Americans Grab Series Lead
May 4, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Allen Americans News Release
Greger Hanson of the Allen Americans Scores vs. the Missouri Mavericks
(Allen Americans, Credit: Lauren Lyssy)
Allen, Texas - The Allen Americans capture a 2 games to 1 lead in the Western Conference Semi-Finals over the Missouri Mavericks, with a convincing 5-1 win if front of a mid-week crowd of 4,507 at Allen Event Center.
With the first two games completed, neither the Americans nor Mavericks have yet to prove capable of separating themselves from the other in this best-of-seven series. The Americans took an early upper hand in the "Riley Gill showcase," otherwise known as game one. Behind his 34-save shutout, Allen took a 1-0 lead in the series. Game two was contradictory to the series genesis, as the Americans, Gill, and later Joel Rumpel, were humbled by a 5-2 calamity in Independence, Missouri.
With the series level, Wednesday evening produced yet another opportunity for the upper hand, which was grasped by the Americans, winning in convincing fashion, 5-1.
Eric Roy did not make the hometown fans wait long before wiring a shot from the point, beating Missouri's starting goalie, Parker Milner. The first goal of the game, and Roy's second of the playoffs, came only 31 seconds after the opening puck-drop.
6:40 into the first period, Allen did not only lead on the scoreboard, but Gill had yet to even see a shot come his way. Allen had an 11-0 shots-on-goal advantage, with one of those shots consisting of the first playoff goal for Vincent Arseneau, who was a little battered coming out of the quarterfinal round. With Arseneau finding that rebound in the crease, Allen had scored twice before the Mavericks registered their first attempt on net.
Despite the first period deficit, the Missouri offense resembled something of a shotgun in the middle frame. You can't put many rounds in the barrel, but when you shot one, it is certainly effective. After all, Missouri is perfect 3-0 this season when getting outshot by the opponent. That quality over quantity philosophy was apparent as the second period played on. The 11 th shot of the game for Missouri was the one that bested Gill - the third of the postseason for Josh Holmstrom. At the time of the goal, Allen had amassed a superior 24 shots on net.
Adding salt to the wound, the goal came on an odd-man-rush for the Mavericks while killing a penalty. The shorthanded goal was executed on a perfectly placed low, outside pad, slapshot from Rocco Carzo, setting up Holmstrom with a wide open rebound, served to him on a silver platter.
That wound was promptly sealed later in the period, as Allen rectified their aforementioned special teams blunder. A Missouri parade to the penalty box finally came back to haunt them. Greger Hanson was the beneficiary on the play, his team-leading 5th of the postseason.
The Sweden native took the puck from his own blue line, led the rush through the neutral zone, and undisturbed into the offensive zone. With a lack of challenge from the Missouri defense, Hanson ripped a shot from between the face-off circles, beating Milner against the grain.
With just over four minutes remaining in the game, Spencer Asuchak scored his first of the postseason on an artfully place wrist shot. All the while the Missouri defenseman was taking away the pass on the 2-on-1 rush, Asuchak took advantage of a spacious lane to the net, finding a crevice in the top corner. The shot beat Milner on the glove side, a side that had been abused all night by the Allen goal scorers.
Asuchak would add on more insurance in the form of an empty net goal, set up by unselfishly by Hanson, extending the Allen lead to 5-1.
After the game, Coach Martinson was quick to say that he expects a large pushback from the Mavericks when they hit the ice on Friday for game four. However, he was much quicker to say that they could not concern themselves with the opponent, as the Americans need to keep their undivided focus on themselves.
"We had a good first shift leading to the first goal, a good way to get the momentum in the game," said Americans forward Vincent Arseneau, who scored the second goal of the night for Allen. Arseneau's goal would stand as the game winner, and the rumbling, physical forward would also notch a primary assist, solidifying him as the first star of tonight's game.
Allen will square off with Missouri once again in Game 4 on Friday, the 6th, at 7:05 pm, at the Allen Event Center.
FAST SIGNS TEXOMA 3 STARS OF THE GAME:
1st - ALL Vincent Arseneau
2nd - ALL Chad Costello
3rd - ALL David Makowski
Images from this story
 Greger Hanson of the Allen Americans Scores vs. the Missouri Mavericks (Lauren Lyssy) |
ECHL Stories from May 4, 2016
- Americans Grab Series Lead - Allen Americans
- Mavericks Fall 5-1 in Game 3 to Allen Americans - Kansas City Mavericks
- Morrison Backstops Royals to Win in Game Three - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Transactions - May 4 - ECHL
- Americans Return to Allen with Home-Ice Advantage After the Split in Missouri - Allen Americans
- Nailers at Royals Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Today - May 4 - ECHL
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