Justin Bowers leads Offenseve Explosion as Americans take 2-1 Series Lead

Justin Bowers was a madman at the Allen Event Center last night as a goal and 3 assists helped the Americans just crush and shock the Odessa Jackalopes as the Americans take a 2-1 series lead and is just 2 wins away from advancing to the Championship's in the team's first season.

After Chants of "Lets Go Allen" fired the crowd of just over 2700 put the Jackalopes on the defense as the Americans have gained a huge confidence booster going into Games 4 & 5 that will be taking place on Friday & Saturday Night.

This will give the Americans a chance to sweep the 3 games that would oust the Top Seeded Jackalopes from the Southern Conference Final for the 2nd straight year as the Texas Brahmas did it last year on the road to the Ray Morin's Presidents Cup Championship.

Can Allen keep the momentum going into the weekend and put them through to the Championship Series?

From the Central Hockey League Website: www.centralhockeyleague.com

From Allen, Texas: Fans chanted "Let's Go Allen", as the clock wound down on the 5-2 Allen Americans victory over the Odessa Jackalopes tonight at the Allen Event Center. Allen took a 2-1 series lead in the Southern Conference Finals after handing Odessa its first road loss of the 2010 playoffs. The Americans also held the Jackalopes power play unit off the board tonight for the first time in the series.

Allen quickly grabbed a two-goal lead in Game 3. Bruce Graham netted a wrist shot from the right circle at 3:39 for Allen's first goal. Not one minute later, Graham skated into the Jackalopes zone with Nino Musitelli on a two-on-one rush. Graham passed it to the winger, and Musitelli had no trouble putting the puck in the wide open net. The Jackalopes came within one at 9:03 of the first when Jeff Pierce beat Chris Whitley with a one timer on an odd-man push from Odessa. The period was fast-paced with few penalties, and Allen headed into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead.

The Americans continued to rack up the goals in the middle frame, grabbing two in the final five minutes of the period. Christian Gaudet scored his first post-season goal at 16:48 when he slapped a rebound past Odessa Net Minder Joel Martin. Then, Justin Bowers launched a wrist shot past Martin to increase Allen's lead 4-1.

Odessa backstop Juha Toivonen replaced Martin in net at the start of the final period. Pierce got his 2nd of the night on a goal at 9:39 of the third. The tally brought Odessa within two, but the Americans struck back to make it 5-2. 37 seconds after Jeff Pierce's goal, defensemen Jordie Benn scored on a slap shot from the blue line. The contest, which already featured three fights, continued to heat up as everyone grabbed a dance partner with 3.1 seconds remaining in the game. Allen Liam Huculak and Odessa's Mike Lesperance were the last to square off. After the final penalties were accessed, Allen's total was 34 minutes, and Odessa had 28.

The Bowers-Graham-Musitelli line had a combined 11 points this evening. Whitley stopped 35 shots to earn his sixth post-season win. Martin saved 17 for Odessa, while Toivonen stopped 13 of 14 shots.


Allen Americans Leads Series 2-1


Game Boxscore

Odessa Jackalopes 2 Allen Americans 5 (1-2, 0-2, 1-1)

0-1 ALN: Bruce Graham (Musitelli, Bowers) 3:39 1st

0-2 ALN: Nino Musitelli (Graham, Bowers) 4:31 1st

1-2 ODE: Jeff Pierce (Circelli, Thinel) 9:03 1st

1-3 ALN: Christian Gaudet (Salekin, Bowers) 16:48 2nd

1-4 ALN: Justin Bowers (Musitelli) 18:38 2nd

2-4 ODE: Jeff Pierce (Plante, Thinel) 9:39 3rd

2-5 ALN: Jordie Benn (Graham, Musitelli) 10:16 3rd


Game Stats

SOG: ODE 37 ALN 35

PP: ODE 0/5 ALN 0/2

PIM: ODE 28 Minutes on 8 Penalties ALN 34 Minutes on 11 Penalties

Goalies: ODE Joel Martin 17 SVS on 21 Shots Juha Toivonen ALN Chris Whitley 35 SVS on 37 Shots

ATT: 2715

3rd Star: Justin Bowers (ALN)

2nd Star: Chris Whitley (ALN)

1st Star: Nino Musitelli (ALN)