GAME #47 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

/in , /by

Game #47: Tucson Roadrunners (21-21-2-2) at Henderson Silver Knights (19-27-2-0)

Time: 6 p.m. MST, Lee’s Family Forum, Henderson, NV

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #45 Liam Maaskant, #33 Chris Conway

Linespeople: #67 Adam Hendren, #91 Logan Wescott

The Tucson Roadrunners (21-21-2-2) wrap up their two-game set and season series against the Henderson Silver Knights (19-27-2-0) on Sunday at 6 p.m. MST at Lee’s Family Forum.

Tucson looks to bounce back and split the series after Saturday’s 5-4 shootout loss. The Roadrunners held a pair of two-goal leads, including a 4-2 advantage in the third period, before Henderson staged a late comeback. Cal Burke cut the deficit to one with 10:33 remaining, and Gage Quinney forced overtime with 54 seconds left after the Silver Knights pulled goaltender Carl Lindbom for an extra attacker.

Despite the tough loss, Tucson gained ground in the Pacific Division standings and now sits just one point behind the seventh-place Bakersfield Condors after Bakersfield’s 4-3 loss to San Jose. With a win Sunday and a Condors loss, the Roadrunners can leap into a playoff spot while also earning three out of four possible points in Henderson.

Three things:

  • Doan Delivers in Return
    In just his second game back with Tucson after rejoining the team from the Utah Hockey Club for the Four Nations break, Josh Doan made an immediate impact with a goal and an assist. It was his seventh multi-point game of the season—tying Egor Sokolov for the second-most on the team. Doan now ranks sixth on the team in goals (9) and points (23) despite playing only 27 AHL games. His 0.85 points per game is the second-highest on the team behind Yamamoto (1.03). The 22-year-old also fired six shots on goal, matching the Roadrunners’ single-game season high. It was the most by a Tucson player since Max Szuber registered six against San Jose on Feb. 7. Doan remains the only Roadrunner with multiple six-shot performances this season, having also reached the mark against Calgary on Nov. 23.

  • Yamamoto Stays Hot
    Forward Kailer Yamamoto continued his stellar play Saturday, recording his team-high fourth multi-assist game of the season. It marked his second consecutive two-point outing after a 1G, 1A performance against Bakersfield on Wednesday. Yamamoto now has a team-leading eight points (5G, 3A) against Henderson this season. He also extended his team leads in points (38) and assists (24). His second assist of the night came on Josh Doan’s goal, giving him five points (1G, 4A) in his last five games. It was his team-best 11th multi-point performance of the year

  • Roadrunners’ Depth on Display
    Nine different Roadrunners recorded at least a point Saturday, showcasing Tucson’s scoring depth. Ryan McGregor tallied a goal and an assist for his second multi-point game of the season and first since Oct. 20 against Texas. Curtis Douglas notched his ninth assist of the year, giving him four points (4A) in his last six games. Aku Räty found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season and now has points in back-to-back games (1G, 1A). Rookie Julian Lutz had an assist on Räty’s goal for his fifth career point. On the blue line, Robbie Russo extended his point streak to three games, one shy of his personal-best four-game streak set in November. He has been a key contributor throughout the road trip, collecting five points (3G, 2A) in five games—tying Sammy Walker for the team lead during that span.

What’s the word?

“We need those points tomorrow. We have to clean some stuff up defensively, give our goalies a little more help. But, there’s a lot of good things there too that we can we can build on. We’ll clean up the second period and we’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Roadrunners forward Ryan McGregor on the importance of Sunday’s game against Henderson

Number to Know:

44 – Wearing his usual No. 44, defenseman Kevin Connauton returned to the lineup Saturday after missing nine games due to a minor injury sustained against Henderson on Jan. 20. He registered three shots and an even plus-minus rating while being paired with rookie Maveric Lamoureux. In 31 games this season, Connauton has recorded 12 points (5G, 7A). Among Roadrunners defensemen, he is tied with Max Szuber for the most goals and ranks second in penalty minutes (52), trailing only Montana Onyebuchi (78).

Latest Transactions:

  • None

We’re Doing It Live

Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Lee’s Family Forum. Fans can watch the game live on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.