GAME #17 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS VS COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

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Game #17: Tucson Roadrunners (8-8-0-0) vs Coachella Valley Firebirds (10-5-0-1)

Time: 6:30 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #83 Jordan Watt, #95 Nolan Bloyer

Linespeople: #54 Anthony Caruso, #48 Jake Herzog

The Tucson Roadrunners take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. MST and look to split the series and end its four-game homestand on a winning note. Tucson is 2-1 on the homestand after Tuesday’s 8-2 loss to Coachella Valley. In game one, the Firebirds rattled off eight unanswered goals and handed the Roadrunners its largest margin of defeat of the season. The route snapped Tucson’s three-game winning streak and extended Coachella Valley’s eight-game point streak.

Three things:

  • In Tuesday’s game, Roadrunners defenseman Robbie Russo notched his 11th assist and point of the season on forward Andrew Agozzino’s first-period power-play goal. Russo has a season-high four-game point streak and has collected five assists in that span. The 10-year-pro leads the Roadrunners in power-play points with seven (0-7-7). Agozzino and Sokolov narrowly trail him with six power-play points apiece. Russo is tied with several players for the fifth-most power-play points in the AHL and is also tied with San Jose Barracuda defenseman Luca Cagnoni for the third-most power-play assists in the league. He ranks ninth in total points and third in assists among all AHL defensemen.
  • Coachella Valley tallied a season-high eight goals in game one. The Firebirds overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit and shut out its opponent in the final two periods for the second game in a row. Firebirds forward Max McCormick tied the game in the first period to extend his road-scoring streak to three games, tied for the longest current streak in the AHL. With the victory, Coachella Valley has won seven of its last eight games and has earned a point in all eight matches after starting the season 3-5.
  • Roadrunners goaltender Dylan Wells made his AHL season debut after replacing goalie Matthew Villalta early in the third period of Tuesday’s contest. He played the final 18:51 of the game and stopped five of seven shots. Wells was recalled from the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Allen Americans, a week ago and could make his first AHL start of the season against Coachella Valley on Wednesday. The seven-year pro set AHL career highs in games played (18) and wins (10) in his first season with Tucson last year and re-signed with the team on a one-year deal during the offseason. 

What’s the word?

“I think the difference was we were invested physically and emotionally (during the winning streak). We just didn’t have that tonight at all.”

Roadrunners coach Steve Potvin on the team’s lack of focus in Tuesday’s defeat

Number to Know:

5 – Forward Kailer Yamamoto notched an assist on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five games. He has the team’s longest current points streak and has eight points in the span (3-5-8). With another point on Wednesday, Yamamoto would tie Sokolov and Agozzino for the team’s longest streak of the season (six games). The duo registered points in six consecutive games in October.

Latest Transactions:

  • On Tuesday, Nov. 26 Milos Kelemen was reassigned from the Tucson Roadrunners to HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czechia).
  • On Tuesday, Nov. 26 defenseman Patrik Koch was reassigned from the Tucson Roadrunners to HC Oceláři Třinec (Czechia).

We’re Doing It Live
Wednsday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who all of the action from Tucson Arena. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.