Game #15: Tucson Roadrunners (0) at Calgary Wranglers (4)
Game #15: Tucson Roadrunners at Calgary Wranglers
SOG: TUC (24) – CGY (34)
PP: TUC (0/2) – CGY (1/7)
CALGARY SCORING: Adam Klapka (6), Adam Klapka (7), Ben Jones (5), Ben Jones (6)
TUCSON SCORING:
ROADRUNNERS DROP WEDNESDAY NIGHT MATHCUP WITH CALGARY WRANGLERS 4-0 AT THE SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME
CALGARY, AB – The Tucson Roadrunners dropped a Thanksgiving Eve matchup with Calgary 4-0 to fall to 8-6-0-1 on the season. The game was 1-0 heading to the third period. Tucson won the series opener 3-2 on Tuesday.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Tucson Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta, or Villwalltla” as we like to say, makes a huge second period stop to keep it a 1-0 game. Villalta was terrific on both Tuesday and Wednesday against Calgary. Villalta stopped 30/34 shots against Wednesday and kept the Roadrunners in the game.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
WE LOVE PENALTY-KILLS – The Tucson Roadrunners penalty-kill unit has been sensational all season. They are 27 for their last 29 including 6 of 7 Wednesday in Calgary. The Roadrunners currently rank second in the Pacific Division with a 86.6 penalty-kill percentage. Tucson hung tough keeping it a 1-0 game through 40 minutes despite power-plays finishing 7-2 in favor of Calgary.
LOOK AT THIS
Forward Josh Doan fights his way to the net for the Roadrunners in Wednesday night’s game. Doan was unable to score but had some great chances in the series including a power-play goal on Tuesday night.
THEY SAID IT
If you’re in a one goal game on the road, it’s a good look but we couldn’t get over the hump. We’ll stay out of the box this weekend and get Matty (Villalta) some help
Forward Zach Sanford after Tucson’s 4-0 loss to Calgary
THE RUNDOWN
The first period was a track meet back and forth between the two teams but would ultimately result in a 0-0 score. The Roadrunners flashed their strong penalty-kill unit killing off two minor penalties throughout the period. Tucson netminder Matthew Villalta was sharp in the frame stopping all nine Calgary shots on goal.
Just after the five-minute mark of period two it would be Calgary who found the back of the net and broke the 0-0 pitcher’s duel. After two more penalty-kills for the Roadrunners the second frame would come to an end still 1-0 Calgary. Matthew Villalta was again, phenomenal as he stopped 12/13 shots from the Wranglers.
The third period became a scoring frenzy for the Wranglers, but the box score might tell a different story than anyone who tuned in. Matthew Villalta was making save after save to keep the Roadrunners in the game and was only beaten on the power-play, an odd-man rush at four-on-four and on a breakaway. Calgary would score goal two of the evening just under two minutes into the period. At the 11:41 mark they would add the third, and then cap it off with a fourth in the final minute of play. Tucson will look to bounce back in Henderson against the Silver Knights on Saturday afternoon.
