CHL Allen Americans

Allen Americans Weekly Notes

Published on March 22, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Allen Americans News Release


GAME RECAPS

WEDNESDAY, MAR. 17 (W 5-2): The Americans hosted the CHL's other expansion team, the Missouri Mavericks, for the first time March 17. Nino Musitelli began the game with two goals in the first period to put the Americans up 2-0. The Mavericks got the lone goal of the second before a combined four-goal third period. Bruce Graham and Colton Yellow Horn scored back-to-back goals to make it 4-1 before Missouri's Jeff MacDermid lit the lamp on the power play. Rookie Tobias Whelan stuffed a rebound in the cage with 4:09 remaining in the game to bring the final score to 5-2. Chris Whitley made 19 saves in the contest. Former Americans' goalie Charlie Effinger did not play in the game.

FRIDAY, MAR. 19 vs. CRP (L 5-2): Allen dropped a contest to a hungry Corpus Christi team that was fighting for the last playoff spot in the Southern Conference. The Americans gave up a five-on-three power play goal toward the end of the first that gave the IceRays a 1-0 lead. Corpus increased its lead to 3-0 before Bruce Graham backhanded the puck in the opposing cage. Former American Kurtis Dulle helped the IceRays regain their three-goal advantage before the middle frame ended. Nino Musitelli lit the lamp only 53 seconds into the final period to bring the Americans within two again. The club could not find the back of the net again and called a timeout with 1:26 remaining. Allen returned from the timeout with six skaters, but the IceRays cleared the puck and scored an empty-net goal to win 5-2. David McKee made 26 saves.

SATURDAY, MAR. 20 vs. AMA (W 5-3): To close out its first regular season, Allen beat Amarillo 5-3 in front of a sellout crowd. Rookie Tobias Whelan scored his eighteenth goal of the season at 1:32 of the opening period. Amarillo knotted the score midway through the first, but Nino Musitelli helped the Americans regain their one-goal lead before the first intermission. Amarillo scored back-to-back goals to take their first lead, 3-2, at the beginning of the second before Tyler Wooddisse lit the lamp prior to the start of the third period. At the beginning of the final frame Allen failed to score on a five-on-three advantage, but Wooddisse nabbed his second goal of the night on a power play at 9:26 to make it 4-3. Musiteli scored a late empty-net goal to bring the final score to 5-3. Chris Whitley made 27 saves, and the Americans had 52 shots on net.

UPCOMING GAMES - CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS

GAMES 1 & 2 - FRIDAY, MAR. 26, & SATURDAY, MAR. 27, vs. LAR at 7:30 p.m.: Allen's first two playoff games in franchise history will take place March 26 and 27 at 7:30 at the Allen Event Center. Allen is 4-1-0 all-time against the Bucks and 3-0-0 at home. Two of the clubs' contests have gone into overtime, and the Americans got the win both times. The Americans finished the regular season in second place in the Southern Conference with a 42-17-5 record (89 points). Laredo went 32-20-12 (76 points) and ended the year in third place in the conference.

Whitley Wins: Goaltender Chris Whitley ended the season with the most wins in the CHL with 31. He was also a finalist for CHL Most Outstanding Goaltender and Rookie of the Year.

Graham's Going Strong: Forward Bruce Graham led the Americans in scoring with 79 points this season in 64 games and has the most game-winning goals on the team with nine. He ended the season tied with Laredo's Darryl Smith and Odessa's Jeff Pierce for the most game-clinching tallies in the CHL. The forward was also a finalist for CHL Most Valuable Player.

Iron Men: Forwards Bruce Graham and Christian Gaudet were the only Americans that played in all 64 of Allen's regular season contests.

Love the Lead: The Americans continue to dominate when leading after 40 minutes of play. Allen is 28-1-0 when it leads after two periods.

The AHL Calls: Defenseman Brandon Straub became the first defenseman in club history to get called up to the American Hockey League March 20 when he was sent to the Houston Aeros. The blueliner joins Chris Whitley, Justin Bowers and ex-American Charlie Effinger as Americans that have played up this year. Straub had a fight in a 3-1 Houston loss to Milwaukee March 20.

Roster Moves: Justin Bowers, Jarret Lukin and Alexandre Vincent were activated from 14-day IR March 21. Forward Maxim Chamberland was declared an unrestricted free agent March 21 as well.

Brandon Straub was called up to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League March 20.

Jordie Benn was activated from 14-day IR March 19. Justin Bowers was placed on 14-day IR March 17, retroactive to March 12, and the Americans signed forward Maxim Chamberland.

Wing Tyler Shelast was recalled by the American Hockey League's Texas Stars March 15. He scored two goals and registered one assist in five games with the Americans.

Check out the Allen Americans Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Central Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central