Game Day Preview: Americans open a three-game series in Rapid City

Rapid City, SD – The Allen Americans (5-5-3-0), ECHL affiliate of the Utah Hockey Club, powered by Energy Transfer Partners, face the Rapid City Rush (4-8-1-2) tonight at 8:05 PM CST at The Monument in Rapid City. This is the first meeting of the season between the division rivals.  Allen is 5-2-3 in their last 10 games. Rapid City is 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. Rapid City is in last place in the Mountain Division. The Americans are in sixth place in the division.

Pregame Show: 7:50 PM CST
Puck Drop: 8:05 PM CST
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On the Call: Tommy Daniels 
Social Media/Game Highlights: Alyssa Santos

Next Home Game: 12/3/24 vs. Tahoe 7:10 PM CST

Last Time on ice:  The Allen Americans earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Tulsa Oilers last Friday night at CUTX Event Center. Four different players scored a goal for the Americans, including Easton Brodzinski’s team-leading ninth goal of the season. Spencer Asuchak (4), and Brayden Watts (8), also lit the lamp for Allen. Artyom Kulakov (2) tied the game early in the third period at 4-4. The Oilers claimed the extra point in overtime as Tulsa forward Austin Albrecht (5), beat Americans netminder Anson Thornton, to give Tulsa the victory. The Oilers outshot the Americans 5-1 in the overtime period, and 43-33 for the game.   

Power Play Rolling: The Americans scored a power play goal for the fifth straight game last Friday game going 2-for-5 with the man advantage. Easton Brodzinski’s first period power play goal extended the streak to five games. Brayden Watts added another on the power play in the second period. The Americans power play moved up to fifth in the league at 23.1 % (9-for-39). The road power play ranks 11th overall at 23.5 % (4-for-17). Their opponent tonight, the Rapid City Rush, rank 13th overall on the power play at 19.1 % (9-for47).

Tied Near the Top: Brayden Watts and Kyle Crnkovic are tied for second overall in the ECHL with eight power play points each. Kyle Crnkovic and Easton Brodzinski lead the Americans with three power play goals each.

Two-Man Wrecking Crew: Americans forwards Kyle Crnkovic and Brayden Watts extended their point streaks to five games, a season high for both, and a team high for the year. Watts is tied for fourth overall in scoring, in the ECHL with 19 points.

On the Road Again: The Americans are playing just their sixth road game of the season tonight. Allen has a winning road record at 3-2-0. 

Chambers set to make his Americans debut: The Americans acquired forward Brian Chambers from Orlando last Friday in exchange for defenseman Andrew Nielsen. Chambers played in 12 games for the Solar Bears this season and had two points (1 goal and 1 assist). The Weymouth, MA, rookie has played 22 professional games. 12 with Orlando, and 10 last year with Kalamazoo. Chambers played the final year of his collegiate hockey at Arizona State University. Prior to that, it was four years at UMass-Lowell.

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

Allen Americans Leaders:
Goals: (9) Easton Brodzinski
Assists: (11) Kyle Crnkovic and Brayden Watts
Points: (19) Brayden Watts 
+/-: (6) Spencer Asuchak
PIM’s: (17) Artyom Kulakov

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

Rapid City Rush Leaders:
Goals: (5) Ryan Wagner and Brett Davis
Assists: (7) Chaz Smedsrud and two others
Points: (11) Chaz Smedsrud and Ryan Wagner
+/-: (+7) Brady Poteau
PIM’s (21) Connor Mylymok

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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.