GAME #54 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

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Game #54: Tucson Roadrunners (26-22-3-2) at Bakersfield Condors (23-19-6-3)

Time: 8 p.m. MST, Mechanics Bank Arena, Bakersfield, CA

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #44 Alex Lepkowski, #65 Chris Rumble

Linespeople: #97 Devon Gale, #37 Brett Martin

Supervisor: Jay Sharrers

After opening their three-game road trip with a 4-1 win over the Ontario Reign on Wednesday, the Tucson Roadrunners (26-22-3-2) will look to make it two straight when they face the Bakersfield Condors (23-19-6-3) on Friday at 8 p.m. MST at Mechanics Bank Arena.

Friday marks the first of a two-game weekend series between the Pacific Division rivals, with the second game set for Saturday. The matchup carries significant playoff implications, as Tucson and Bakersfield are locked in a tight race for the division’s final postseason spot. The Roadrunners currently hold the Pacific’s final playoff berth in seventh place with 57 points, two ahead of the eighth-place Condors and two behind the sixth-place Abbotsford Canucks.

Tucson has had the upper hand in the season series, going a perfect 3-0 against Bakersfield. However, all three meetings have gone down to the wire, with two decided by just one goal. Most recently, the Roadrunners secured a 3-2 road win over the Condors on Feb. 11.

Bakersfield, however, enters the series riding a wave of momentum. The Condors have won three straight and have earned points in four consecutive games, with all three victories coming by a single goal—including back-to-back shootout wins. Their latest was a 4-3 shootout victory over the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday.

Tucson has also been surging, winning four of its last five games while securing points in all five. With both teams in strong form, this weekend’s series is set to be a crucial battle in the Pacific Division playoff race.

Three Things:

  • Hebig’s NHL Deal
    The Utah Hockey Club announced Thursday that forward Cameron Hebig has signed a one-year, two-way contract through the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Hebig, 28, had previously been signed to a one-year AHL contract this season. His new deal allows Utah to recall him to the NHL if needed. The 6-foot, 185-pound forward is in the midst of a breakout campaign in his seventh AHL season, posting a career-high 20 goals and 17 assists for a personal-best 37 points through 48 games. He is tied for the team lead in scoring and ranks third in points and plus-minus (+10). This season, Hebig was named to the 2025 AHL All-Star team, earning the honor for the first time in his career.

  • Agozzino’s Impact
    Wednesday marked alternate captain Andrew Agozzino’s fifth game back from an injury that sidelined him for 15 games over nearly six weeks. The veteran forward has wasted no time making an impact since rejoining the lineup on Feb. 22 against Abbotsford. Agozzino netted the game-tying goal late in the first period of Wednesday’s victory over the Reign. He has scored in back-to-back games and in three of the last four. He now ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 13 goals in 36 games. Last season, he led San Diego with 26 goals in 72 games, and he’s on an identical scoring pace this year (.36 goals per game). Tucson has surged with Agozzino back in action, posting a 4-0-1 record without a regulation loss since his return.

  • Drew and Lipkin Deliver
    Forwards Hunter Drew and Sam Lipkin are coming off multi-point performances after each recorded two assists in Wednesday’s win over Ontario. It was Lipkin’s first game back after missing three contests with a minor injury. The rookie leads all Tucson freshmen in goals (9) and ranks second in points (14). His two-point night marked the second multi-point game of his career and first since Tucson’s 6-2 win over Calgary on Nov. 23. Drew, meanwhile, tallied his fifth multi-point effort of the season—the fourth-most on the team—and his first multi-assist game of the year. The 27-year-old now has five points in his last six games, including two multi-point performances, and ranks fifth on the team with 12 goals.

What’s the Word?

“I’m really excited. It’s pretty cool and I just have to keep working. Nothing really changes. Still focused on Tucson and working hard and just thankful for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to continue working and getting better.”

Roadrunners forward Cameron Hebig on signing a two-way contract with the Utah Hockey Club

Number to Know:

4 – The second period remains the only frame in which Tucson has been outscored (42-54). However, the Roadrunners have recently turned the middle 20 minutes into a strength. They’ve scored multiple second-period goals in four of their last five games, including Wednesday’s win in Ontario, and have outscored opponents 9-3 in that span. Tucson has also recorded a second-period goal in eight straight games dating back to Feb. 15 against Henderson, and hold a 14-7 scoring edge during that stretch. It marks the team’s second-longest such streak of the season, trailing only their nine-game run of third-period goals from Dec. 13 to Jan. 3.

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We’re Doing It Live

Friday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 7:45 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Mechanics Bank Arena. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.