Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Practice Update, Moore Assigned to Allen, Overseas Players Update, Allen Americans Family Suffers Loss

The Allen Americans have just completed a stretch where they played seven in games in ten days and there was literally no time to practice. After some well deserved time off the Americans will now be able to work on areas that need improvement since the don't play again until Friday. The team has been playing well defensively but has had trouble scoring recently. In their first three games of the season Allen scored 19 goals for a per game average of 6.33. In the eight games since they have also scored 19 goals for a per game average of 2.38. In their last six games the Americans have been shutout once and scored just one goal twice.


- Bryan Moore was reassigned to Allen yesterday by San Jose which should help the struggling offense. Last season Bryan averaged over a half a goal per game for the Americans and has the ability to carry the team. He had one stretch last season where he scored at least one goal in 10 of 11 games.


- The power play continues to be a work in progress and is ranked #21 in the ECHL at 13.0%. Coach Martinson knows it will take some time but the power play is improving. As a frame of reference last season at this time the power play was ranked #23 at 6.1% and finished the season ranked #3 at 24.4%. You can be sure time will be spent on special teams during practice this week.


CATCHING UP WITH FORMER ALLEN AMERICANS

I had a request to share how some of the former Allen players that are now playing overseas are doing so here is an update. Hope you find one of your favorite players on this list.

Chad Costello -  Chad played his first game on Sunday since he had knee surgery. To no one's surprise Chad came back quicker than expected and was in the line up in less than a month after surgery. In typically Costello style he scored a goal in the first game back and his team (Iserlohn Roosters) won the game 4-1. After a really poor start to the season that found the Roosters in last place the team made a coaching change and has been playing much better recently. They are currently in eighth place in the 14 team league.


Jack Combs - Jack is a teammate of Chad's with Iserlohn and leads the team in scoring. He has 18 points (7 goals 11 assists) in 20 games. Iserlohn plays in the DEL which is the top league in Germany. 


Josh Brittain - Josh plays in Slovakia for Banksa Bystrica and had the game winning goal for his team on Sunday. His team has a record of 13-4-2 and is in third place in the 11 team league. Josh is tied for the team lead in goals with nine and leads the team in penalty minutes with 55.


Judd Blackwater - Judd also plays in the Slovakian league for a team called HK Nitra. Judd is third on his team in scoring with 18 points (5 goals 13 assists) in 19 games. His team is currently in sixth place in the 11 team league. 


Colton Yellow Horn - Colton plays for a team in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL) which actually has teams mostly from Austria but also includes one team from Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Italy. Colton's team, Orli Znojmo, is based in the Czech Republic. Yellow Horn leads his team in scoring with 19 points (8 goals 11 assists) in 19 games. His team is in eighth place in the 12 team league.


Wade MacLeod - Wade plays for Lowen Frankfurt which is in the second level German League DEL2. Wade is second on his team in scoring and first in goals with 23 points (11 goals 12 assists) in 16 games. Lowen Frankfurt is in second place in the 14 team league.


 Alex Lavoie - Last season Alex played in Sweden and this season he signed in Finland. It was announced last week he was leaving his Finnish team and was returning to Sweden. Alex is now back in the same Swedish league he played in last season (Allsvenskan) and has signed with the first place team (Timra IK) in the 14 team league.


Dave Bonk - Dave played just one season in Allen (2010-11) and had quite a year with 58 points (20 goals 38 assists) in 47 games. He led that team in plus/minus at +27. After that season Dave headed to the Asia League where he has played ever since. He played six years for the Nikko Ice Bucks where he is the career record holder for points (366), goals (149) and assists (217). This season the 35 year old switched teams and now plays for the Nippon Paper Cranes. He has 10 points (4 goals 6 assists) in 13 games which is fifth  best on his team. The Paper Cranes are in sixth place in the eight team league.


Austin Smith - Austin played just seven games with the Americans in 2014-15 before he bolted unexpectedly to Europe.  He made quite an impression in Allen as he had nine points in those seven games. Because Austin is a Dallas product some Allen fans still follow his career. This season Austin is playing in the Austrian League (EBEL) for a team from Italy (Bolzano). Incidentally, Jamie Schaafsma played for Bolzano back in 2008-09. Austin Smith has 23 points (7 goals 16 assists) in 15 games to lead his team in scoring. Bolzano is in last place in the 12 team league.


If you have a favorite player from the past that isn't on the list above and would like an update let me know and I will track down what they are up to now.


BILL MAZZEO - ALLEN LOSES ONE OF THE FAMILY

Bill Mazzeo


   I went hunting yesterday afternoon and didn't get home until well after dark to find an email from Bill's daughter informing me that he had passed away unexpectedly in his sleep in the afternoon. Allen fans may not recognize the name but will recognize his always smiling face as he was an usher at the Allen Event Center and a passionate Allen Americans fan. Bill was a big supporter of the blog and the guy we all knew as "Brooklun Bill" from his Twitter handle will really be missed. Bill would often respond to my blog posts with insight and humor. He knew his hockey and loved the Americans. I used to kid Bill he could cram more information, opinion and humor in 140 characters on Twitter than anyone I know. We would often talk at the games about what was happening with the team. He loved his grandchildren and talked about them often. They attended most games with their parents and at seven and five just love the players. I sent an email to Bill's daughter, Danielle, last night expressing my condolences and her response brought a tear to my eye. "Thanks you Barry. Our heart is broken for sure and the kids can't quite understand that Bapa won't be at the Allen games anymore - I thought it was sad that is what they are most concerned about."  Keep the Mazzeo family in your thoughts and prayers. I am sure there will be a tribute and moment of silence for Bill at one of the games this weekend.


DID YOU KNOW: There are only two members of the first Allen Americans team (2009-10) still playing professional hockey. Colton Yellow Horn and Jordie Benn. Benn has played in almost 600 professional games including 329 in the NHL. Yellow Horn has played in over 500 professional games all over the world including Japan, Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic. In the USA he has played in Elmira, Stockton, Allen, Ontario and Manchester.


5 comments:

  1. Thanks for the updates. Did not know Bill but that is sad to hear.

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  2. Thanks for the update on our players over in Europe. I was going to ask today in the comments if you had an update on Chad. You beat me to the punch Barry!

    I hate to hear of the Americans' family losing a member of the family. Thoughts and prayers to Bill's family (both inside and outside of the Allen Event Center).

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  3. Our thoughts and prayers for Bill's family.

    Barry, what happened to Kip Brennan?

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  4. I get it Barry - it's your blog. If the attendance says 4,800 it must be 4,800. If the defense is playing "better" they must be.....

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