Pacific Division First Round Game 1: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Calgary Wranglers

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Pacific Division First Round Game 1: Tucson Roadrunners (2) vs. Calgary Wranglers (7)

Time: Wednesday, April 24, 7:00 p.m. MST, Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, Arizona

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: Cody Beach #45, Jordan Deckard #14

Linespersons: Brandon Grillo #79, Luke Pye #42

The Tucson Roadrunners begin the run for the Calder Cup with a Pacific Division round one match against the Calgary Wranglers for the first WhiteOut game in Tucson since 2018. The Roadrunners went 2-1-1-0 in the four-game season series this year against Calgary; with three of those games ending in one-goal fashion. The Roadrunners ended the season with a 23-5-4-2 record in one-goal contests: which is the second-best winning percentage in the AHL at .767. Hershey had the best with a 24-2-0-5 record and .854 winning percentage. This season, the Roadrunners had the second-best winning percentage in the AHL when scoring first at 31-1-2-2; which is a .917 win percentage. This includes a 15-0-2-1 record when scoring first at home. Tucson finished the regular season with an unbeaten streak at 6-0-0-1 while the Wranglers limped to the finish line; having gone winless in five-straight at 0-4-1-0.

Three things:

  1. Matthew Villalta had the best season to date as a Roadrunners goalie; not only shattering the most games played and wins record but also being the top goalie in the AHL with 51 games played and 31 wins. The 2024 AHL All-Star carries a 2.54 goals against average and .911 save percentage into the postseason: facing fellow 2024 AHL All-Star netminder Dustin Wolf for the Wranglers; who ended his 2024 regular season campaign with a 2.45 goals against average and .922 save percentage and 20-12-3 record.
  2. In the last 10 home games, the Roadrunners have scored at least three goals or better in a period in six of those contests; including the season finale against the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday, April 20. The Roadrunners scored four goals or more in eight of the last 10 home games. Overall, the Roadrunners scored four goals or better in 28 of the 72-game regular season; with a record of 23-2-3-0 and home record of 13-1-2-0 in those contests.
  3. Two out of the four games between these teams this season resulted in a 3-2 Roadrunners victory. In the regular season, Tucson was in 16 games that resulted in a score of 3-2; going 12-2-1-1 in those games. In addition, when scoring three goals, the Roadrunners are 16-0-0-1 and a perfect 7-0-0-0 at the TCC. They are also 15-2-0-0 when allowing two goals and a clean 8-0-0-0 at the TCC as well.

What’s the word?

“Just keep playing the way we have been and be humble. Even though we were second and they ended up seventh it doesn’t mean anything, it’s hockey and we just need to play our game and it will come.”

Tucson forward Jan Jenik on game one with the seventh seeded Wranglers; who like Tucson, got some players back ahead of the postseason.

Number to Know:

2-1 – Roadrunners are 2-1 in opening games in a playoff series all-time; including 1-0 at the TCC.

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ON THE AIR:

Tonight’s game will be broadcasted live on the radio on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up hosted by Jonathon Schaffer, following with “The Voice of The Roadrunners” Adrian Denny as he brings all the action from WhiteOut Tucson. The game can also be seen on AHLtv.