Roadrunners Recap: San Antonio 5 Tucson 2: 10/6/19

Game #1: Tucson (2) at San Antonio (5)

SOG: TUC (33) – SA (32)

PP: TUC (0/5) – SA (2/5)

TUC SCORING: Pederson (1), Steenbergen (1)

SA SCORING: Vecchione (2pp), Walker (2pp), Nastasiuk (1, 2) Mikkola (1)

BOX SCORE HERE

The Texas Split

For the first 24 minutes of action on Sunday afternoon it looked like the Roadrunners were carrying the success they’d had roughly 100 miles north on Friday evening in Cedar Park.

San Antonio netminder Ville Husso was the x-factor early on, turning aside several Grade-A chances within the first 15 minutes to keep the game at zero’s.

Of course, there’s only so much a goaltender can do and a turnover by a Rampage defenseman was received by Michael Bunting, who then shuffled a pass down in front to Lane Pederson where #18 would bury on his backhand.

Following the first intermission the Roadrunners stayed rolling thanks to a rebound goal by Tyler Steenbergen.  Defenseman Cam Dineen picked up a puck at center and entered the zone, where his low and hard shot was deposited by the second-year forward.

That’s where things would take a turn for Tucson, as San Antonio would strike for five unanswered goals over the final 35 minutes of play.

Both of San Antonio’s second period tallies came on the power play and beat Adin Hill, who was making his season debut in net for the Roadrunners.

In the third a serious of rebounds and bad bounces carried the home Rampage to victory, evening out the Roadrunners record at 1-0.

THEY SAID IT

“We got that second goal, a great goal by [Tyler Steenbergen], then we took our foot off the gas.  We got complacent and got away from our game plan of getting pucks in deep and wearing them down.  The game got away from us.

Forward Lane Pederson after Sunday’s 2-0 lead was erased in 5-2 loss.

DON’T OVERLOOK IT

While hockey games are of course a full 60-minutes, the Roadrunners starts have been phenomenal. San Antonio likely considered themselves very thankful to have Ville Husso in their end or else Tucson could have been ahead by several the end of 20 minutes.

Penalties in the second period were what ultimately derailed the train.

GOTTA SEE IT

Lane Pederson had 23 goals in a successful 2018-19 campaign and got his first of this season under his belt with this backhand from Michael Bunting.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

Adin Hill made his season debut for Tucson today after returning from the Arizona Coyotes. (Photo Credit: Darren Abate / AHL)