Series Preview – Tucson Roadrunners at Abbotsford Canucks

Game 1: Friday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. AZT, Rogers Forum
Game 2: Saturday, Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. AZT, Rogers Forum

Broadcast Info
Friday: LISTEN LIVE HERE or on Fox Sports 1450AM | WATCH on AHLtv on Flo Hockey 
Saturday: LISTEN LIVE HERE or Fox Sports 1450AM | WATCH on AHLtv on Flo Hockey 

Officials
Friday – Referees: #24 Jack Young, #59 Simon Desbiens | Linespeople: #59 Nicholas Albinati, #26 Chase Eising
Saturday – Referees: #24 Jack Young, #59 Simon Desbiens | Linespeople: #37 Bradley Ewing, #28 Brennan Walker

Tucson, AZ – With one-third of the AHL season in the books, the Tucson Roadrunners (10-10-4-0) head north of the border for the first time this season to take on the Abbotsford Canucks (6-15-2-3) at Rogers Forum in a two-game set on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

The series marks the third, fourth and final meeting of the season between the two Pacific Division rivals. The teams last met in Tucson on Nov. 28-29, when the Roadrunners won the first game 4-1 before the reigning Calder Cup champions evened the series with a 5-2 victory.

Since then, the Roadrunners have earned points in four of its first five games in December (2-1-2-0 record), with points in each of the last four following series splits at San Jose (Dec. 5-6) and the Bakersfield Condors (Dec. 12-13).

The Roadrunners offense will look to stay hot as Tucson has scored 18 goals over its last three games, which is the team’s highest-scoring three-game stretch of the season.

On the other side, the Canucks have also earned points in four of its last five games (2-1-1-1 record in that span) and are coming off a series split at Calgary (Dec. 13-14).

Both teams enter the weekend looking to build on the momentum from back-to-back overtime games in order to make up ground in the Pacific. The Canucks sit 10th in the division with 17 points, while Tucson is ninth with 24 – just three points behind the sixth-place Henderson Silver Knights.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

MCCARTNEY HEATING UP
Ben McCartney is red-hot for Tucson, coming off a franchise-record-tying five-point (2g, 3a) performance on Saturday. He is the first Roadrunner to hit five points in a game since Matias Maccelli in 2021 and just the fifth in franchise history. He’s riding a four-game point streak with nine points (4g, 5a) in that span, tied for the most in the AHL since Dec. 5, and leads Tucson with 24 points (10g, 14a) in 24 games while ranking 11th in the league. His two-goal game also tied him with Lane Pederson for 4th all-time in franchise goals (58).

BIGGIE STAYS HOT
Cameron Hebig has a team-season-high three-game scoring streak, netting five goals over that span, and is riding a four-game point streak with seven points (5g, 2a) in that stretch. With 22 points (13g, 9a) in 23 games, he leads Tucson in goals and ranks 5th in the AHL, already halfway to matching his career-high 26-goal season from 2024-25. His current .56 goals-per-game and .95 points-per-game pace would both be career highs, and he became Tucson’s all-time goals leader with his 75th on Dec. 12 vs. Bakersfield.

BLUE LINE PRODUCTION
Scott Perunovich enters the weekend on a three-game point streak with six points (2g, 4a) and a two-game scoring streak, becoming the first Roadrunners defenseman this season to score in back-to-back games and to record a three-point game (Dec. 12 vs. BAK). He leads Tucson in assists (15) and Roadrunners blueliners in points (17), while ranking fourth in the AHL in assists and eighth in points among defensemen.

Rookie defenseman Dmitri Simashev is also riding a three-game point streak with five points (1g, 4a) in that span and maintains a point-per-game pace in his first five AHL contests. He notched his first career three-point game (3a) on Dec. 13, and also scored his first goal and game-winner in North America on Dec. 12.

Numbers to Know:

8 – The Roadrunners have played in eight overtime games this season, going 4-0-4-0 in those contests. Only three AHL teams have appeared in more overtime games: Calgary (10), Abbotsford (9), and Coachella Valley (9). Tucson has gone to overtime in three of its last four games, posting a 2-0-2-0 record in that span, including back-to-back OT contests.

The Canucks are one of the few teams that have gone to overtime more than Tucson, including four of its last five games. Expect a high chance of free hockey this weekend.

WE’RE DOING IT LIVE
Both games this weekend will be streamed on AHLtv on FloHockey and broadcast on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app. Friday’s coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. AZT with Roadrunners Warm-Up hosted by James Mackey. Saturday’s broadcast starts at 2:45 p.m. AZT ahead of puck drop.