Series Preview – Tucson Roadrunners vs San Jose Barracuda

Game 1: Friday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. AZT, Tucson Arena
Game 2: Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. AZT, Tucson Arena

Officials
Friday – Referees: #27 Jackson Kozari, #73 Stan Szczurek | Linespeople: #33 Andrew Gaggin, #32 Robert Fay
Saturday – Referees: #27 Jackson Kozari, #73 Stan Szczurek | Linespeople: #54 Anthony Caruso, #35 Andrew Leonardo

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

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Roadrunners (16-12-5-0) continue their six-game homestand this weekend with a two-game series against the San Jose Barracuda (20-11-1-2) on Friday and Saturday at Tucson Arena. Puck drop for both games is set for 7 p.m. AZT.

Tucson enters the weekend riding a season-high four-game winning streak after opening the homestand with a pair of overtime victories against the Central Division’s Iowa Wild. The Roadrunners have earned points in seven straight games (6-0-1-0) and in 11 of their last 13 contests (8-2-3-0) dating back to early December.

The current hot streak began earlier last month in San Jose, where Tucson picked up points in both games at Tech CU Arena on Dec. 5–6. After a 4-3 overtime loss in the series opener, the Roadrunners responded with a 6-2 win in the finale behind a Cam Hebig hat trick and two goals from Ty Tullio. Tucson has dropped just two games in regulation since that series.

It’s put them right back in the mix in the Pacific Division playoff picture. The Roadrunners sit ninth in the standings with 37 points, tied with eighth-place Henderson and one point behind sixth-place San Diego.

San Jose arrives in Tucson having won two straight games in extra time and posting a 7-4-0-1 record since its last meeting with the Roadrunners. The Barracuda currently sit fourth in the Pacific Division with 43 points.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

BLUE LINE BUZZING
The Roadrunners feature one of the AHL’s most productive backends. Scott Perunovich leads Tucson with 20 assists, ranking fourth among AHL defensemen, and sits tied for fifth in points (22) among blueliners league-wide. He has 11 points (2g, 9a) in his last 12 games dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, tied for sixth among AHL defensemen over that span.

Max Szuber owns a career-high eight goals to lead all Tucson defensemen and ranks tied for third among AHL blueliners. He also leads the team in plus-minus (+10). Szuber has scored four goals in his last seven games dating back to Dec. 27 vs. Calgary, including three goals in his last two games, and has four points (2g, 2a) in his last four contests dating back to Jan. 2 at Calgary.

Rookie Dmitri Simashev continues to drive offense from the back end, posting 14 points (4g, 10a) in his last 12 games dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, tied for first among AHL defensemen in that span. His 1.00 points-per-game pace leads the Roadrunners, all AHL rookie defensemen, and ranks third among all AHL blueliners. Simashev recorded his second three-point, three-assist performance of the season in the series finale against Iowa, joining Ben McCartney as the only Roadrunners to accomplish the feat this year.

LOCKED IN BETWEEN THE PIPES
A major driver of Tucson’s recent success has been its steady play in goal. Matthew Villalta has won five of his last six starts dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, including three straight victories. He ranks 11th in the AHL with 11 wins and sits six victories shy of tying Adin Hill for first all-time in franchise history with 66 wins. Villalta has 60 wins as a Roadrunner since joining the club ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Jaxson Stauber has been equally sharp, allowing just one goal over his last two starts while stopping 40 of 41 shots in back-to-back wins. He has won three of his last four starts and owns two of Tucson’s three shutouts this season—Jan. 4 at Calgary (21 saves) and Nov. 15 at Colorado (32 saves). Villalta recorded the other shutout on Nov. 1 at Iowa (19 saves).

TULLIO TURNING IT ON
Ty Tullio has been on a tear since scoring his first two goals of the season against San Jose in early December. After totaling two points in his first seven games, the 23-year-old Detroit native has six goals and nine points in his last 11 contests dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose. He is tied for first on the team in goals during that span and fifth in points.

Tullio enters the series riding a three-game point streak, recording two goals, three points and a plus-4 rating over that span.

NUMBERS TO KNOW:

4 – Tucson is averaging 4.00 goals per game over its last 12 contests dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, well above its season average of 3.27 goals per game, which ranks 10th in the AHL and seventh in the Western Conference. The Roadrunners are 11-0-2-0 overall (7-0-1-0 at home) when scoring four or more goals this season.

WE’RE DOING IT LIVE
Both games this weekend will be streamed on AHLtv on FloHockey and broadcast 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.