Game #54: Tucson Roadrunners (1) at Chicago Wolves (2)

SOG: TUC (29) – CHI (23)

PP: TUC (0/3) – CHI (0/2)

TUCSON SCORING: Boko Imama (5)

CHICAGO SCORING: Vasily Ponomarev (14), Mackenzie MacEachern (3)

ROADRUNNERS LOSE CLOSE ONE TO CHICAGO WOLVES IN FINAL MEETING OF THE SEASON

Chicago, Illinois – The Tucson Roadrunners wrapped up their four-game season series with the Chicago Wolves Sunday afternoon, falling by a final score of 2-1 to split the weekend set from the Allstate Arena and finish the season series with an overall record of 3-1. Tucson forward Boko Imama scored his fifth goal of the season midway through the second period, while goaltender Tyler Parks stopped 21 of 23 shots faced in his second outing of the season against Chicago. The Roadrunners will return home to host the San Diego Gulls Friday and Saturday at the Tucson Arena.

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Roadrunners forward Boko Imama put Tucson on the board with 12:35 gone by in the second period with his fifth goal of the season, bringing the Roadrunners to within one of the Wolves at 2-1. Imama finished the weekend against Chicago with a goal and an assist, and was tied with defenseman Vlad Kolyachonok as a plus-three to lead the team.

DON’T OVERLOOK IT

IN IT UNTIL THE END – The Roadrunners outshot Chicago 18 to 10 over the final two periods of play in Sunday’s series finale from the Allstate Arena, while only going shorthanded once after falling behind 2-0 early in the second period. Five different Roadrunners recorded at least three shots on goal in the contest, with forward Mike Carcone’s four shots leading the way. Sunday’s matchup was a one-goal game for nearly 52 minutes, as Tucson and backstop Tyler Parks held the Wolves scoreless for the final 34:05 of regulation.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

Tucson forwards Boko Imama and Curtis Douglas each tallied a goal and assist over the two-game weekend series against the Chicago Wolves. After Douglas lit the lamp and Imama assisted on a Cam Hebig goal in Saturday’s series opener, the pair forced a turnover in the Wolves offensive zone and Douglas fed Imama for his fifth score of the year on Sunday. The two have combined for nine fights this season with Tucson, as both trail only forward Travis Barron (8) for the team lead. Imama’s tally on Sunday matched his point total from last season at 12 (5g 7a), and the 26-year-old has a chance to tie his season long scoring streak of three games when the Roadrunners host the San Diego Gulls on Friday.

THEY SAID IT

“We’re getting closer to that playoff push. Obviously, every game counts and the standings are so tight, so the margin for error is really small. I think we’re going to see a lot of playoff hockey coming up, everyone wants to make it and is going to be making that push. We just have to keep raising our game and keep at it.”

Roadrunners goaltender Tyler Parks on Sunday’s close battle with the Chicago Wolves. The Wolves are 8-4-0-1 since leaving Tucson in January after a two-game sweep by the Roadrunners, as both teams look to make the playoffs in their respective divisions.

THE RUNDOWN

The opening 17:24 of Sunday’s series finale was without a goal before Chicago took their first lead of the four-game season series with the Roadrunners at 1-0. Tucson drew a pair of trips to the power-play in the first period, but the Wolves and netminder Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside all 11 shots by the Roadrunners to maintain their 1-0 advantage entering the middle 20 minutes of play. The scoreless frame snapped a streak of nine-straight periods where Tucson found the back of the net, which represented their longest streak of the season. Chicago grabbed the first goal of the second period with 3:55 gone by in the frame to go up 2-0, with both scores coming while skating five-on-five. The Roadrunners got back to within one of the Wolves 8:40 later when forward Boko Imama put Tucson on the board with his fifth goal of the season and second point (1g 1a) on the weekend. Forward Curtis Douglas added an assist on Imama’s score after he recorded his fourth goal and fifth fight of the season in Saturday’s series opener. The remaining 7:25 of the second period after Imama’s blast was without a goal, sending Tucson to Sunday’s final frame still trailing Chicago 2-1. The Roadrunners came out firing in the third period as they looked to complete a two-goal comeback for the second consecutive Sunday afternoon, but a late Chicago power-play kept Tucson from scoring the equalizer. The Wolves held on for their first win of the year against the Roadrunners by a score of 2-1, as Tucson took three of four contests on the season series with Chicago.

(Photo Credits: Chicago Wolves)