Sunday, April 26, 2015

Quad City One Win From Advancing, Playoff Update, Worcester Down 0-2, Rookie Goalies Dominate Playoffs


Updated bracket through Saturday night - courtesy of Allen Americans

- Not much new with the team today as they continue with their weekend off before the serious preparation starts tomorrow for the second round of the playoffs. Every year during the playoffs the team leadership schedules activities so the guys can spend time together as a group. With the long break between rounds that is more important this year than ever. If you are on social media you may have seen a picture with everyone at the pool yesterday enjoying the great North Texas weather. Today the annual team golf tournament is on the schedule.

- In the battle to see who will face the Americans in the second round the Quad City Mallards won at  home last night by a score of 4-0 to take a 3-2 lead in the series over Rapid City. It was the first game in the series won by more than one goal. The teams head back to Rapid City for games six and seven (if necessary) on Tuesday and Wednesday. This series has been a carbon copy of last year when the Mallards held a 3-2 series lead going back to Rapid City for the final two games. The Rush won game six before Quad City prevailed in game seven. Mallards coach Terry Ruskowski had this to say about going to Rapid City needing one win to move forward, "We know now we are capable of doing it. Can we do it? We know we did it once, we'll try and do it again but it's easier said than done."

- Below is the status of all of the first round playoff series. Fort Wayne beat Kalamazoo last night to take that series 4-1 and join Allen as the only teams that have advanced to the second round. The team most vulnerable to an upset is Idaho who is the #1 seed in the Pacific Division. They trail Utah 3-2 in the series and game six is in Utah on Monday night. Two other higher seeded teams (Rapid City and Ontario) are trailing in their series 3-2 but will be at home for games six and seven.

SECOND ROUND

North Division Finals
TBD vs. FORT WAYNE
Not yet started

Central Division Finals
ALLEN vs. TBD
Not yet started


FIRST ROUND

North Division Semifinals
TOLEDO vs. WHEELING
Toledo leads series 3 - 2
Game 1 - Thu Apr 16 8:15 PM Wheeling 3, TOLEDO 2
Game 2 - Sat Apr 18 7:35 PM TOLEDO 2, Wheeling 1 OT
Game 3 - Wed Apr 22 7:05 PM WHEELING 5, Toledo 4
Game 4 - Fri Apr 24 7:35 PM Toledo 4, WHEELING 1
Game 5 - Sat Apr 25 7:35 PM Toledo 2, WHEELING 1
Game 6 - Tue Apr 28 7:35 PM Wheeling at Toledo
Game 7 - Wed Apr 29 7:35 PM * Wheeling at Toledo

North Division Semifinals
FORT WAYNE vs. KALAMAZOO
Fort Wayne wins series 4 - 1
Game 1 - Fri Apr 17 8:05 PM FORT WAYNE 4, Kalamazoo 2
Game 2 - Sat Apr 18 7:35 PM FORT WAYNE 3, Kalamazoo 0
Game 3 - Wed Apr 22 7:00 PM Fort Wayne 3, KALAMAZOO 1
Game 4 - Fri Apr 24 7:30 PM KALAMAZOO 4, Fort Wayne 3
Game 5 - Sat Apr 25 7:30 PM Fort Wayne 6, KALAMAZOO 4

East Division Semifinals
FLORIDA vs. ORLANDO
Florida leads series 3 - 2
Game 1 - Fri Apr 17 7:30 PM FLORIDA 3, Orlando 2
Game 2 - Sat Apr 18 7:00 PM FLORIDA 5, Orlando 1
Game 3 - Tue Apr 21 7:00 PM ORLANDO 5, Florida 2
Game 4 - Thu Apr 23 7:00 PM ORLANDO 4, Florida 3
Game 5 - Sat Apr 25 7:00 PM Florida 5, ORLANDO 4
Game 6 - Mon Apr 27 7:30 PM Orlando at Florida
Game 7 - Wed Apr 29 7:30 PM * Orlando at Florida

East Division Semifinals
SOUTH CAROLINA vs. READING
series tied 2 - 2
Game 1 - Fri Apr 17 7:05 PM SOUTH CAROLINA 2, Reading 1 OT2
Game 2 - Sat Apr 18 7:05 PM Reading 4, SOUTH CAROLINA 2
Game 3 - Thu Apr 23 7:00 PM South Carolina 5, READING 2
Game 4 - Sat Apr 25 7:00 PM READING 4, South Carolina 2
Game 5 - Sun Apr 26 5:00 PM South Carolina at Reading
Game 6 - Tue Apr 28 7:05 PM Reading at South Carolina
Game 7 - Wed Apr 29 7:05 PM * Reading at South Carolina

