GAME #28 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS vs COLORADO EAGLES

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Game #28: Tucson Roadrunners (16-11-0-0) vs Colorado Eagles (15-8-1-2)

Time: 4:00 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #3 Jake Kamrass, #24 Jack Young

Linespeople: #48 Jake Herzog, #54 Anthony Caruso

The Tucson Roadrunners will close out both their two-game series and the calendar year on Sunday when they host the Colorado Eagles at 4 p.m. MST at Tucson Arena. The Eagles claimed Saturday’s opener with a 3-1 victory, snapping Tucson’s season-high six-game winning streak and dropping the Roadrunners to sixth place in the Pacific Division with 32 points. Colorado, now in fourth with 33 points, sits just one point ahead of Tucson in a tightly contested division race, where only four points separate second-place San Jose from sixth place.

Three things:

  • Saturday marked the first time this season the Roadrunners were held to one goal or fewer at Tucson Arena and just the third time overall. Meanwhile, the Eagles extended their winning streak to three games, holding opponents to a combined five goals during that span. Colorado entered the series ranked in the AHL’s top five for goals against, allowing an average of just 2.60 per game. Tucson, owning the league’s 12th-best offense, came into the matchup averaging 3.23 goals per game.

  • Forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Austin Poganski lead the Roadrunners with active three-game point streaks. Yamamoto has tallied four points during the stretch (one goal, three assists), while Poganski has recorded three points (one goal, two assists). On Saturday, Yamamoto scored midway through the third period to pull Tucson within one, capitalizing on a setup from Poganski, who circled behind the net before delivering a pinpoint pass to Yamoto in the slot. Yamamoto’s goal ties him with Josh Doan for the fifth-most on the team, with seven.

  • Defenseman Robbie Russo earned an assist on Kailer Yamamoto’s goal in game one, after finding Austin Poganski down low with a quick pass from the blue line. The assist tied Russo with forward Egor Sokolov for the team lead in assists at 14. Russo also leads all Roadrunners defensemen in scoring with 14 points. His playmaking has been particularly impactful at home, where he has recorded 11 of his 14 points this season at Tucson Arena.

What’s the word?

“We took a lot of penalties. Obviously, we have to try to and keep that in check – nothing after the whistle. Try to play in between the whistles. But at the end of the day, it’s hockey.”

Roadrunners forward Kailer Yamamoto on the team being shorthanded seven times in game one.

Number to Know:

7 – The Roadrunners’ penalty kill was flawless in game one, going a perfect 7-for-7. It marked their second-most successful penalty-kill effort in a single game this season, trailing only their Oct. 29 performance against Abbotsford, when they killed off eight Canucks power plays. Over the past seven games, Tucson has allowed just two power-play goals, posting an impressive 25-for-27 success rate (92.6%). The Roadrunners’ penalty kill currently ranks 14th in the AHL with a 83.5% success rate. 

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We’re Doing It Live
Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on KXEW/Tejano 1600 and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tucson Arena. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey and tickets can be purchased using the link here.