Allen, Texas — Tonight, the Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, will attempt to fight off elimination one more time. Game 6 against the Colorado Eagles is slated to start 7:05 P.M. local time.
While the Dallas Stars didn’t make the playoffs this year, there is some championship caliber hockey being played in D/FW. And judging by how the Americans have done the last few years, hockey in the D/FW area will be a “must see” for years to come.
As affiliates of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, it’s safe to say the Sharks’ talent pool is in good hands as well. Winners of four championships across two different leagues, the Allen Americans are chasing their fifth championship in as many years. But, it’s not coming very easily.
During the first round of the playoffs, the Allen Americans beat the Utah Grizzlies in five games. While that might seem to be a fairly quick series win, the Americans started round 2 with no energy. Falling to a 3-0 series disadvantage quickly, the Americans had to dig deep to stay alive in the playoffs. Thankfully, for the fans and players, they did just that.
Before the start of Game 4 this series, media reported that the players held a “players only” meeting. After doing so, the Americans won games four and five. Just one game away from tying the series, the Americans seem to have the luck and momentum on their side.
The last two games have ended in a 4-1 and 4-0 score in favor of Allen. However, Colorado is outscoring Allen 14-11 in the series. If the Americans want to stay alive, they’ll need all their top scorers to come out firing. Additionally, they’ll need to have continued defensive support, and support from their special teams.
Riley Gill Showing He Fears No Challenge
In the last two games, Riley Gill has only allowed one goal. On the special team side in Game 5, the Americans scored on their lone power play goal. On the penalty kill, the Americans killed off all three penalties called against them.
Allen Americans Keys To Victory.
- Minimize the number of penalties called against.
- Capitalize on every possible power play.
- Bring defensive support for whoever is in net.
Final Thoughts
If you look at the percentages in seven game series across all major league sports the Colorado Eagles still have a big advantage, based on historical data. History would say Colorado has a 55% chance of winning game six and a 75% chance of winning the series. With Allen’s record in elimination games (12-0), they will be looking to defy the odds tonight.