Americans Make History, Clinch First Playoff Berth With 5-4 OT Win
Published on February 23, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Allen Americans News Release
HIDALGO, Texas - The Allen Americans clinched the first playoff berth in club history during their inaugural season tonight in a 5-4 overtime win over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. Allen, now 35-12-4 (74 points), moved within six points of Southern Conference leader Odessa tonight.
Allen jumped out to an early lead when Nathan O'Nabigon scored 59 seconds into the first period. Colton Yellow Horn, who had five points in the previous five games, followed that with another goal at 5:22. Rio Grande Valley responded with back-to-back goals of its own when Daymen Raycroft tallied one on the power play at 7:49 and Aaron Lee registered one at 10:34. The clubs headed into the second period in a 2-2 deadlock.
Captain Jarret Lukin scored the go-ahead goal at 2:02 of the middle frame to give the Americans a 3-2 lead. Justin Bowers helped the club regain its two-goal lead when he registered his eighteenth goal of the season two-and-one-half minutes later. Rio Grande Valley cut Allen's lead in half when Matt Sweazey scored his first goal of the year to make the score 4-3.
Allen's Chris Whitley stopped 11 shots in the third period before Killer Bees' leading scorer Grant Goeckner-Zoeller lit the lamp to tie the game 4-4 with six minutes left in regulation. With both teams unable to score in the remaining time, the game headed to overtime.
The game appeared destined for a shootout, but defenseman Jordie Benn notched the game-winning goal on the power play with 15 seconds left in overtime to give Allen a 5-4 win.
Whitley made 36 saves tonight.
Allen hosts Laredo and Bossier-Shreveport Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, respectively, at 7:30 p.m. both nights. The first 1,500 fans at each game will receive free souvenir cups, and Friday is "Pink in the Rink" night. The Americans are wearing pink specialty jerseys to raise awareness about breast cancer. Fans have a chance to buy the game-worn jerseys in a live auction immediately following the game.
The box score is available on Pointstreak.com: http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid1067807
Single Game Tickets on sale now Tickets start as low as $7. To order, call 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), go to gettix.net or stop by the Allen Event Center Box Office. The Box Office is open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Fans interested in 10 tickets or more to any one game or tickets to multiple games are encouraged to speak with an Allen Americans representative regarding group discounts and savings off walk-up prices at 972.912.1000.
The Americans, the Dallas Stars' CHL affiliate, began play last fall in the newly built Allen Event Center in The Village at Allen. Season tickets, partial plans and group tickets are on sale now, and corporate partnerships are also available. Ticket plans start as low as $33 per seat. For information, call 972.912.1000 or visit allenamericans.com. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday.
Central Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2010
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- Americans Make History, Clinch First Playoff Berth With 5-4 OT Win - Allen Americans
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- Americans Partner With Susan G. Komen For The Cure And National Breast Cancer Foundation - Allen Americans
- Mavericks Announce Upcoming Promotions - Kansas City Mavericks
- Bucks Take Auction Winners To Lunch At Rudy's - Laredo Bucks
- Game Day - RiverKings Vs. Mavericks - Mississippi RiverKings
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