Game #24: Tucson Roadrunners (5) vs San Diego Gulls (1)
Game #24: Tucson Roadrunners (5) vs San Diego Gulls (1)
SOG: TUC (32) – SD (37)
PP: TUC (0/2) – SD (0/4)
SAN DIEGO SCORING: Sasha Pastujov (4)
TUCSON SCORING: Kevin Connauton (4, 5), Andrew Agozzino (8), Sam Lipkin (8), Josh Doan (6)
Roadrunners Dominate Gulls 5-1, Extend Winning Streak to Four Games
TUCSON, AZ – The Tucson Roadrunners (14-10-0-0) jumped to an early two-goal lead and added three unanswered goals in the final two periods to secure a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Gulls (6-19-0-0) on Wednesday at Tucson Arena. The win capped a two-game series sweep of the Gulls and extended Tucson’s season-high winning streak to four games.
After a perfect 4-0 homestand, the Roadrunners climbed to fifth place in the Pacific Division, trailing the fourth-place Abbotsford Canucks by just one point.
Defenseman Kevin Connauton recorded his first multi-goal performance of the season, opening the scoring early in the first period. Assistant captain Andrew Agozzino assisted on Connauton’s goal before scoring one of his own just over three minutes later, reaching the 600-point milestone in his AHL career. Agozzino added a late assist on Josh Doan’s empty-net goal, finishing with a season-high three points.
Rookie forward Sam Lipkin continued his hot streak, making it a 3-1 game midway through the second period with his second goal in as many games.
Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta made 36 saves to earn his fourth-consecutive victory.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Agozzino recorded a season-high three points on Wednesday, becoming the fourth Roadrunner to do so in a single game. More notably, his first-period goal marked the 600th point of his career in his 14th AHL season. The goal was especially significant as it came against his former team. Agozzino played for the Gulls last year and during the 2020-21 season. Later in the game, he added his 601st career point with an assist on Doan’s empty-net goal in the third period.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
Connauton scored early in the first period and late in the second for his first two-goal game since Dec. 18, 2019 against the Manitoba Moose, when he was with the Colorado Eagles. It also marked his fifth goal of the season, leading all Roadrunners defensemen. It also marked his fifth goal of the season, leading all Roadrunners defensemen. His two goals extended the defensive corps’ offensive contribution during the homestand. Over the last four games, Tucson’s defensemen combined for three goals and nine assists, totaling 12 points.
THEY SAID IT
“It’s pretty cool. To do it at home, and get the win, which is first and foremost the most important thing. It was a lot of fun.
Roadrunners assistant captain Andrew Agozzino on reaching the 600 point milestone.
THE RUNDOWN
First Period
Five minutes into the game, rookie defenseman Artem Duda generated two consecutive quality scoring chances. The first came when he fired a hard shot from the left side of the blue line, with forward Cameron Hebig screening goaltender Calle Clang and battling for the rebound. On the ensuing faceoff, Duda ripped a hard slap shot from the point that Clang turned aside.
The Roadrunners built momentum from those scoring opportunities and opened the scoring shortly after. Off an offensive-zone faceoff, Kevin Connauton’s slap shot found space through traffic and slipped through Clang’s five-hole, giving the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead 6:07 into the first period.
Tucson extended its lead just over three minutes later, capitalizing on a Gulls’ defensive-zone turnover. Roadrunners forward Egor Sokolov intercepted an attempted breakout pass below the blue line and fired a low shot that Andrew Agozzino deflected past Clang’s blocker and into the net, pushing Tucson’s advantage to 2-0.
San Diego’s best scoring chance of the period came with three minutes remaining. Forward Sam Colangelo streaked down the ice and into the Tucson zone on a potential breakaway, but defenseman Lleyton Moore closed in on him. The defensive pressure forced Colangelo to take a shot from 10 feet away, which Villalta turned aside.
Second Period
The Gulls scored 1:40 into the middle frame to cut their deficit in half. Forward Jan Myšák fired a shot from the point, and forward Sasha Pastujov put home the rebound.
Tucson generated its first high-danger scoring chance midway through the opening period. The forward line of Curtis Douglas, Travis Barron, and Hunter Drew controlled possession in the offensive zone, creating sustained pressure. Barron and Artem Duda each came close to converting on the opportunity.
The Roadrunners capitalized on a San Diego turnover and turned it into a three-on-one rush the other way. Forward Ben McCartney and Lipkin exchanged quick passes, with defenseman Maz Szuber joining on the left side. McCartney carried the puck wide before snapping a perfect feed to Lipkin in the crease for a tap-in goal, extending Tucson’s lead to 3-1 with 7:16 remaining in the period.
Less than three minutes later, Connauton struck again for his second goal of the game, making it 4-1. Hebig set up the play, stickhandling the puck above the slot before threading a pass to Connauton near the right circle. Connauton secured the puck, took a couple of strides toward the goal line, and fired a shot that slipped through Calle Clang’s pads.
Third Period
Connauton’s goal was the final straw for Clang, and San Diego replaced him with goaltender Oscar Dansk. The Gulls were sent off for consecutive hooking and cross-checking penalties to give the Roadrunners its first two power plays of the game. The power play unit generated a couple of scoring opportunities, including close-range shots from Kailer Yamamoto and Sokolov.
The Roadrunners couldn’t capitalize on either opportunity on the man advantage, but Tucson successfully fend off three San Diego power plays in the final 15 minutes of the third period.
With 3:30 left, Doan scored an empty-net goal from the neutral zone to put an exclamation point on the homestand. Sokolov had an assist on the play, his second point of the night, and Agozzino also tallied an assist to cap his three-point game.
The Roadrunners will head north of the border for a two-game series against the Abbotsford Canucks, starting with Friday’s matchup at the Abbotsford Centre. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. The game will be available to stream on AHLTV on FLO HOCKEY.
