GAME #42 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

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Game #42: Tucson Roadrunners (19-19-2-1) at San Jose Barracuda (23-13-2-3)

Time: 8:30 p.m. MST, Tech CU Arena, San Jose, CA

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WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #14 Jordan Deckard, #78 Jarret Burton

Linespeople: #21 Alexander Ledovskly, #49 Gentry Zollars

The Tucson Roadrunners (19-19-2-1) return to action after the AHL All-Star Break, kicking off a two-game set against the San Jose Barracuda (23-13-2-3) at Tech CU Arena. Friday’s series opener is set for an 8:30 p.m. MST puck drop and marks the first meeting between the two Pacific Division rivals this season. San Jose is the only division opponent Tucson has yet to face in the 2024-25 campaign.

The Roadrunners begin a season-long seven-game road trip, a challenge that could serve as a much-needed reset. Tucson is looking to snap an eight-game winless streak after a tough homestand, where they went 0-6-1-1 and earned just two of a possible 16 points. However, the Roadrunners showed resilience in their final game before the break, rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the third period to force overtime against the Ontario Reign before falling 5-4 in a shootout.

Tucson will look to build on that momentum against a San Jose team that has earned points in five straight games (3-0-1-1) and currently sits in fifth place in the Pacific Division with 51 points. The Roadrunners, in eighth place with 41 points, trail the seventh-place Bakersfield Condors by three points for the division’s final playoff spot. The Barracuda also enter the weekend coming off a shootout loss, falling 2-1 to Henderson in their final game before the break.

Three things:

  • Sammy Walker Joins the Roadrunners
    The Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis wasn’t the only blockbuster deal this week. During the All-Star Break, the Roadrunners acquired forward Sammy Walker from the Iowa Wild following a trade with the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club and Minnesota Wild. Walker, 25, has registered 11 points (2G, 9A) in 30 games with Iowa this season and brings a strong scoring pedigree to Tucson. The Edina, Minnesota native has racked up 104 points (43G, 61A) in 156 career AHL games and was a standout rookie with Iowa in 2022-23, setting team records for goals (27), power-play goals (9), and plus-minus (+19) en route to an AHL All-Star selection. He followed that up by leading Iowa in points last season with 45 (14G, 31A). Before turning pro, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward played four seasons at the University of Minnesota, serving as the Gophers’ captain for three years—the first player in program history to do so.

  • Cameron Hebig’s All-Star Level Play
    Cameron Hebig represented Tucson at this week’s AHL All-Star Classic, capping off a strong stretch of play before the break. The 28-year-old notched two goals in the Roadrunners’ last game against Ontario, including the game-tying tally with 1:34 remaining in regulation. It was his third multi-goal game of the season—most on the team—and his sixth multi-point effort, trailing only Egor Sokolov (7) and Kailer Yamamoto (9). Hebig also scored his first short-handed goal of the year, becoming one of three Roadrunners (along with Ben McCartney and Yamamoto) to light the lamp while down a man this season. He enters the weekend with 13 points (7G, 6A) over his last 10 contests, which included an eight-game point streak. Hebig leads Tucson in goals (16) and is tied for second in points with Sokolov with 30 points—just two shy of matching his career high (32) from last season.

  • Shootouts with San Jose
    Last season, Tucson and San Jose combined for 65 total goals across eight meetings, with the Roadrunners taking the season series 5-2-1-0 while outscoring the Barracuda 36-29. Tucson and San Jose had several high-scoring battles, and none was wilder than their Dec. 20, 2023 showdown, when Tucson erupted for an 8-6 victory—the most goals the Roadrunners have scored in a single game over the last two seasons and the highest-scoring game (14 combined goals) in that span. Four current Roadrunners posted multi-point efforts in that contest: Aku Räty (3G, 1A), Austin Poganski (1G, 1A), Ryan McGregor (2A), and Max Szuber (2A), while Ben McCartney and Lleyton Moore each found the back of the net. This season, both teams remain offensive threats, with San Jose ranking sixth in the AHL in goals per game (3.39) and Tucson averaging 3.02 goals per contest (18th).

What’s the word?

“It’s been awesome. Kind of a crazy couple days, but I’m excited and ready to just get going.”

Roadrunners forward Sammy Walker on joining Tucson following a trade with the Iowa Wild

Number to Know:

3 – The Roadrunners have scored a power-play goal in three straight games, matching their longest streak since late November when they converted on the man advantage against Calgary (Nov. 22 & 23) and Coachella Valley (Nov. 26). Austin Poganski kept the streak alive in Tucson’s last outing, netting his second power-play goal of the season. The tally also secured his third multi-point game of the year—and second in his last five contests. Poganski has been heating up, recording seven points (3G, 4A) in his last six games while finding the scoresheet in five of those matchups.

Latest Transactions:

  • On Monday, Feb. 3, the Roadrunners acquired forward Sammy Walker from the Iowa Wild following a trade with the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club and Minnesota Wild

We’re Doing It Live

Friday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 8:15 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tech CU Arena. Fans can watch the game on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.