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Deep in the heart of Texas: Americans sweep Brahmas to secure No. 2 seed
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
Outcomes in the regular season don’t carryover to the playoffs, but Allen sent its first-round playoff foe a message over the weekend as the Americans took three straight off the Texas Brahmas.
Allen got the string started Friday with a 5-2 home victory.
The Americans were in control from the opening puck drop as Brian McMillin, Jarret Lukin (who also had two assists), Jeff Martens, Ben Wilson (his first goal of the year) and Colton Yellow Horn scored to establish a 5-0 lead. Special teams were huge in amassing that advantage as McMillin scored a shorthanded goal while Martens and Yellow Horn both lit the lamp via the power play. The goals were McMillin’s 14th of the season and the 24th of the year for Yellow Horn, who has 10 points (three goals and seven assists) in his last seven games.
Though he didn’t register a point Friday, Allen had another major presence in the lineup as three-time CHL All-Star Bruce Graham made his return after missing six weeks due to an upper body injury.
It didn’t take Graham long to get back into the scoring ledger as he tallied a goal Saturday night in Allen’s 3-2 victory back at the AEC.
This time it was Texas that took the early advantage, thanks to goals from TJ Fox and Erik Spady, but Allen cut its deficit to 2-1 by the end of the second. The Americans then registered goals from Graham and Jason Deitsch just three minutes apart in the third to steal the 3-2 win and two points. Deitsch’s game-winner was assisted by Brett Clouthier, who is four helpers away from the 100th of his professional career.
The site of the mini-series shifted to North Richland Hills Sunday, but the results didn’t change.
That 2-1 Americans win was notable as it represented just the Brahmas’ sixth regulation loss of the season in 31 home games at the NYTEX Sports Centre and clinched the No. 2 seed in the Berry Conference for the Americans.
Allen got goals from Tyler Ludwig and Joshua Hepditch in the win as well as a pair of assists from Jake Newton, but it was goaltending that carried Sunday’s win.
Specifically the netminding of Rejean Beauchemin. Beauchemin, who has the second-best goals against average in the CHL at 2.30, turned aside 27-of-28 shots to secure the 2-1 triumph and up his season record to 18-9-5.
The three-game sweep improved Allen’s record to 36-17-9 (81 points) and locked in an opening round playoff series against Texas.
The Americans finish the regular season this weekend with a road game against the Wichita Thunder on Friday followed by homes games at 7:05 p.m. Saturday against the Brahmas and 5:05 p.m. Sunday against the Thunder.
Dylan King named to all-rookie team
Dylan King has been a steady presence on the Allen blue line this season and he has been honored as such with a spot on the CHL All-Rookie Team.
King came to the Americans from the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds at the end of the 2010-11 season. The 21-year-old was part of the Phoenix Coyotes training camp before the season started and also received a call-up to the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters. But King’s primary team is Allen and he has made an impact with four goals, four assists and a +11 in 44 games also being enough to snag him a spot on the CHL All-Star Team.
Allen is Best of the Best
While the Americans are concerned with being the best the league has on the ice, the franchise has been recognized as exemplary in several categories of the CHL’s annual Best of the Best poll.
Graham led the way by being named Best Power Forward and Best Stickhandler.
Allen, which was represented in a league-high 21 categories, also won for Best Team Logo, Best Uniforms, Best City, Most Attractive Place to Play, Best Host Hotel and Best Arena Music.
The honors didn’t stop there though.
The Ice Angels, under the direction of Stephanie DiBiase-Wheat, were named Best Dance Team for a second straight year while Tommy Daniels, who broadcast the all-star game this season, was dubbed Best Broadcaster for 2011-12.
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