Game #47: Tucson Roadrunners (7) @ Henderson Silver Knights (4)
Game #47: Tucson Roadrunners (7) at Henderson Silver Knights (4)
SOG: TUC (25) – HSK (28)
PP: TUC (0/1) – HSK (1/1)
HENDERSON SCORING: Jonas Røndbjerg (8), Raphael Lavoie (11, 12), Gage Quinney (7)
TUCSON SCORING: Austin Poganski (11), Travis Barron (6), Egor Sokolov (16), Josh Doan (10, 11), Julian Lutz (1), Sammy Walker (5)
Villalta Secures 100th Career Win as Roadrunners Soar Past Silver Knights, 7-4
Henderson, NV – The Tucson Roadrunners (22-21-2-2) left Sin City celebrating multiple milestones in Sunday’s 7-4 victory over the Henderson Silver Knights (19-28-2-0) at Lee’s Family Forum.
Goaltender Matthew Villalta made 24 saves to secure his 100th career win, while rookie Julian Lutz netted his first professional goal. Captain Austin Poganski found the scoresheet on his 29th birthday, and Curtis Douglas recorded his first multi-point game of the season.
Travis Barron scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season, and Josh Doan led the way with two goals and an assist, marking his second straight multi-point outing. It was Doan’s second three-point outing and eighth multi-point performance of the season, tying Egor Sokolov for the second-most on the team. Sokolov also had a two-point night with a goal and an assist.
The Roadrunners’ offensive depth was on full display, with all four lines finding the back of the net. Sammy Walker buried Tucson’s second empty-netter in the final minute, sealing the team’s highest-scoring game of the season—and their most goals since an 8-6 win over San Jose on Dec. 20, 2023 last season.
With the win, Tucson improved to 3-2-0-1 on the road trip and has earned points in three of its last four games. The Roadrunners and Bakersfield Condors are now tied at 48 points, but Tucson has moved into seventh place in the Pacific Division—holding the final playoff spot—by virtue of having more regulation wins.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Lutz netted his first career goal late in the second period, burying a rebound from Ryan McGregor’s wraparound attempt to give the Roadrunners a 5-2 lead heading into the third. The tally marked the first time Tucson scored three goals in a second period since a 6-3 win over the Calgary Wranglers on Nov. 23.
McGregor picked up an assist on the play, his third point of the series (1G, 2A), while Aku Räty also earned a helper, extending his point streak to a season-high three games (1G, 2A). Lutz has now recorded points in back-to-back games, and the forward trio combined for three goals in the weekend series.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
Defenseman Robbie Russo continued his strong offensive stretch, picking up his sixth point in the last six games (3G, 3A) with an assist on Poganski’s opening goal. The helper extended his point streak to a personal season-best four games (2G, 2A), matching his previous four-game streak from Nov. 16-26. His six points are tied with Walker for the team lead on the current road trip.
Doan also contributed on the play, tallying his first of three points on the night with an assist as he continues to make an impact since rejoining the team. He now has five points (3G, 2A) in the last two games.
THEY SAID IT
“It’s a cool feeling to hit that mark (win no. 100), but all the credit goes out to the team, though. Tonight, they played a great game, limited high-risk chances, and they made it pretty easy for me. At the end of the day, it’s a team win and I’m just happy to be a small part of it. I’m very thankful and fortunate for everyone who helped me along the way to get to this point, but the goal is to get three or 400 more. That’s the goal.”
Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta on his 100th career win
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
The Roadrunners wasted no time getting on the board, as Poganski buried a blistering wrist shot from the high slot just 49 seconds into the game. Russo initiated the play with a breakout pass to Doan near center ice, who then set up Poganski for the opening tally.
Tucson doubled its lead less than eight minutes later when Barron cashed in from the top of the crease with a quick backhander. His linemates, Sokolov and Douglas, combined for the setup—Sokolov worked the puck behind the net to Douglas, who fed Barron in front for the finish.
The trio nearly struck again four minutes later when Douglas threaded a pass from below the goal line to Sokolov in the slot. Despite being tightly defended, Sokolov managed to get a backhander on net, forcing Henderson netminder Akira Schmid to make a tough stop. Schmid then denied Sokolov again on the rebound, keeping Henderson within two. Towards the end of the shift, Sokolov was whistled for interference, sending the Silver Knights to their first power play of the night.
Henderson made it count, and capitalized on the man advantage at 12:09 when Jonas Røndbjerg tapped in a one-timer from just outside the crease off a perfect setup from Gage Quinney, cutting Tucson’s lead to 2-1.
Shortly after, Mason Morelli was sent off for hooking, giving the Roadrunners their first power play of the series. Tucson generated a couple of quality chances from the point, including a dangerous deflection from Doan that just missed wide, but the Roadrunners couldn’t extend its lead before the intermission.
SECOND PERIOD
Tucson once again came out strong, hemming Henderson in its own zone with sustained pressure that felt like a power play. The relentless attack paid off as Sokolov extended the lead to 3-1 off the rush. Racing into the Henderson zone on a two-on-one with Douglas, Sokolov attempted a centering pass from the right circle, but the puck deflected off Silver Knights defenseman Brandon Hickey and found the back of the net at 5:33.
The Roadrunners continued to press, nearly adding another goal when forward Sammy Walker connected on a one-timer from a centering feed by Cameron Hebig. Schmid made the initial stop, but Sam Lipkin battled in the crease and jammed the puck into the net. However, the officials had blown the play dead before the final rebound attempt, negating the goal.
Minutes later, Tucson struck again off the rush—and another Henderson deflection—to push the lead to 4-1. Doan intercepted the puck in the defensive zone and carried it cross-ice into Henderson territory on a two-on-one with Kailer Yamamoto. Doan attempted a feed across to Yamamoto for a one-timer, but the puck ricocheted off Calen Addison’s skate and over Schmid’s shoulder with 8:34 left in the period.
Doan nearly added his second goal of the night two minutes later, but Schmid slid across the crease to make a pad save on his one-timer.
As had been the case all weekend, the Silver Knights refused to go away. Raphael Lavoie capitalized on a Tucson turnover in the defensive zone and converted on a breakaway to cut the deficit to 4-2 with 4:18 remaining.
The Roadrunners quickly responded just 30 seconds later, as Lutz netted his first career goal to restore Tucson’s three-goal cushion. McGregor’s shot from the slot kicked out into the high slot, where Lutz pounced on the rebound and buried it to put Tucson ahead 5-2 with 3:49 left in the period.
THIRD PERIOD
Holding a three-goal lead, the Roadrunners remained aggressive to start the final frame. Defenseman Maveric Lamoureux generated a pair of early chances, but Henderson clawed back into the game with two goals in a five-and-a-half-minute span.
Lavoie struck first, netting his second of the night at 4:28 to make it a 5-3 game. The Silver Knights kept pressing, and Quinney capitalized on the rush, ripping a wrist shot from inside the right circle past Villalta at 9:45 to pull Henderson within one.
With momentum shifting, Villalta came up clutch in the final minutes to protect Tucson’s lead. The netminder made a spectacular glove save on Burke’s one-timer from the slot with 7:33 remaining, then turned aside Addison’s blast from the point and Burke’s rebound attempt at point-blank range with 4:30 left.
Doan finally sealed the win, scoring an empty-net goal from center ice with 1:12 remaining. Walker added another empty-netter in the closing seconds to cap off a 7-4 Roadrunners victory.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will conclude their seven-game road trip against the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena on Wednesday at 8 p.m. MST. Fans can catch all the action live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
