Game #50: Tucson Roadrunners (1) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (3)

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SOG: TUC (25) – CV (34)

PP: TUC (0/5) – CV (1/7)

TUCSON SCORING: Milos Kelemen (12)

COACHELLA VALLEY SCORING: Carsen Twarynski (9), Jesper Froden (24), Tye Kartye (10 PP)

ROADRUNNERS CLOSE OUT SEVEN-GAME ROAD TRIP WEDNESDAY NIGHT AGAINST COACHELLA VALLEY

Palm Desert, California – The Tucson Roadrunners fell to the Coachella Valley Firebirds Wednesday night by a final score of 3-1 to close out Tucson’s seven-game road trip, as well as the eight-game season series with the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. Neither team led by more than a goal for the opening 54:05 of the contest, before a late power-play score by the Firebirds secured their seventh-straight win on home ice. Milos Kelemen netted his 12th goal of the season for Tucson to open the scoring, while goaltender Ivan Prosvetov stopped 31 of 34 shots faced in his second-straight night of work. The Roadrunners will return home for an upcoming weekend series with the Henderson Silver Knights Saturday and Sunday at the Tucson Arena, their only two home contests in the month of February.

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Tucson forward Milos Kelemen opened the scoring in Wednesday’s contest against the Coachella Valley Firebirds with 6:43 gone by in the first period for a 1-0 Roadrunners lead. The tally gave Kelemen sole possession of fifth place on the team in total goals with 12, while also moving the 23-year-old into a tie with forwards Mike Carcone and J.S. Dea for the most game-opening goals on the season with three. Kelemen exits the seven-game road trip with points in each of his last two appearances.

DON’T OVERLOOK IT

DINEEN’S DIALED IN – Roadrunners defenseman Cam Dineen led the team with six shots on goal Wednesday night against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, his second most in a game this season. The 24-year-old finished the road trip with two goals and two assists and his 33 total points (4g 29a) in 46 appearances are tied for the fifth most among AHL blue-liners. Dineen is also tied for the second-most power-play points in the American Hockey League by a defenseman on the year with two goals and 18 assists while on the man-advantage.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Ivan Prosvetov started in net for the second-straight night on Wednesday against the Coachella Valley Firebirds and recorded 31 saves on 34 shots faced. Prosvetov closed out the season series with the Firebirds, who are atop the AHL in overall point percentage, with a .917 save percentage and a 2.51 goals against average across four outings. One of the 23-year-old’s three goals allowed on Wednesday came while the Firebirds were on the man-advantage, as Tucson limited Coachella Valley to one power-play goal across seven opportunities.

THEY SAID IT

“It’s a tough way to finish off the road trip, but we’re a good hockey team. [In terms of] penalties and special-teams, we have to find a way there… There’s no quit in this team, we’re going to stick with it and keep battling and get results.”

Roadrunners forward Cam Hebig on ending the season-long seven-game road trip Wednesday night against Coachella Valley.

THE RUNDOWN

The Roadrunners struck first on Wednesday with 6:40 gone by in the contest, as Milos Kelemen netted his 12th goal of the season to give Tucson a 1-0 lead. The Firebirds evened the score at 1-1 just before the midway point of the opening frame with forward Carsen Twarynski’s ninth goal of the season at the 9:56 mark of the period. Both teams took a trip to the power-play over the final 7:55 of the first period, but the score stayed tied at 1-1 after 20 minutes of play. The Firebirds quickly opened the scoring in the middle period with a goal nine seconds into the frame to take their first lead of the night at 2-1. The goal was scored by forward Jesper Froden for his 24th time lighting the lamp this year, breaking a tie with Tucson’s Mike Carcone for the second most goals in the AHL. After the early goal by Coachella Valley, the Roadrunners and netminder Ivan Prosvetov held the Firebirds scoreless for the rest of the second period for a one-goal game entering the final 20 minutes of regulation. Tucson remained within a goal of the Firebirds before Coachella Valley netted the first power-play goal of the night with 5:55 still to play in the third period, breaking a scoring drought of 33:56 for a multi-goal lead at 3-1. A late penalty by the Roadrunners limited their attempt at a comeback, as they fell to the Firebirds by a score of 3-1 from the Acrisure Arena.

(Photo Credits: Coachella Valley Firebirds)