After starting the season 0-4-1, Allen has won three of its last four games.
The 2024-25 season didn’t start off quite the way the Allen Americans would have liked. They started 0-4-1 before finally notching their first win.
Until Wednesday, the club was winless on home ice and shut out in three of four games at Credit Union of Texas Event Center. Through the first eight games, the Americans yielded 41 goals, the most in the ECHL.
But things appear to be looking up for the Americans under first-year head coach B.J. Adams. After the 0-4-1 start, they won back-to-back games and have taken three of their last four. The first home win finally came Wednesday morning in their Education Game Day against the Utah Grizzlies in front of less than 6,000 teachers and students.
Shots on goal have been hard to come by for Allen, who hadn’t outshot an opponent until Wednesday, racking up a season-high 37 to Utah’s 27. The team’s 15 shots in the second period were the most in a period this season, and the 27 shots allowed were the fewest by an opponent to date.
Coming into Friday, the Americans rank 26th on the power-play at home at 7.1 percent (1-for-14) through five home games. Spencer Asuchak picked up the first one in the second period Wednesday, so perhaps the tide is beginning to turn in their favor.
Asuchak has been a bright spot for the Americans in the early part of the season. The team’s longest-tenured player had his third multi-point game Wednesday and has tallied three or more points in two of his last three games.
Asuchak is currently tied with Brayden Watts for the team lead in points with 10 (two goals, eight assists). The eight helpers are tied for the club lead with Watts. His +5 rating also leads the team.
The goaltending needs to improve if Allen hopes to keep the momentum going. Dylan Wells has picked up all three of Allen’s wins in net to go with two losses, but comes into Friday with a 4.71 goals-against average and .886 save percentage. Anson Thornton is still looking for his first victory and has a 4.12 GAA and .894 SP. Before Wednesday, the Americans were giving up the most goals per game in the ECHL at a 5.13 average.
Special teams finds Allen ranked 23rd in both power-play percentage (14.1) and penalty-kill (77.5%). The club is 11th overall in penalty minutes, averaging 14.13 per game.
The season is still young, so there is time for the Americans to figure things out. They finished third in the Mountain Division last season with a 33-35-4 record for 70 points before falling to the Idaho Steelheads 4 games to 1 in the division semifinals.
The club is back home to take on the Grizzlies in the second game of their three-game series Friday, with the final game on Saturday night.