Central Division Semifinals
ALLEN vs. TULSA
Allen wins series 4 - 1
Game 1 - Tue Apr 14 7:05 PM ALLEN 6, Tulsa 2
Game 2 - Wed Apr 15 7:05 PM ALLEN 5, Tulsa 4 OT
Game 3 - Fri Apr 17 7:35 PM TULSA 5, Allen 1
Game 4 - Sat Apr 18 7:35 PM Allen 3, TULSA 1
Game 5 - Tue Apr 21 7:05 PM ALLEN 3, Tulsa 2

Central Division Semifinals
RAPID CITY vs. QUAD CITY
Quad City leads series 3 - 2
Game 1 - Fri Apr 17 7:05 PM Quad City 3, RAPID CITY 2
Game 2 - Sat Apr 18 7:05 PM RAPID CITY 3, Quad City 2
Game 3 - Wed Apr 22 6:00 PM Rapid City 2, QUAD CITY 1 OT
Game 4 - Fri Apr 24 7:00 PM QUAD CITY 2, Rapid City 1
Game 5 - Sat Apr 25 7:00 PM QUAD CITY 4, Rapid City 0
Game 6 - Tue Apr 28 6:35 PM Quad City at Rapid City
Game 7 - Wed Apr 29 6:35 PM * Quad City at Rapid City

Pacific Division Semifinals
IDAHO vs. UTAH
Utah leads series 3 - 2
Game 1 - Wed Apr 15 7:10 PM IDAHO 3, Utah 2 OT
Game 2 - Fri Apr 17 7:00 PM UTAH 3, Idaho 2
Game 3 - Sat Apr 18 7:00 PM Idaho 5, UTAH 4 OT
Game 4 - Fri Apr 24 7:10 PM Utah 4, IDAHO 1
Game 5 - Sat Apr 25 7:10 PM Utah 5, IDAHO 2
Game 6 - Mon Apr 27 7:00 PM Idaho at Utah
Game 7 - Wed Apr 29 7:10 PM * Utah at Idaho

Pacific Division Semifinals
ONTARIO vs. COLORADO
Colorado leads series 3 - 2
Game 1 - Thu Apr 16 7:00 PM Colorado 4, ONTARIO 2
Game 2 - Fri Apr 17 7:00 PM ONTARIO 4, Colorado 1
Game 3 - Sun Apr 19 7:05 PM Ontario 5, COLORADO 1
Game 4 - Wed Apr 22 7:05 PM COLORADO 4, Ontario 3
Game 5 - Fri Apr 24 7:05 PM COLORADO 4, Ontario 1
Game 6 - Mon Apr 27 7:00 PM Colorado at Ontario
Game 7 - Tue Apr 28 7:00 PM * Colorado at Ontario

(* if necessary)

- The Worcester Sharks lost again last night to the Hershey Bears by a score of 3-1 and now trail 0-2 in the best of five series. The next game is in Hershey on Wednesday. I don't have any information from the Americans but it does make you wonder, if Worcester loses on Wednesday, will Aaron Dell and/or Rylan Schwartz be assigned to Allen by the Sharks. There are two roster spots available so it is certainly possible. And if they are assigned could they be in Allen before the second round opening game on Friday? Stay tuned.

-  Joel Rumpel is ranked #2 in the ECHL in GAA in the playoffs with a GAA of 2.19. The hottest goalie in the league is #1 ranked Evan Mosher who has given up just three goals in three wins for Quad City for a GAA of 1.00.

- Congrats to former Allen coach Dwight Mullins who was hired this past week by the Dallas Stars as Hockey Development Director. The new position will oversee the continued development of Dallas Stars local hockey programs along with helping assist, educate, develop and grow all facets of the game in the Dallas area.


DID YOU KNOW: Four of the top five goalies in the ECHL playoffs in GAA are rookies. Evan Mosher (Quad City), Joel Rumpel (Allen), Roman Will (Fort Wayne), and Clarke Suanders (Colorado).

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