For Immediate Release
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Americans end 2024 with a 6-2 loss to Idaho
Americans Box Score
Dallas/Allen, Texas – The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Utah Hockey Club, dropped the final game of the calendar year 6-2 to the Idaho Steelheads on Tuesday night at CUTX Event Center in front of an announced crowd of just under 5,000 (4976).
The Americans blew a 2-1 second period lead after goals from Nolan Orzeck (2), and Brian Chambers (2). Idaho would score the next five in a row leading to the Americans 13th home loss of the season in 15 games at Credit Union of Texas Event Center. The worst home record through the end of a calendar year for the club in 16 years of play in professional hockey.
Luke Richardson made the start for the Americans and gave up five goals on 24 shots before getting pulled. Anson Thornton stopped all 16 shots he faced in relief. The final goal scored be the Steelheads with an empty net.
Brendan Hoffman led the way for Idaho with a pair of goals, his 11th and 12th of the year. He finished the night with three points and six shots on goal. Former Americas defenseman Matt Register had a goal and an assist and finished the game a plus four.
Idaho outshot the Americans 41-36 and ended their two-game losing streak improving to 16-11-3 this season and are now just two points behind Tulsa in fifth place in the Mountain Division. With the Rapid City Rush victory last night at home, they passed the Americans in the standings dropping Allen to seventh overall in the Mountain Division with just 21 points. Only Utah and Cincinnati have fewer points than Allen.
The Americans open 2025 with back-to-back games in Kansas City starting on Friday night in Missouri.
Three Stars:
1. IDH - B. Hoffmann
2. IDH - M. Register
3. IDH - N. Canade
They Said it:
Brian Chambers: “It was nice to get my first goal with the Americans. It felt good to finally put that puck in the net, but we had a rough second half of the second period giving up the four goals to them after battling back to take the lead.”
---Allen Americans Professional Hockey Club ---