Game #6: Tucson Roadrunners (1) vs Bakersfield Condors (5)
Roadrunners Recap: 10/27/2023
Game #6: Tucson Roadrunners vs Bakersfield Condors
SOG: TUC (29) – BAK (24)
PP: TUC (1/4) – BAK (1/4)
BAKERSFIELD SCORING: Dino Kambeitz (1), James Hamblin (3), Raphael Lavoie (3), Raphael Lavoie (4), Sam Gagner (1)
TUCSON SCORING: Jan Jenik (2)
ROADRUNNERS DROP FRIGHT NIGHT CONTEST 5-1 TO THE BAKERSFIELD CONDORS FROM THE TUCSON ARENA.
Tucson, Arizona – What a frightful night it was on Saturday, October 28th for the Tucson Roadrunners Fright Night game. The Bakersfield Condors defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 5-1 in front of fans dressed in costume celebrating both Halloween and the El Lazo jerseys the Roadrunners wore.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Tucson Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta with the huge second period glove save blocking the shot of the Bakersfield Condors. Tucson would fall 5-1 in the contest.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
STANDING ON HIS HEAD – Roadrunners netminder Matthew Villalta started his sixth straight game to open the 2023-2024 season tying the Tucson Roadrunners franchise record set by former Roadrunner Ivan Prosvetov in 2020-2021. Prosvetov started those six games in 21 days while Villalta has started the first six of this season in just 15. Villalta has stopped 160 of 174 shots on goal to start the season and has a save percentage of .920.
LOOK AT THIS
Roadrunners Forward Travis Barron eyes a Condors player after his third period tilt. Barron got the crowd ignited despite facing a four-goal deficit in the third period of Saturday’s Fright Night game.
THEY SAID IT
We’re going to get back to work on Monday and right the ship. We will get back to our identity as we get ready for next weekend
Captain Steven Kampfer after Saturday night’s 5-1 loss
THE RUNDOWN
Period one featured an early tilt to kick off the Saturday evening. Cam Crotty dropped the mitts for the Roadrunners and drew an instigation minor on Bakersfield to give Tucson the early power-play opportunity. It was denied by Bakersfield and eventually led to two Condors first period goals. Tucson outshot Bakersfield 9-7 in the period but could not find the back of the net and trailed by two heading into the first intermission.
The second frame would begin with a Jan Jenik power-play goal for the Roadrunners. Jenik was assisted by Nathan Smith and Dylan Guenther, the same combo who assisted the Josh Doan power-play goal from Friday night. Guenther and Smith have now recorded points in three-straight games and continue to produce offense for the Roadrunners. Bakersfield would answer back with a power-play goal of their own in the second period and not look back. Tucson was not without their opportunities in the second, outshooting the Condors 13-7. Tucson would outshoot Bakersfield 31-25 on the night but couldn’t light the lamp after the Jenik goal. The Condors would lead 3-1 heading into the third.
Bakersfield would come out in the third and spoil the Fright Night hopes of the Tucson faithful. Adding two more goals in the period and taking a commanding 5-1 lead. Roadrunners netminder Matthew Villalta would stop 20/25 including a huge glove save in the second to build some momentum. With the weekend wrapping up between the Roadrunners and Condors, tensions would boil over for Tucson as Travis Barron would drop gloves and fight at the 11:50 mark of the third. It was a great tilt for Barron and gave the crowd a moment to remember despite the 5-1 deficit. Tucson returns home next Friday and Saturday, November 3-4 as they face the Chicago Wolves at the Tucson Arena.
