Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: Opening Weekend
Upcoming Games (All Times MST)
Saturday, October 19, 7:00 p.m. vs. Texas Stars
Sunday, October 20, 4:00 p.m. vs. Texas Stars
Friday, October 25, 7:00 p.m. vs. Bakersfield Condors
Home Opening Weekend:
The Roadrunners open their 2024-25 home schedule with a weekend slate against the Texas Stars, Affiliate of the Dallas Stars. The Roadrunners are set to begin Saturday’s home opener with the annual Red-Carpet introductions of the 2024-25 team; where cans can get autographs, meet the players and coaches and hear from them as they enter the arena for the first match at the Tucson Arena. Fans will also receive a rally towel upon entry when gates open. Tickets for Opening Night can be found HERE.
Past Success vs. the Central:
The Roadrunners were a clean 4-0-0-0 versus the Stars last season and a phenomenal 9-2-1-0 versus the Central Division last season; including a 6-0-0-0 record at home. With the season sweep in 2023-24, the Roadrunners outscored the Stars 15-7 in the four wins. Milos Kelemen (2 goals, 3 assists) and Aku Raty (1 goal, 4 assists) each lead the Roadrunners in points versus Texas last season and are both off to hot starts in 2024-25. Raty (2 goals) and Kelemen (2 assists) each had two points in Tucson’s 4-2 victory over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday, October 12 for the team’s first victory of the season. Dating back to the end of the regular season in 2023-24 Raty has seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) in his last eight games and Kelemen has six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in his last six games.
Fitting Right In:
Over the opening weekend in Colorado, four players who have skated their first games as a Roadrunner in 2024-25, scored two points for Tucson: including Andrew Agozzino (1 goals, 1 assist), Egor Sokolov (1 goal, 1 assist) Artem Duda (2 assists) and Julian Lutz (2 assists). Out of the eight points combined between the players, six of them came on the power-play; that went 4-for-12 (33.3%) over the two-game series. Tucson’s four power-play goals were the most in the Western Conference over opening weekend in the AHL. Dating back to the preseason, Duda has three power-play assists in the last four games played; while Sokolov has three power-play points (1 goal, 2 assists) in his last four games.
A First Look At The Duo
One of the most exciting aspects for Tucson to start the season was the crease of both Roadrunner goaltenders Matthew Villata and Jaxson Stauber. Over the opening weekend, the two netminders combined for 55 saves on 60 shots (.916 save %) with a 2.50 goals against average. Stauber stopped the bulk of it with 33 saves on 35 shots in-route to his first win as a Roadrunner, but both goalies only allowed two even strength goals out of the five total over the regular season opening weekend. Last season, Villalta had a 3-0-0-0 record versus the Stars; with a 1.43 goals against average and .955 save percentage. Stauber, the former Central Division goaltender with the Rockford Ice Hogs, started two games versus Texas; earning a 1-1-0-0 record with a 3.52 goals against average and .898 save percentage.
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, the new “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer and Co-Host Kim Cota-Robles were joined by Roadrunners Forward Egor Sokolov as he tells his life story of playing hockey in Russia and moving to North America. Listen to this week’s show HERE.
