Three-Goal Rally Not Enough as Roadrunners Fall 5–3 to Gulls

January 21, 2026

Roadrunners Recap: 1/21/2026

Game #37: Tucson Roadrunners (3) vs San Diego Gulls (5)

SOG: TUC (30) – SD (39)

PP: TUC (1/2) – SD (0/2)

SAN DIEGO SCORING: Justin Bailey (14), Cal Burke (1), Jan Myšák (8,9), Nikita Nesterenko (2)
TUCSON SCORING: Ben McCartney (15), Andrew Agozzino (5), Austin Poganski (10)

The Tucson Roadrunners (17-13-7-0) wrapped up their midweek series with a 5–3 loss to the San Diego Gulls (18-12-6-2) on Wednesday night at Tucson Arena.

After falling behind by three goals in the opening period, the Roadrunners rallied with three consecutive tallies over a span of a period and a half. Ben McCartney pulled Tucson within two with a shorthanded goal late in the first period, before Andrew Agozzino and Austin Poganski scored in the second to tie the contest at 3–3.

Despite the pushback, San Diego controlled much of the play in the final frame, scoring twice to pull away. Jan Myšák netted his second goal of the game, and Nikita Nesterenko added his second of the two-game series to seal the 5–3 victory.

Scott Perunovich and Dmitri Simashev each recorded multi-point performances, finishing with two assists apiece, and rookie forward Jack Ricketts made his AHL debut.

HIGHLIGHTS

TEAM NOTES

The Roadrunners have scored in the second period in six consecutive games dating back to Jan. 9 vs. Iowa, outscoring opponents 8-5 in that span and tying the team’s longest middle-frame scoring streak of the season (six games from Dec. 3–19, 10 goals).
Tucson finished the homestand with a 3-1-2-0 record, earning points in five of six games.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Wednesday’s tally was Ben McCartney’s fifth career short-handed goal, tying him with Hudson Fasching for the most in franchise history.
McCartney is now tied for the team lead in goals (15) and special teams points with 10 (5g, 5a) and paces the team in short-handed goals (2).
McCartney‘s goal was his second point of the series (1g, 1a) and 35^th point of the season, matching his career high set in the 2021–22 campaign (18-17–35).
Wednesday’s tally was Andrew Agozzino‘s second goal in as many nights and third points (2g, 1a) in his last four games, dating back to Jan. 16 vs. SJ.
Agozzino has seven points (2g, 5a) in his last seven games dating back to Dec. 6 at SJ.
Austin Poganski has four points (2g, 2a) in his last four games, dating back to Jan. 16 vs. IA.
Dmitri Simashev recorded his third career multi-point game with a pair of assists.
Simashev has 17 points (5g, 11a) in his last 16 games dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, T-1^st among AHL blueliners in that span.
Simashev has a team-high six points (1g, 5a) in his last five games, dating back to Jan. 10 vs. IA, T–2^ndamong AHL blueliners.
Scott Perunovich notched his team-high fifth multi-assist game of the season. He’s now T-2^nd on the team with six multi-point games (Last: Jan 2 at CGY 0-2–2).
Perunovich is T-3^rd in assists (23) and 4^th in points (24) among all AHL defensemen.
Perunovich has 14 points (2g, 12a) in his last 16 games dating back to Dec. 6 at San Jose, 6^th among AHL blueliners in that span.

Andrew Agozzino celebrates after scoring in his second straight game against San Diego on Wednesday. (Photo: Tyler Horton / Tucson Roadrunners)

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST PERIOD
The opening frame got off to a difficult start for the Roadrunners as San Diego’s Justin Bailey opened the scoring at 2:30. Nikolas Brouillard fired a shot from the left point that Bailey deflected with the shaft of his stick at the goal line, trickling the puck past Stauber to give the Gulls the early lead.

Stauber answered back at the 4:39 mark, denying Bailey with a right-pad save on a backhand chance.

San Diego continued to apply pressure, and Cal Burke capitalized on a deflection off Stauber to extend the Gulls’ lead to 2–0. The visitors added another goal shortly after, as Myšák buried a backhand attempt following a Noah Warren shot from the faceoff circle that was initially stopped by Stauber.

Tucson managed to settle things down late in the period, killing off two penalties with Stauber coming up with several key stops to halt the momentum.

Just before the end of the period, McCartney took advantage of a turnover on the penalty kill and broke in alone, snapping a shot into the right corner past Calle Clang to score his second short-handed goal of the season and get the Roadrunners on the board.

Stauber capped the period with another highlight stop in the final minute, denying Judd Caulfield on a breakaway with a backhand deke attempt.

The teams headed into the first intermission with San Diego leading 3–1.

SECOND PERIOD
Tucson earned its first power play 1:17 into the second period and capitalized at 2:22. Simashev ripped a shot from above the right circle that Clang kicked aside, but Agozzino collected the rebound along the goal line and fired it off the top of Clang’s right pad and into the net to pull the Roadrunners within one.

Looking to even the score, Tucson sustained pressure in the San Diego zone with multiple extended possessions just past the five-minute mark.

The Roadrunners nearly tied the game when Max Szuber ripped a shot from the right faceoff circle. Ty Tullio followed up on the rebound from the left side of the net, but Clang turned the chance aside with the stick.

Tucson went back to the power play at 13:25, but the Roadrunners were unable to convert on their second opportunity of the period.

At 17:05, Perunovich led an ensuing rush and found Poganski, who snapped a low shot from inside the right faceoff circle through the five-hole of Clang to tie the contest at 3–3.

Tucson’s offensive push carried into the intermission as the teams entered the final frame deadlocked at three.

THIRD PERIOD
San Diego had an early opportunity to regain the lead as Ryan Carpenter generated a chance, but Stauber controlled the rebound and froze the puck at the 1:13 mark.

Tucson answered with chances of its own midway through the frame. Jack Ricketts rifled a shot that Clang turned aside with the blocker at 6:38, and 1:33 later, Ryan McGregor’s one-timer was denied by Clang with a left pad save.

The Gulls regained the lead at 10:12 as Myšák snapped a shot over Stauber’s right shoulder for his second goal of the game.

San Diego added insurance shortly after when Nesterenko slipped a backhand through Stauber’s five-hole, extending the lead to two. The goal marked Nesterenko’s second of the two-game series against Tucson.

With no offensive response from the Roadrunners, the Gulls closed out a 5–3 victory.

UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will open a three-game road trip with a two-game set against the Henderson Silver Knights on Saturday and Sunday at Lee’s Family Forum. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. AZT on Saturday and 6 p.m. AZT on Sunday. Fans can listen live on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app, watch on AHLtv on FloHockey.