Americans end regular season with 5-3 win over Gorillas in front of a sellout crowd
March 20, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Allen Americans News Release
ALLEN, Texas - The playoff-bound Allen Americans closed out their first regular season with a 5-3 win in front of a sellout crowd at the Allen Event Center. The expansion club finished the season with a 42-17-5 record (89 points).
To start the game on the right foot, rookie Tobias Whelan scored his eighteenth goal of the season at 1:32 of the opening period. Midway through the first, Amarillo blueliner Andrew Smale evened the score with a slap shot from the slot. The power play goal came at 11:33. Less than three minutes later, the Americans regained their one-goal lead when Nino Musitelli sent a shot top shelf with the extra-man advantage. After 20 minutes of play, the Americans were ahead 2-1.
Amarillo tallied back-to-back goals 29 seconds apart to take their first lead of the game. Gordon Bell and Chris Cloud were credited with even strength goals. Four minutes later, the Americans knotted the score 3-3. Tyler Wooddisse nabbed a power play goal after his shot hit an Amarillo defender and trickled into the net.
At the beginning of the third period 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. The goal turned out to be the game winner. Amarillo called a timeout with 1:17 remaining in the game and returned with an empty net. Musitilli popped the puck into the cage and brought the final score to 5-3.
The Americans beat their record high of 45 shots on goal in a game by shooting 53 pucks Lohtander's way. Chris Whitley made 27 saves tonight, while Lohtander stopped 48 shots.
The Americans were without defenseman Brandon Straub tonight. The blueliner was recalled by the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros. Straub became the fourth American to get the call up to the AHL.
Yesterday the Americans announced the schedule for their first series in the 2010 Ray Miron President's Cup Playoffs. They will begin post-season play in the Conference Semi-Finals by taking on Laredo. Their first playoff games will be at home March 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m.
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Central Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2010
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- Brahmas Top 'Bugs to End Regular Season - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Americans end regular season with 5-3 win over Gorillas in front of a sellout crowd - Allen Americans
- IceRays Beat Killer Bees 6-3 In Regular Season Finale - Corpus Christi IceRays
- RiverKings Enter Playoffs After Another Win Over Tulsa - Mississippi RiverKings
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- Thunder Ends Season With Loss - Wichita Thunder
- Amarillo Ends Season in Allen - Amarillo Gorillas
- Texas Heads Into Postseason With Win, Beat âBugs 4-2 - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Get Your Playoff Tickets Now - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bucks Close Out Regular Season Tonight - Laredo Bucks
- Mudbugs Down Mavs On "Jim Sprott Night" - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
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- Rush Win Northern Conference Title Despite 5-4 Shootout Loss to Gorillas - Rapid City Rush
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