Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: Driving The Snakes Out Of Tucson

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Upcoming Games (All Times MST)

Tuesday, March 11 vs. Ontario Reign at 6:30 p.m. (Hospitality and Service Industry Night)

Wednesday, March 12 vs. Ontario Reign at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 15 vs. San Jose Barracuda at 7:00 p.m. (First Responders Night)

Sunday, March 16 vs. San Jose Barracuda at 4:00 p.m. (St. Patrick’s Game Day)

Roadrunners Record Through 55 Games: 27-23-3-2 (59 points), Seventh Place In The Pacific Division

Pacific Playoff Watch This Week (Top Seven Seeds Make The Calder Cup Playoffs)

Colorado Eagles: 31-15-5-3 (70 points), First Place

  • Wednesday, March 12 @ Coachella Valley Firebirds at 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Friday, March 14 @ San Diego Gulls at 7:00 p.m. PST
  • Saturday, March 15 @ San Diego Gulls at 6:00 p.m. PST

Coachella Valley Firebirds: 32-18-1-5, (70 Points), Second Place

  • Wednesday, March 12 vs. Colorado Eagles at 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Friday, March 14 @ Bakersfield Condors at 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 15 vs. Henderson Silver Knights at 6:00 p.m.

Calgary Wranglers: 31-21-4-2, (68 points), Third Place

  • Saturday, March 15 @ Abbotsford Canucks at 7:00 p.m. PST
  • Sunday, March 16 @ Abbotsford Canucks at 4:00 p.m. PST

Ontario Reign: 31-19-3-1, (66 points), Fourth Place

  • Tuesday, March 11 @ Tucson Roadrunners at 6:30 p.m. MST
  • Wednesday, March 12 @ Tucson Roadrunners at 6:30 p.m. MST
  • Sunday, March 16 vs. Henderson Silver Knights at 3:00 p.m. PST

San Jose Barracuda: 28-20-4-3, (65 points), Fifth Place

  • Saturday, March 15 @ Tucson Roadrunners at 7:00 p.m. MST
  • Sunday, March 16 @ Tucson Roadrunners at 4:00 p.m. MST

Abbotsford Canucks: 29-23-2-1, (61 points), Sixth Place

  • Tuesday, March 11 vs. Bakersfield Condors at 7:00 p.m. PST
  • Wednesday, March 12 vs. Bakersfield Condors at 7:00 p.m. PST

Tucson Roadrunners: 27-23-3-2, (59 points), Seventh Place

  • Tuesday, March 11 vs. Ontario Reign at 6:30 p.m. MST
  • Wednesday, March 12 vs. Ontario Reign at 6:30 p.m. MST
  • Saturday, March 15 vs. San Jose Barracuda at 7:00 p.m. MST
  • Sunday, March 16 vs. San Jose Barracuda at 4:00 p.m. MST

Bakersfield Condors 24-20-6-3, (57 Points), Eighth Place

  • Tuesday, March 11 @ Abbotsford Canucks at 7:00 p.m. PST
  • Wednesday, March 12 @ Abbotsford Canucks at 7:00 p.m. PST
  • Friday, March 14 vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds at7:00 p.m. PST

Check Out The Entire AHL Playoff Primer HERE

Blistering Benny:

Roadrunners fourth year forward Ben McCartney has seen the back of the net special teams style as of late; getting a point in seven of his last eleven games with four goals and four assists for eight points. However, six of the eight points have some in power-play fashion, (3 goals, 3 assists) helping the Roadrunners net a 10-for-30 (33%) power-play line in 11 of the last 14 Roadrunner games that McCartney has played. Overall, on the season, McCartney has nine power-play points with five goals and four assists that is fourth- best on the team. Out of 10 of McCartney’s goals, seven of them have some in special teams fashion with the five power-play goals and two shorthanded goals. In addition, fellow forward Samuel Walker has emerged on the power-play for Tucson with two goals and five assists for seven points, which are out of 13 for his total as a Roadrunner (4 goals, 9 assists) since being acquired by the Utah Hockey Club from the Iowa Wild at the All-Star Break. In addition, the Roadrunners power-play is 11-for-35 (31%) since Walker joined the team 14 games ago.

Green Eggs and Yams:

Roadrunners Forward Kailer Yamamoto continues to tear the scoresheet for Tucson. This season, Yamamoto has points in 75% of his games played; snagging a point in 34 of his total 45 games played. That is just 11 games this season that Yamamoto has played in where he did not get a point. Yamamoto leads Tucson in most categories in points (47), assists (30), power-play points (12), and points-per-game (1.04). In addition, he his third on the team in goals (17) and second in plus/minus (+13). Tucson this season has four players that are over or six goals within the 20-goal mark of the season: including Cameron Hebig (21), Egor Sokolov (20), Yamamoto (17) and Andrew Agozzino (14). With 17 games left on the season, Tucson could see four players hit 20 goals or better which has never happened in the team’s franchise, The most players the team saw that hit over 20 goals was the 2017-18 unit; when Mike Sislo (23), Michael Bunting (23) and Dylan Strome (22) each eclipsed the 20-goal mark.

Villata Standing Vertical:

Roadrunners netminder Matthew Villalta stood on his head over the three-game road trip for Tucson; starting in two of the matches and stopping 78 of 82 total shots for a .951 save percentage and 2.01 goals against average. As the Roadrunners continue to find their game, so has Villalta, combining a 3-1-0-0 record with a 1.75 goals against average and .950 save percentage stopping 134 of 141 shots in his last four starts. In addition, Villalta has faced 37 shots or more in three of the last four starts; including 42 saves on 45 shots on March 8 in Bakersfield versus the Condors. It was the second game this season where Villalta made 42 saves in a contest with the first time coming in a 3-2 loss versus the San Diego Gulls on January 10. This season when having to face over 30 shots, Villalta has a 3.15 goals against average with a .923 save percentage. Overall, Villalta is third in the league in games played (35) and minutes (2,065) with a 2.91 goals against average and .909 save percentage.

Prowling The Playoffs:

The Roadrunners have gotten hot at the right time; gaining a 5-1-1-0 record in the last seven games and an 8-4-1-1 line in the last 14 games since the All-Star Break. Tucson’s 6-2-1-1 record in the last 10 games is the third best in the Pacific Division compared to San Diego (8-1-0-1) and Coachella Valley (7-3-0-0). The Roadrunners are still hanging on to the final seventh seed of the AHL Pacific Division race over the Bakersfield Condors (8th seed) by two standings points. However, Tucson is just two points away from the Abbotsford Canucks (6th seed) and six points from the San Jose Barracuda (5th seed) to gain ground in the division. Looking ahead, the Roadrunners are also still alive for a potential hosting for the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs; just seven points behind the Ontario Reign (4th seed) and nine points behind the Calgary Wranglers (3rd seed). However, the Wranglers are in a free fall; having won just two of the last two of the last 14 games with a 2-8-2-2 record and slowly slipping away from the top four seeds. Ontario has also struggled of late with a season-high five-game losing skid at 0-4-1-0; scoring just six total goals for a 1.20 goals for per game in the skid. With Ontario and San Jose on the docket four-game homestand, Tucson has a real chance to start talking about home ice for round number one of the playoffs.

We Are Live:
Tucson Roadrunners Happy Hour airs every Tuesday at 5 p.m. on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app, with a podcast version also available after each episode on the iHeartRadio app and Apple Podcast. This week, “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer and Co-Host Kim Cota-Robles will have Assistant Captain Travis Barron on the show ahead of Roadrunners Game Night versus the Ontario Reign. Listen live each week HERE and the podcast version after HERE.