Game Day Preview: Americans look to even the series

Rapid City, SD – The Allen Americans (5-6-3-0), ECHL affiliate of the Utah Hockey Club, powered by Energy Transfer Partners, face the Rapid City Rush (5-8-1-2) tonight at 8:05 PM CST at The Monument in Rapid City. This is the second meeting of the season between the division rivals.  The Rush won the opening game of the series 2-1 on Wednesday night. The Americans are in seventh place in the Mountain Division.

Americans Tonight
Pregame Show: 7:50 PM CST
Puck Drop: 8:05 PM CST
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On the Call: Tommy Daniels 
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Next Home Game: 12/3/24 vs. Tahoe 7:10 PM CST

Heartbreaking Ending:  The Rapid City Rush scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period on Wednesday night as Trevor Janicke (4) put a rebound past Americans netminder Anson Thornton, with 19 seconds left in regulation as the Rush beat the Americans 2-1, taking the first game of a three-game series. Brayden Guy had the lone goal for Allen, his third of the year as the Americans saw their five-game point streak come to an end. Rapid City outshot the Americans 35-21, including a 14-8 advantage in the third period. Anson Thornton stopped 33-of-35 Rapid City shots suffering the loss (1-4-3).  

Streak Ends: The Americans five-game streak of scoring a power play goal or more came to an end on Wednesday night, as they went 0-for-2 with the man advantage. Allen is still ranked in the top 10 in the league, sixth overall at 22.0 % (9-for-41). Kyle Crnkovic leads the Americans with three power play goals.

Cooled Off: Brayden Watts and Kyle Crnkovic were held off the score sheet on Wednesday night ending their five game point streaks, the longest on the team this season. Watts is tied for fourth overall in the league in scoring with 19 points. Crnkovic is tied for fourth in the ECHL in assists with 11. 

Brodzinski Goal Streak Ends: Easton Brodzinski saw his three-game goal streak come to an end on Wednesday night. He leads the Americans with nine goals.

Penalty Kill Impressive in Wednesday’s Loss: The Americans held Rapid City without a power play goal on Wednesday night, as the Rush went 0-for-4 with the man advantage, but added a shorthanded goal in the second period. The second shorty of the season allowed by the Americans. Before Wednesday night, the last shorthanded goal allowed by Allen was on October 24th in Tulsa.

Road Winning Streak Over: The Americans three-game road winning streak ended on Wednesday night in Rapid City. Prior to that, the last time the Americans lost a road game was on November 1st in Utah.

Comparing Allen and Rapid City
Allen Americans:
Home: 2-3-3
Away: 3-3-0
Overall: 5-6-3
Last 10: 5-3-2

Allen Americans Leaders:
Goals: (9) Easton Brodzinski
Assists: (11) Kyle Crnkovic and Brayden Watts
Points: (19) Brayden Watts 
+/-: (6) Spencer Asuchak
PIM’s: (20) Spencer Asuchak

Rapid City Rush:
Home: 2-4-0-2
Away: 3-4-1-0
Overall: 5-8-1-2
Last 10: 5-4-0-1

Rapid City Rush Leaders:
Goals: (6) Brett Davis
Assists: (7) Chaz Smedsrud and two others
Points: (11) Chaz Smedsrud and two others
+/-: (+6) Brady Poteau
PIM’s (22) Parker Bowman

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About the Allen Americans
The Allen Americans Professional Hockey Club is a member of the ECHL, the world’s top Double-A hockey league, and is the affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Utah Hockey Club

Founded in 2009, Championship Hockey is the backbone of the franchise, with the Americans having captured back-to-back ECHL Kelly Cup Championships in 2014-15 & 2015-16 and two Central Hockey League President’s Cups in 2012-13 & 2013-14.