Americans blank Brahmas 5-0 in battle of the Metroplex

ALLEN, Texas – The best-of-seven series between cross town rivals Allen Americans and Texas Brahmas got off to a strong start for Allen Friday evening as they charged out of the gate with a decisive 5-0 victory, earning the 1-0 series lead in the battle of the Metroplex.
 
Allen finished the regular season strong after a tough run of losses a few weeks back, but they seem to have turned the corner and the team’s of play continues to improve with each game.
 
From the puck drop, the Americans confidence level was as high as the tempo of their play and it never waivered for the entire sixty minutes despite the Brahmas best efforts to quell the offensive onslaught.
 
The Americans got things going at the 8:50 mark when Jim McKenzie fired a one-timer past Mark Guggenberger off a beautiful cross slot pass from Jarret Lukin. Bruce Graham also contributed with an assist on the McKenzie goal. At the end of the first period, the score remained unchanged and the Americans held the edge in shots on goal 10-6.
 

Early on in the middle frame, the Americans extended their lead to 2-0 at 2:25 when Brian McMillin redirected a Mike Berube point shot as Ben Wilson earned the second assist on the McMillin marker. The Brahmas had their best chance of the night at cutting into the Americans lead when they had a five-on-three power play for under a minute but were shut down by a strong and disciplined Allen penalty killing unit and two outstanding individual efforts by Scott Langdon, one of them a sure open net goal frustrated by an incredible diving sweep check by Langdon.
 
Bruce Graham netted his first goal of the night late in the second period at the 16:10 mark in the waning seconds of the Americans lone power play of the evening. Jarret Lukin and Mike Berube both notched their second assists of the night on the Graham goal and the score stood 3-0 in the Americans favor as the second intermission began.
 
Despite outshooting the Americans 10-7 in the period, Texas was unable to convert on four power play attempts and still trailed Allen in overall shots on goal 17-16 at the end of the second period.
 
In the third period, the Americans put the game out of reach with another pair of goals. First it was Bruce Graham with his second goal of the night, assisted by Jarret Lukin for his third assist of the night and Jim McKenzie at 6:34. Seven minutes later, Keith Johnson potted the Americans fifth and final goal of the night off passes by Colton Yellow Horn and Jason Deitsch.
 
Brett Clouthier and Ryan Hand doffed the mitts immediately following the Americans fifth goal and then fifteen seconds later Dylan King took exception to Tyler Barr running Arthur Bidwell into the boards from behind, leading to the second and last fight of the night.
 
Shots in the third period were deadlocked 6-6 and the Americans held the overall edge after three periods of play 23-22. Rejean Beauchemin turned away all 22 Texas shots while Mark Guggenberger made 18 saves in the loss.
The intensity in this series is just getting started and the Americans have fired the first salvo in the battle of the Metroplex. Will the Americans continue to play sixty consistent minutes as they did Friday night and will Texas be able to bounce back on Sunday? We shall see Sunday afternoon.
 
The first round series continues on Sunday afternoon with game two at the Allen Event Center, puck drop is scheduled for 5:05PM CST.
 
Contact the writer at maurice.fitzgeral@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at chip.crail@prohockeynews.com