Game #25: Tucson Roadrunners (8) vs San Jose Barracuda (6)
Game #25: Tucson Roadrunners vs San Jose Barracuda
SOG: TUC (38) – SJ (35)
PP: TUC (2/3) – SJ (2/3)
SAN JOSE SCORING: Bradley Marek (2), Shakir Mukhamadullin (4), Bradley Marek (3), Thomas Bordeleau (8), Scott Sabourin (4), Leon Gawanke (5)
Forward Aku Raty dazzles the San Jose crowd on Wednesday evening with three goals and an assist. Tucson’s offense impressed in California scoring eight goals with 15 of 18 skaters registering at least a point.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
A PENDULUM OF A HOCKEY GAME – Back and forth the San Jose Barracuda and Tucson Roadrunners would go on Wednesday night. The game featured three ties and four lead changes and nothing was more impressive than the offense of Tucson. Tucson never took more than 3:11 to answer a San Jose goal. Tucson had 38 shots and scored a season high eight goals.
LOOK AT THIS
Forward Justin Kirkland puts his arm around Lleyton Moore, who played in his first AHL game Wednesday, with the Roadrunners and scored his first goal. Moore’s snipe from the point tied the game 2-2 late in the first period.
THEY SAID IT
That was a good win and we want to keep it going. This league is tough, and every night is a battle. We went to the net and challenged the goaltender tonight.
Forward Aku Raty after his 3-goal, 4-point evening in Tucson’s 8-6 win.
THE RUNDOWN
It would not take long for the scoring frenzy to start in San Jose on Wednesday evening. San Jose would score first at the 3:04 mark to get things started. Aku Raty answered with a goal of his own for Tucson and the game was tied up 1-1 2:07 later. Raty was assisted by Patrik Koch and Ryan McGregor. San Jose would add another but be quickly equalized by the stick of Lleyton Moore. In Moore’s first game in the AHL he would score for the Roadrunners and knot things up at 2-2 at 10:16. Justin Kirkland and Josh Doan assisted Moore.
For the third time in three goals, San Jose would find the back of the net to take a one-goal lead. Ben McCartney, recently back from injury, scored his first of the season to tie things back up and swing the momentum towards Tucson 18 seconds later. Curtis Douglas and Cam Crotty assisted the McCartney goal. Just before the halfway point of period two, the Aku Raty party would begin. Raty, who scored the early first period goal, would score his second of the evening to give Tucson it’s first lead of the night. Raty was assisted by Justin Kirkland and Max Szuber. Just under six minutes later at the 15:32 mark Aku Raty would score his third goal of the game and second of the period. Roadrunners fans threw their hats at the TVs at the Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers watch party in Tucson. Raty’s second in the period would give Tucson a 5-3 lead and add an assist to the box score for Ryan McGregor and Montana Onyebuchi.
Pesky San Jose would start the third period off with a goal to bring them within one. Another quick response from Tucson would make it a 6-4 game. This time it was Austin Poganski lighting the lamp for the good guys in red. Poganski was assisted by Max Szuber and John Leonard. Did we mention there were a lot of goals in this game? Anothrt power-play goal for San Jose would again bring them within one. Milos Kelemen, recently returned from the Coyotes, would get in on the action and score for Tucson. Aku Raty, Mr. Points, would pick up an assist and his fourth point of the night. San Jose would again answer late and make the score 7-6 Tucson. Victor Soderstrom would then rip a shot on a late Roadrunners power-play and send the Barracuda back to locker room with an 8-6 loss.
The Roadrunners continue their trip Friday in Bakersfield at 8 p.m. and Saturday at San Diego at 7 p.m.
Tucson returns home Friday, December 29th against San Diego and Saturday, December 30th for a matchup against Coachella Valley.
