GAME #56 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS vs ONTARIO REIGN

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Game #56: Tucson Roadrunners (27-23-3-2) vs Ontario Reign (31-19-3-1)

Time: 6:30 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #36 Mike Campbell, #77 Jesse Wood-Schatz

Linespeople: #28 Brennan Walker, #37 Bradley Ewing

Supervisor: Hayley Moore

After a strong road trip, the Tucson Roadrunners (27-23-3-2) return to Southern Arizona to open a four-game homestand Tuesday against the Ontario Reign (31-19-3-1) at 6:30 p.m. MST.

Tuesday marks the first of a two-game midweek series at Tucson Arena between the Pacific Division foes, with the second matchup set for Wednesday night. The Roadrunners wrapped up their road trip with a 2-1 record after falling 3-2 to Bakersfield in Saturday’s finale, snapping both their two-game win streak and six-game point streak.

Tucson looks to get back in the win column against Ontario in a rematch of last week’s 4-1 victory, which ended a four-game skid against their I-10 rival. The Roadrunners are now 1-3-0-1 in the season series.

The Reign, meanwhile, have struggled since their loss to Tucson. Ontario dropped back-to-back games against San Diego over the weekend, extending its losing streak to a season-high five games.

Despite the skid, Ontario remains in fourth place in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Tucson continues to hold the division’s final playoff spot in seventh with 59 points, two ahead of eighth-place Bakersfield and two behind sixth-place Abbotsford.

Three Things:

  • Stauber Called Up, Villalta Remains Tucson’s Workhorse
    The Roadrunners will be without goaltender Jaxson Stauber, who was recalled to the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday. Stauber won his last start against Bakersfield on Friday and has victories in two of his last three games. In 17 appearances this season, he has a 10-5-2 record with a 3.11 goals-against average (GAA) and a .898 save percentage (SV%). With Stauber’s call-up, Tucson recalled goaltender Dylan Wells from the ECHL’s Allen Americans. Wells, who has spent time with the Roadrunners this season, has won both of his two starts while posting a 2.95 GAA and a .885 SV%. Over seven AHL seasons, Wells has played in 63 games, recording a 28-23-6 record with a 3.19 GAA and .897 SV%. Despite the roster moves, Matthew Villalta is expected to carry the workload in net. Villalta has won three of his last four starts and leads the team with a 2.91 GAA and .909 SV% this season. He has been Tucson’s workhorse, ranking second in the AHL for games played by a goaltender (35), trailing only Calgary’s Devin Cooley (39). On Saturday, Villalta made 42 saves, tying his season-high from Jan. 10 at San Diego. He has recorded 30 or more saves in 15 games this season and, when facing 30+ shots, boasts a .923 SV% and a 3.15 GAA.

  • Red-Hot Power Play Fuels Tucson’s Offense
    The Roadrunners’ power play has been firing on all cylinders, converting in five of their last six games. Tucson went 3-for-9 (33%) on the man advantage in its weekend series against Bakersfield, continuing an upward trend. Forwards Ben McCartney, Sammy Walker, and Kailer Yamamoto have been key contributors. Each recorded a power-play goal and an assist in the series, combining for six power-play points (3G, 3A). Over the last two games, all three players have recorded three points, while Yamamoto (3G, 4A) and Walker (1G, 6A) each have seven points in their last six outings. Since Walker joined the team, the Roadrunners’ power play has clicked at 31% (11-for-35), well above their season average of 19.9% (12th in the AHL). The unit has also thrived with McCartney in the rotation. Tucson has gone 10-for-30 (30%) in the 11 of 14 games he’s played since being added to the mix. McCartney continued his hot streak Saturday, setting up Walker’s power-play goal for his first assist and third point of the weekend. The fifth-year pro has six points (3G, 3A) in his last seven games, his best offensive stretch of the season.

  • Russo, Szuber Running Point
    Tucson’s defensemen have been a major offensive factor this season, with Robbie Russo and Max Szuber leading the charge. Russo is riding a two-game assist streak (2A) and has six points (6A) in his last six games. The Westmont, Illinois, native leads all Roadrunners defensemen in points (28) and ranks second on the team in assists (25), trailing only Yamamoto (30). He also leads Tucson’s blueliners in power-play points with 11 (2G, 9A). Szuber, meanwhile, is on a two-game point streak after assisting on Walker’s power-play goal Saturday. The second-year pro ranks third among Roadrunners defensemen in points (18) and assists (13) while sitting second in goals (5). He also ranks second among Tucson defensemen in power-play points with seven. Tucson’s blueline made a major impact on the road trip, contributing eight points (2G, 6A) over the three-game stretch.

What’s the Word?

“It’s just playing together and doing what we’ve been doing over this last month. We need to keep playing hard and doing all the right things and, hopefully, the bounces go our way and we come up with a couple of wins.”

Roadrunners defenseman Montana Onyebuchi on the keys to having success against Ontario

Number to Know:

4 – Alternate captain Andrew Agozzino enters Tuesday’s matchup on a four-game point streak, with goals in three of those contests. Since returning from injury on Feb. 22 against Abbotsford—after missing 15 games over nearly six weeks—Agozzino has four goals in his first seven games back. Despite the time missed, the veteran forward remains fourth on the team in points (30) and goals (14). He also ranks third in points per game (.79), trailing only Cameron Hebig and Kailer Yamamoto.

Latest Transactions:

  • On Sunday, Mar. 9, goaltender Dylan Wells was recalled from the Allen Americans (ECHL) to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
  • On Sunday, Mar. 9, goaltender Jaxson Stauber was recalled from the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) to the Utah Hockey Club (NHL)

We’re Doing It Live

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tucson Arena. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey and purchase tickets using the link here.