Game #24: Tucson Roadrunners (2) vs Abbotsford Canucks (6)
Game #24: Tucson Roadrunners vs Abbotsford Canucks
SOG: TUC (21) – ABB (23)
PP: TUC (0/1) – ABB (0/2)
ABBOTSFORD SCORING: Linus Karlsson (5), Cole McWard (2), Linus Karlsson (6), Aidan McDonough (4), John Stevens (6), Sheldon Dries (12)
TUCSON SCORING: Nathan Smith (3), John Leonard (4)
ROADRUNNERS FALL TO ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS 6-2 ON TEDDY BEAR TOSS GAME FROM THE TUCSON ARENA
TUCSON, AZ – The Tucson fell to the Abbotsford Canucks 6-2 on Teddy Bear Toss Night from the Tucson Arena in front of season-high 5,046 fans in attendance to fall to 14-8-1-1 on the season. Abbotsford scored an empty-net goal after scoring twice in 15 seconds late in the third the break open a 3-2 score.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
The teddy bears rained down from the 5,046 Roadrunners fans in attendance in the first period of Saturday night’s contest. Nathan Smith scored his fourth goal of the season on the play and cut the Canucks lead in half.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
TEDDY BUT NOT ROOSEVELT – Nathan Smith became the seventh Roadrunners player to score the patented Teddy Bear Toss goal. It was the third fastest in Tucson Roadrunners history 13:50 into the first period. Smith is also the third player on the current roster to score the goal (Ryan McGregor and Travis Barron).
LOOK AT THIS
Forward Nathan Smith leads the handshake line after scoring Tucson’s first goal of the evening and sparking the over 5,000 Tucson fans in attendance to throw their teddy bears onto the ice. Over 5,000 teddy bears were thrown and will be donated to children in Southern Arizona.
THEY SAID IT
I thought we were ready to play hard enough until they resisted, and we weren’t able to give that push back and play to our identity. With the results yesterday, you have to expect a response from a team with a lot of pride
Head Coach Steve Potvin following Tucson’s 6-2 loss Saturday night.
THE RUNDOWN
The Tucson fans filled their seats in anticipation of the first Roadrunners goal of the evening where teddy bears would be thrown from all angles and sides onto the ice to be donated to children in Southern Arizona. Abbotsford wasted no time silencing the crowd with their first goal just 46 seconds into the game to take the early 1-0 lead. About halfway through the period, the Canucks would score again making it a two-goal lead for the road team. Tucson would not keep the over 5,000 fans in attendance waiting for much longer as Nathan Smith would get a rebound and put it in the back of the net cutting the Abbotsford lead to 2-1. Smith was assisted by John Leonard on the play. Before Smith, Leonard, and the rest of the skaters could get through the high-five line, the teddy bears began coming in droves. Over 5,000 teddy bears in fact, hit the ice and will now be donated to children all around Southern Arizona with Aviva Children’s Services. An incredible cause and incredible amount of support from not only Roadrunners fans, but Tucson as a whole. The period would end with Abbotsford heading into the locker room with a 2-1 lead.
At the 2:31 mark of the second period, John Leonard would light the lamp for the Roadrunners and send the crowd into an eruption of applause. The teddy bears had all been thrown on the Smith goal and the momentum was back with the Roadrunners. Montana Onyebuchi and Nathan Smith assisted Leonard on the play, both of whom had assists in Friday night’s contest. Abbotsford answered back with a third goal of the evening and retook the lead late in the period. Tucson would successfully kill-off most of a late minor penalty, but could not scratch a goal across and trailed 3-2 heading into the third.
The wheels fell off for Tucson in the back half of the third period. Abbotsford fourth goal was scored at the 12:58 mark. 15 seconds later off of the draw, Abbotsford would score again giving them the 5-2 lead and taking the air out of the Tucson Arena. Some frustrations brewed over for Tucson as Patrik Koch and an Abbotsford player would both receive Continuing Altercation misconducts late in the third. Abbotsford would score an empty-netter at the 16:55 mark to increase their lead to four and eventually the final score of 6-2.
Tucson returns home Friday, December 29th against San Diego and Saturday, December 30th for a matchup against Coachella Valley.
