Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: New Year Same Faces

Upcoming Games (All Times MST)

Friday, January 3 @ Texas Stars at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 4 @ Texas Stars at 6:00p.m.

Wednesday, January 8 @ Coachella Valley Firebirds at 8:00 p.m.

Roadrunners Record Through 28 Games: 16-11-1-0, 5th in the Pacific Division

A December To Remember:

The Roadrunners finished its second month in a row with at least six wins: completing the month of December with a 6-3-1-0 record, which was the best line of the season with one less loss than November’s 6-4-0-0 record. Six of Tucson’s wins in December all came as a season high six-game winning streak from December 13 to December 21. The team also outscored its opponents 30-to-23: with the best period of the month coming in the third period. Tucson outscored its opponents 17-to-9 in the final period of regulation in December. In addition, Tucson has 38 total third period goals this season, which trails just the Calgary Wranglers (41) and Charolette Checkers (39) for the best in the league.

Pogo, Yamo and Biggy:

The Roadrunners line combination of Kailer Yamamoto, Austin Poganski and Cameron Hebig propelled Tucson’s offense to close off December: contributing to seven of Tucson’s 18 goals in the final six games of the month. Yamamoto completed the month tied for Tucson’s top scorer; notching three goals and six assists for nine points: including two multiple-point games; which now ties him with Egor Sokolov with most team multiple-point games this season at six. Yamamoto and Poganski each have four-game point streaks which are current team highs for active streaks. Yamamoto has six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in the stretch while Poganski has four points (2 goals, 2 assists). Cameron Hebig had his own season-high point streak of four from December 16 to December 21: scoring two goals and three assists for five points in the span. In addition, Hebig has scored four goals and seven assists for 11 points in his last 13 total games. Hebig’s six goals and eight assists on the season in 23 games played has put him in line for his best season yet statistically. He is already nearly halfway through his career high in goals (13), assists (20) and points (32) with just half the games played.

Matty V Has Returned:

Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta has found his grove since taking the full crease for Tucson. Since the recall of goaltender Jaxson Stauber to the Utah Hockey Club on November 20, Villalta has a 2.29 goals against average, .923 save percentage, three shutouts and an 8-4-0-1 record. This comes after Villalta started the year off with a 3.58 goals against and .886 save percentage in six starts. Now Villalta enters the 2025 calendar with a 2.70 goals against average, .911 save percentage and 9-9-1-0 record. He currently ranks third in the league in minutes (1110:22) and games played (19), second in saves (510) and 13th in save percentage (.911). Villalta had a fantastic month of December; compiling up a 2.01 goals against average and .933 save percentage; which was the second best of goaltenders in the league who played 400 minutes or more in the month.

Back On The Road:

The Roadrunners now start off a seven-game stretch from the Tucson Arena; which is the teams longest span of the season on the road. The Roadrunners are 6-6-0-0 on the road after sweeping the Abbotsford Canucks on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21 before the Christmas break. Roadrunners begin the trip with a two-game slate with the Texas Stars on Friday, January 3 and Saturday, January 4. The last time these two teams faced, Texas spoiled Tucson’s home opening weekend with two victories on October 19 and October 20. However, Tucson swept the Texas Stars in the two-game opening season series in 2023-24 to begin the year 2-0-0-0. Tucson ended the season series at 4-0-0-0 versus the Texas Stars and 9-2-1-0 versus the Central Division.

The Race Has Begun:

The AHL’s Pacific Division race has once again become a gauntlet in the league, as places two-through-six are separated by just three points. Tucson sees itself in the fifth-place spot but just three points behind San Jose for second and two points behind Colorado and Ontario for places third and fourth. However, Tucson is tied for second in Pacific Division wins at 16 with the Ontario Reign and just one behind the Calgary Wranglers that has 17. Overall, Tucson has a 16-9-1-0 record in the Pacific.

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, “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer and Co-Host Kim Cota-Robles grabbed Roadrunners players, staff and coaches as they walked into the arena on Saturday’s Gameday in the Colorado Series. Listen live each week HERE and the podcast version after HERE.