Championship hockey is the backbone of the franchise. Since the founding season in , the Americans have captured four league championships: , , , and The Championship came in a dramatic double-overtime Game 7 against the Wichita Thunder. Jarret Lukin opened the scoring, at the halfway point of the period, to cut the lead to The game would remain that way until two and a half minutes left in regulation, when defenseman Trevor Hendrikx blasted a slap shot from the outside that found the back of the net to tie the game at That historic shot gave Allen its first title with a win.
The excitement started in the Western Conference Finals in , where the team trailed the Ontario Reign in the series, and were down in game 5 before mounting their amazing comeback. Allen outscored Ontario in the third period, with two of the five goals coming off the stick of Spencer Asuchak, for a Allen victory. After losing Game 1, Gary Steffes would step up as the hero in Game 2 with two goals. Allen fell in Game 3 on home ice and headed to South Carolina for the next three. South Carolina would take Game 6 at home before the series shifted back to Allen for Game 7.
The Americans jumped on the Stingrays early and often in that final game, cruising to a victory and claiming their first Kelly Cup Championship and third league title in a row. Greger Hanson was named playoffs MVP, finishing third overall in the postseason scoring race with 29 points. The series was physical as it shifted to West Virginia for three straight games in the thin mountain air of the Appalachians.
The Nailers would grab their only lead in the series with a win in Game 3. Chad Costello won his first ever Playoffs MVP, leading the league in postseason scoring with 36 points. Home Team History. ECHL Network. ECHL Partners.
