Game Preview – Tucson Roadrunners at San Diego Gulls

Wednesday, Apr. 15 at 7 p.m. AZT, Pechanga Arena

Broadcast Info
LISTEN LIVE HERE or on Fox Sports 1450AM | WATCH on AHLtv on Flo Hockey 

Officials
Referees: #14 Jordan Deckard, #47 Mike Sullivan | Linespeople: #70 Dylan Blujus, #71 Harrison Heyer

San Diego, CA – The Tucson Roadrunners (31-28-10-0) close their 2025-26 road schedule and season-high seven-game trip Wednesday against the San Diego Gulls (33-24-8-4) at Pechanga Arena.

Tucson enters the matchup following a series split in Colorado, earning a 5-2 win over the Eagles on Friday before falling 3-2 in overtime Saturday. The loss, combined with San Diego’s 7-3 win over Bakersfield, eliminated the Roadrunners from playoff contention. The Gulls’ victory clinched their first Calder Cup Playoff berth since 2022, while Tucson will miss the postseason for the first time since 2022.

The Roadrunners have dropped five of their last six games, going 1-4-1-0 through the first six contests of April on the current trip. San Diego, meanwhile, has won four of its last five games.

Tucson will look to end its road trip on a high note before returning home for the final weekend of the regular season against Henderson. San Diego has secured the seventh and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division but can still improve its seeding, sitting four points back of sixth-place Bakersfield and fifth-place San Jose.

Wednesday marks the eighth and final meeting between Tucson and San Diego this season, and the fourth at Pechanga Arena. The season series has been tightly contested, with four of the first seven matchups decided in overtime or a shootout.

Tucson is 2-3-2-0 against the Gulls this year, including a 2-1-0-0 mark in San Diego. The Roadrunners have won two of the last three meetings – both at Pechanga Arena – while the Gulls took the most recent matchup, 3-0, on April 1. San Diego opened the season series with four straight wins, all in Tucson, including a pair in overtime.

Ben McCartney (3-1–4) and Cameron Hebig (0-4–4) lead the Roadrunners in scoring in the series, with McCartney’s three goals pacing the team.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

NOTHING BUT NET
Rookie Daniil But continues to surge down the stretch, carrying momentum into Wednesday with points in back-to-back games (1g, 1a). His 19th goal of the season on Saturday not only added to his growing tally, but also marked his eighth first-period strike of the year – tied with Austin Poganski for the team lead – and his third game-opening goal, which is tied for the second-most on the team.

Since April 3 at Henderson, But has been one of Tucson’s most consistent offensive drivers, posting five points (3g, 2a) over his last five games. Zoom out even further, and his production is even more impressive, with 14 points (7g, 7a) in his last 10 contests dating back to March 14. With 38 points (19g, 19a) in just 40 games, the rookie ranks among the AHL’s most efficient first-year players, sitting third in points per game (0.95) and tied for sixth in goals among rookies.

RUSSO KEEPS ROLLING
Veteran defenseman Robbie Russo has quietly pieced together his strongest stretch of the season, entering Wednesday on a five-game point streak. Since April 3, Russo has recorded five points (2g, 3a), highlighted by his goal on Saturday – his fifth of the year and first on the power play this season.

The tally also marked the 20th power-play goal of his AHL career. Over a larger sample size, Russo has totaled 10 points (3g, 7a) in his last 12 games dating back to March 11, and has provided a reliable offensive spark from the back end.

POGANSKI POWERS THE OFFENSE
Captain Austin Poganski continues to lead by example and is coming off extending his single-season career high with his 31st assist on Saturday in Colorado. The veteran forward enters Wednesday with five points (2g, 3a) in his last five games and has been a key contributor throughout the second half of the season.

Since March 11, Poganski has collected 15 points (8g, 7a) in 13 games, and his impact stretches even further back—28 points (13g, 15a) over his last 32 contests dating back to Jan. 20 at San Diego, tied with Andrew Agozzino for the team points lead in that span. Now just four points shy of 250 career AHL points, Poganski’s late-season push continues to anchor Tucson’s offense.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

6 — Tucson has found offense at both ends of games lately, scoring six third-period goals over its last four contests since April 4 at Henderson. The Roadrunners have also struck early, netting six first-period goals in four of their last five games.

Tucson has also consistently jumped on opponents early during the trip, opening the scoring in back-to-back games and in four of its last five since April 3 at Henderson.

WE’RE DOING IT LIVE
Wednesday’s game will be streamed on AHLtv on FloHockey. Fans can also listen live on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. AZT with Roadrunners Warm-Up hosted by David Mooradian.