First Round, Game Three: Tucson Roadrunners (1) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (5)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners took on the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a win-or-go-home Game Three on Sunday in Palm Desert, where the Firebirds advanced with a 5-1 victory over Tucson. Coachella Valley jumped out to a quick lead with four goals in the span of 3:33 to make it 4-0 in the opening 7:22 of the first period. Captain Adam Cracknell lit the lamp for Tucson in the final 2:28 of regulation for his first goal of the 2023 Playoffs, while Tyler Parks was in net for the final 52:38 of the contest and stopped all 24 shots faced in his AHL postseason debut.

Game Three – Tucson Roadrunners at Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Tucson Roadrunners will take on the Coachella Friday Firebirds in a winner-take-all Game Three Sunday afternoon at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. The best-of-three series between Tucson and the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken is even at 1-1, with Sunday’s winner advancing to the Pacific Division Semifinals. The Roadrunners are one of just two teams in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs to force a decisive Game Three after falling in Game One, joining the Charlotte Checkers who won Games Two and Three over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to advance to the Second Round.

First Round, Game Two: Tucson Roadrunners (4) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (3)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners took down the Coachella Valley Firebirds Friday night by a final score of 4-3, evening the series at one win apiece to force a decisive Game Three on Sunday. Facing elimination, the Roadrunners jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the opening 15:07 of the contest and led for the rest of the way while not allowing a five-on-five goal by the Firebirds. Forwards Mike Carcone (2g 1a) and Jan Jenik (2a) each tallied multiple-point performances in the win, while goaltender Ivan Prosvetov stopped 35 of 38 shots faced for his first career Calder Cup Playoffs victory. The Roadrunners and Firebirds will face-off in a winner-take-all Game Three at the Acrisure Arena on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. MST, with the winner advancing to the Second Round.

Game Two – Tucson Roadrunners at Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Tucson Roadrunners take on the Coachella Friday Firebirds Friday night for the second game of a best-of-three series in the First Round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Roadrunners need a win to avoid elimination after the Firebirds took Game One at the Acrisure Arena on Wednesday by a final score of 5-1. Tucson outshot Coachella Valley 46 to 27 on Wednesday while holding the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken to just a power-play goal and an empty-net tally over the final 50:34 of regulation. The Roadrunners also scored the final goal of the series opener when defenseman Vlad Kolyachonok lit the lamp with 1:17 left in the third period.

First Round, Game One: Tucson Roadrunners (1) at Coachella Valley Firebirds (5)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners opened the First Round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday night, falling to the Coachella Valley Firebirds by a score of 5-1. The Firebirds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 9:26 of the contest and tallied a pair of power-play goals on the night to take a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three series. Defenseman Vlad Kolyachonok lit the lamp for Tucson late in the third period, as the Roadrunners outshot Coachella Valley 46 to 27 and will look to stave off elimination in Game Two from Palm Desert on Friday at 7:00 p.m. MST.

Game One – Tucson Roadrunners at Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Tucson Roadrunners open the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs on Wednesday with the first matchup against the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a best-of-three series taking place on the road at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert. The Roadrunners and the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken faced off eight times during the 2022-2023 regular season, most recently on February 15 at the Acrisure Arena. Coachella Valley finished their first year in the AHL with the second-best record in the league (48-17-5-2) but enter the postseason having dropped each of their final two regular season outings against the fifth-seeded Bakersfield Condors.

Game #72: San Jose Barracuda (4) at Tucson Roadrunners (2)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners closed out the regular season Saturday night in front of a season-high crowd of 5,923, falling to the San Jose Barracuda by a score of 4-2. With their spot already secured in the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Roadrunners were without regular skaters such as: J.S. Dea, Adam Cracknell, Boko Imama, Jan Jenik, and Steven Kampfer. Defenseman Michael Kesselring and Michael Lombardi each lit the lamp for Tucson, as the Roadrunners will head to Palm Desert to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the First Round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs beginning on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. MST.

Game #72 – San Jose Barracuda at Tucson Roadrunners

The Tucson Roadrunners close out the 2022-2023 regular season Saturday night with a rematch against the San Jose Barracuda after the Barracuda took a hard-fought series opener on Friday by a final score of 4-3. Saturday’s regular season finale and series finale against San Jose is Fan Appreciation Night Presented by the Arizona Daily Star at the Tucson Arena, with a Roadrunners Player Poster Giveaway courtesy of AMR. Tucson wraps up their regular season slate on their home ice before heading on the road for the First Round of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs next week.

Game #71: San Jose Barracuda (4) at Tucson Roadrunners (3)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners dropped the series opener against the San Jose Barracuda Friday night by a final score of 4-3 with a crowd of 5,019 on hand at the Tucson Arena. The Roadrunners were never down by more than one goal through the opening 50:27 of the contest, before San Jose’s second power-play goal on the night made it a 4-2 game with 9:33 still to play. Cameron Hebig netted Tucson’s third shorthanded score of the season to make it a one-goal game with 4:57 left in regulation, but the Barracuda held on to take the series opener. Friday represented the third and final El Lazo de Tucson Night of the season, as the Roadrunners and San Jose will wrap up the 2022-2023 regular season Saturday night with Game #72 before Tucson heads to the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Game #71 – San Jose Barracuda at Tucson Roadrunners

The Tucson Roadrunners open the final series of the 2022-2023 regular season Friday night with the first of two contests against the San Jose Barracuda at the Tucson Arena. The Roadrunners enter the weekend with standings points in eight of their last 11 efforts and are locked into a Calder Cup Playoff spot after clinching on Saturday against the Texas Stars. Tucson and San Jose are facing off for the first time since December 3 and 4, and for the first time in the Old Pueblo since November 19 and 20. The AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks are directly below the Roadrunners in the Pacific Division standings at 29-34-2-5.

Game #70: Texas Stars (5) at Tucson Roadrunners (4) (OT)

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners clinched a 2023 Calder Cup Playoff berth Saturday night with an overtime standings point against the Texas Stars. Tucson overcame a 4-0 deficit with four unanswered goals over the final 21:19 of regulation, before falling in overtime 5-4 after Texas netted the overtime game-winner with 18 seconds left in the extra period. The Roadrunners four-goal rally was started by back-to-back power-play goals by forwards Colin Theisen and Josh Doan, before J.S. Dea and Cameron Hebig scored a pair of goals in the span of 37 seconds in the final 2:41 of regulation to send the contest past regulation. Tucson will have a week of practice before hosting the San Jose Barracuda for the final two games of the regular season Friday and Saturday on their home ice.

Game #70 – Texas Stars at Tucson Roadrunners

The Tucson Roadrunners take on the Texas Stars Saturday night with another opportunity to clinch a Calder Cup Playoff berth. The series finale from the Tucson Arena represents the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Roadrunners and the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars, after Texas took Friday’s series opener 7-3. Tucson recorded a three-goal third period on Friday while outshooting the Stars 36 to 28 overall in a game that featured a combined three trips to the power-play, the fewest in a game for the Roadrunners since March 3 against San Diego. The Stars sit atop the AHL’s Central Division at 37-18-9-3, two points ahead of the Milwaukee Admirals with one less game played.