Hebig Ties Franchise Goals Record in 6-2 Victory Over San Jose

Roadrunners Recap: 12/6/2025

Game #22: Tucson Roadrunners (6) at San Jose Barracuda (2)

SOG: TUC (22) – SJ (41)

PP: TUC (1/2) – SJ (0/4)

SAN JOSE SCORING: Jack Thompson (2), Cam Lund (2)
TUCSON SCORING: Ty Tullio (1, 2), Cameron Hebig (9, 10, 11), Ben McCartney (8) 

San Jose, CA – Cameron Hebig scored three goals for his second career hat trick, and Ty Tullio netted his first two goals as a Roadrunner to lead Tucson (9-10-3-0) to a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Barracuda (13-7-1-1) on Saturday at Tech CU Arena.

Hebig’s hat trick tied him with Michael Bunting for first all-time in franchise history with 74 goals. Tullio, who had been held off the board in his first seven games, scored his first two goals of the season.

San Jose opened the scoring just over five minutes into their Teddy Bear Toss Night, but Tucson outscored the Barracuda 6-1 the rest of the way. Tullio’s first goal, just over 10 minutes into the game, evened the score at 1-1 and began a stretch of three consecutive Roadrunners goals.

Hebig gave Tucson its first lead of the night five minutes into the second period, and Tullio added his second 2:22 later to make it 3-1. The Barracuda responded eight seconds afterward to cut the deficit to 3-2 at 7:31.

Tucson pulled away with three more goals, including a power-play tally from Ben McCartney with four minutes remaining in the second period to make it 4-2. Hebig added two more in the third period, including an empty-net goal with 3:29 left to complete the hat trick and tie the franchise’s all-time goals record.

Five Roadrunners recorded multi-point games. In addition to Hebig and Tullio, McCartney had a goal and an assist, while Lleyton Moore and Michal Kunc each had two assists.

In net, Matthew Villalta made 39 saves to earn his seventh win of the season. His 22 saves in the third period were the most by any goalie in a single period in the AHL this season. He has won two of his last three starts.

Tucson snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory and now sits tied with the seventh-place Henderson Silver Knights for the final Pacific Division playoff spot, each with 21 points. By earning three of a possible four points against San Jose, the Roadrunners leave the weekend in a stronger position in the standings than when they arrived.

NOTABLES

• After Saturday’s hat trick, Cameron Hebig now has 152 career points as a Roadrunner, moving him passed Michael Carcone for second all-time in franchise history.
• Cameron Hebig recorded his second career hat trick, first since Jan. 3, 2024, at Texas (3-0–3).
• It was Tucson’s second hat trick of the 2025-26 season, the first since Andrew Agozzino’s on Nov. 28 vs. Abbotsford.
• Hebig’s hat trick marked the 25th in Roadrunners franchise history.
• Ben McCartney scored his second power-play goal of the season, the 19th of his AHL career, and the 56th goal of his career. He is now four PPGs shy of tying Michael Bunting (23) for second on the franchise’s all-time power-play goal list and two goals shy of tying Lane Pederson (58) for fourth on the franchise’s all-time goal list.
• Ben McCartney recorded his third multi-point game of the season, his first since Oct. 24 vs. Bakersfield (2-0–2), and extended his scoring streak to a season-high two games. He has seven points (4g, 3a) in his last eight contests dating to Nov. 22 vs. Colorado.
• Lleyton Moore assisted on both of Ty Tullio’s goals for his first multi-assist game of the season and second multi-point performance (previous: 1-1–2 at Iowa on Nov. 2).
• Michal Kunc picked up the primary assist on two of Hebig’s goals for his third multi-point performance and second multi-assist game of the season. He has four points (1g, 3a) in his last four games dating to Nov. 29 vs. Abbotsford.
• Rookie defenseman Dmitri Simashev recorded his first point (assist) in his third AHL game.
• Scott Perunovich collected the secondary assist on Cameron Hebig’s second-period goal for his team-high 12th assist of the season. He leads all Roadrunners defensemen in points (12) and is tied for eighth in points among AHL blueliners.
• Villalta’s 39 saves were his second-most this season; his 49-save effort vs. Manitoba remains the AHL’s top single-game total in 2025-26.
• Tucson’s three-goal second period was its most in a middle frame this season and tied the team’s season high for goals in a period. It marked the fourth time the Roadrunners have scored three in a period (last: Nov. 28 vs. Abbotsford, 3rd).
• Tucson has scored in the second period in five of its last six games dating to Nov. 26 vs. San Diego, totaling eight goals in that span — including three tonight.

