away: 7-14-5-1

Overall: 19-27-7-1

Last 10: 6-3-0-1

Wichita Thunder Leaders:

Goals: (23) Jay Dickman

Assists: (32) Brayden Watts

Points: (52) Jay Dickman

+/-: (+12) Shane Kuzmeski       

PIM’s (104) Jeremy Masella