Walker’s OT Winner Extends Roadrunners’ Win Streak to Three

Roadrunners Recap: 1/9/2026

Game #32: Tucson Roadrunners (2) vs Iowa Wild (1) OT

SOG: TUC (31) – IA (20)

PP: TUC (0/5) – IA (1/3)

IOWA SCORING: Gerry Mayhew (11)
TUCSON SCORING: Max Szuber (6), Sammy Walker (8)

TUCSON, AZ – Sammy Walker went bar-down in overtime as the Tucson Roadrunners (15-12-5-0) opened their home weekend series and six-game homestand with a 2-1 win over the Iowa Wild (10-22-2-1) on Friday night at Tucson Arena. The victory marked Tucson’s season-high third straight win and extended the Roadrunners’ point streak to six games.

The Roadrunners erased a one-goal deficit when Max Szuber scored late in the second period to even the contest.

After an end-to-end overtime, Walker delivered the game-winner against his former club, ripping a shot past Samuel Hlavaj and off the crossbar to seal the victory.

Jaxson Stauber earned his second straight win, stopping 19 of 20 shots in the effort.

HIGHLIGHTS

TEAM NOTES

• The Roadrunners allowed just three shots on goal in the first period to match the team’s fewest shots allowed in a single frame this season – previous: 3P at Abbotsford on Dec. 20.
• Tucson has earned points in 10 of its last 12 games (7-2-3-0) dating back to Dec. 5 at San Jose.
• Tucson has played 11 overtime games this season, tied for the second-most in the AHL, and owns a 6-0-5-0 record in extra time.
• Friday marked just the sixth time Tucson has been tied with its opponent after two periods (2-1-3 overall and 2-0-1 at home)

HEAD-TO-HEAD NOTES

• The Roadrunners have earned a point in all three contests against the Wild this season (2-0-1-0), with each of the last two games going to overtime.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sammy Walker leads Tucson with three overtime goals and three game-winning goals.
• Sammy Walker has found the back of the net in consecutive games and has totaled three goals in his last five contests dating back to Dec. 28 vs. Calgary. Two of those goals have been overtime winners, and his three goals in that span lead the team.
• Max Szuber leads Roadrunners defensemen in goals and the team in plus-minus (+9). He is also tied for fourth in goals among AHL defensemen.
• Ryan McGregor has recorded a season-high three points (1g, 2a) over his last two games and four points (1g, 3a) in his last four contests dating back to Dec. 31 vs. San Diego.
• With Friday’s assist, Ty Tullio has recorded a point in back-to-back games (1g, 1a) and has three points (1g, 2a) in his last four games dating back to Dec. 31 vs. San Diego.
• Cameron Hebig has 14 points (6g, 8a) in his last 12 games dating back to Dec. 5 at San Jose, the second-most on the team and tied for 12th in the AHL. 
• Cameron Hebig is two points shy of 200 career AHL points and nine goals shy of 100.
• Jaxson Stauber has allowed just one goal over his last two games, stopping 40 of 41 shots in back-to-back victories.

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST PERIOD
Tucson controlled the tempo early and dictated play through the opening five minutes, while keeping Iowa pinned in its own zone. The Roadrunners tested Wild goaltender Hlavaj with three early shots, including a pair from the point by defenseman Artem Duda, but Hlavaj turned them aside.

After Tucson took a penalty, Jaxson Stauber held the line, stopping all three Iowa shots during the kill, highlighted by a glove save on Caedan Bankier from the right faceoff circle at 8:05.

The Roadrunners continued to apply pressure with extended offensive-zone shifts and earned a power play at 15:23, though they were unable to convert. Tucson finished the period without allowing a shot over the final 10 minutes, outshooting Iowa 10–3 overall and 7–0 in the latter half of the scoreless opening frame.

SECOND PERIOD
Tucson recovered quickly after an early turnover, as Duda broke up an Iowa 2-on-1 with a sliding defensive play that led to a clean Tucson breakout.

The Wild struck first on their second power-play opportunity when Gerry Mayhew scored from the slot at 4:09, just beating Stauber over the right pad. Riley Heidt set up the goal with a feed from the right hashmarks.

Tucson responded and controlled possession over the next several shifts, which led to its second power-play of the night, but the Roadrunners were unable to convert. The penalty kill returned to work later in the period and shut the door, limiting Iowa to two shots that Stauber turned aside.

Szuber tied the game at 1–1 at 18:28 with a point shot that deflected past Samuel Hlavaj and over his left shoulder. Ryan McGregor picked up the assist to help even the score after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD
Both teams traded chances through the opening five minutes of the third. Ben McCartney nearly gave Tucson its first lead just before the four-minute mark, but Hlavaj turned aside two close-range attempts with his right pad before freezing the puck. Moments later, Iowa’s Hunter Haight broke in on a partial breakaway, but Stauber sprawled to deny him with a left-pad save.

Tucson earned a critical four-minute power play at 6:16 of the final frame, but despite sustained pressure, the Roadrunners couldn’t convert or generate a Grade-A scoring chance. The Roadrunners went back to the man advantage at 15:45 in search of the go-ahead goal, but once again came up empty.

After 60 minutes, the teams remained deadlocked and headed to overtime.

OVERTIME
The extra session featured end-to-end action as both clubs created chances at either end. With 1:07 left in overtime, Walker stepped into the slot and snapped a bar-down shot past Hlavaj to lift Tucson to a 2-1 victory.

UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will look to complete the sweep against the Wild in the series finale on Saturday at Tucson Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. AZT. Fans can listen live on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app, watch on AHLtv on FloHockey and secure their seats online at Ticketmaster.com.