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST PERIOD
San Jose wasted no time breaking the seal on Teddy Bear Toss Night. The Barracuda opened the scoring at 5:20 when Jack Thompson deked into space and lifted a backhander from the low left circle into the top corner to give San Jose a 1–0 lead and send a storm of teddy bears from the home crowd onto the ice.

Play resumed roughly 15 minutes later after the several hundred stuffed animals littering the ice were cleared and secured for donation.

Tucson came out on fire after the break and nearly pulled even at 7:56 when Tullio hammered a one-timer from the slot, but San Jose goaltender Gabriel Carriere flashed his glove to keep the Roadrunners off the board.

Tullio wouldn’t be denied on his next chance. On his next shift, the forward ripped a one-timer from the left dot to tie the game 1–1 at 10:08. Tucson’s blue line drove the play: Moore moved the puck across the point to his partner Montana Onyebuchi, who fed Tullio down low for the finish.

San Jose answered with a surge of pressure, firing five consecutive shots on goal and drawing a delay-of-game call on Tucson with 5:22 remaining. The Roadrunners penalty kill held serve, allowing just one shot on the power play to keep the score even at the first intermission.

SECOND PERIOD
Onyebuchi continued to impact the game and drew a tripping penalty 90 seconds in after driving the puck to the net off the rush, giving Tucson its first power play of the night.

The Roadrunners generated two grade-A chances in the opening 30 seconds of the man advantage. From below the goal line, Kevin Rooney fed Sammy Walker for a one-timer in front, but Carriere made his biggest save of the night to keep the game tied. Moments later, Hebig found Rooney at the back door for another point-blank look, but Carriere again turned aside the one-timer.

Tucson couldn’t convert on the power play, but broke through shortly after at even strength. Hebig won a battle for a loose puck, curled behind the net, and snapped a wrist shot over Carriere’s left pad far side to make it 2–1 at 5:01.

The Roadrunners doubled the lead just over two minutes later when Moore fired a shot from the point and Tullio redirected it home for his second of the night to put Tucson up 3–1 at 7:23.

However, the two-goal cushion lasted just eight seconds. Off the ensuing faceoff, Cam Lund scored on the rush to cut the Barracuda deficit to 3–2 at 7:31.

San Jose had a chance to pull even midway through the frame after earning its second power play of the night, but Tucson’s penalty kill stood tall again to preserve the one-goal lead.

Late in the period, the Roadrunners earned their second power play and made it count. On the man advantage, Noel Nordh’s wrister from above the left circle was blocked, but McCartney pounced on the loose puck in front and jammed it home to give Tucson a 4–2 lead with 4:04 remaining.

The Roadrunners killed a late Barracuda power play to stay 3-for-3 on the night and carry a two-goal lead into the final intermission.

THIRD PERIOD
Needing two goals to draw even, the Barracuda fired the first 12 shots on goal through the opening seven-and-a-half minutes of the period. Villalta denied each attempt to preserve the Roadrunners’ comfortable lead. He finished with 22 saves in the period.

Less than 30 seconds later, Tucson struck on just its second shot of the frame. Kunc circled behind the net and delivered a no-look backhand pass to Hebig, who snapped a one-timer past Carriere to make it 5–2 at 7:59.

San Jose pulled Carriere with four minutes remaining and Hebig took advantage, scoring an empty-net goal with 3:29 left to complete his hat trick and seal Tucson’s 6–2 victory.

UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will return home and host the Bakersfield Condors in a two-game series on Friday and Saturday. Both games will kick off at 7 P.M. AZT at Tucson Arena. Fans can listen live on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app and watch on AHLtv on FloHockey.

Fans can secure their seats online at Ticketmaster.com.

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