GAME #2: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS AT COLORADO EAGLES

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Game #2: Tucson Roadrunners (0-1-0-0) at Colorado Eagles (1-0-0-0)

Time: 6:05 p.m. MST, Blue FCU Arena, Loveland, CO

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #46 Stephen Hiff, #71 Brody Sutter

Linespersons: #62 Seth Mukai, #24 Eric McDonald

The Tucson Roadrunners look to split their two-game series against the Colorado Eagles on Saturday after Friday night’s 3-1 defeat. The loss snapped Tucson’s six-game winning streak in season openers, which dated back to 2018. A victory on Saturday would build momentum ahead of the Roadrunners’ four-game homestand, which begins with the team’s home opener against the Texas Stars on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Three things:

  • Three newcomers registered a point in their Roadrunners debut on Friday. Forward Egor Sokolov scored Tucson’s first goal of the season just 41 seconds into the third period. The Roadrunners acquired the 24-year-old Russian from the Ottawa Senators this Summer in a trade for Jan Jenik. Sokolov is the AHL Affiliate Belleville Senators’ all-time leading scorer with 76 goals, 104 assists, and 180 points. Forward Andrew Agozzino set up the goal and earned an assist after threading a pass to Sokolov through the Colorado defense. The 33-year-old signed a two-year deal with Tucson in the offseason after leading the San Diego Gulls in scoring with 26 goals and 64 points last year. Rookie defenseman Artem Duda also had an assist on the play. Friday’s contest was the 20-year-old Russian’s first professional game in North America.
  • Ahead of Friday’s opener, forward Austin Poganski was named the new Roadrunners captain. This time last year, Poganski was fighting to make the team after coming to Tucson on a PTO. He earned a roster spot and went on to score an AHL career-high 14 goals and matched his previous high for total points with 31. Now he has the “C” on his chest and a new number (no. 27) after wearing no. 41 last year. Defenseman Kevin Connauton and forwards Andrew Agozzino, Ben McCartney, and Travis Barron will serve as Alternate Captains this season.
  • Colorado and Tucson combined a line of 2-for-14 on the power-play in Friday’s game, with both units going 1-for-7. The Eagles scored a goal on the power play, penalty kill, and at even strength. The first two put the Roadrunners in a hole just past the halfway mark of the game. After cutting the deficit to one score in the first minute of the third period, the Roadrunners continued to put the pressure on and outshot Colorado 17-14 over the final 40 minutes of the game.

What’s the word?

 “I think we’re all still learning. We’ve been together, but it’s been in different environments at different points. It’s the first game that were together as a full team. We’re still ironing some things out and we’ll be better as we go.”

Roadrunners assistant captain Andrew Agozzino on building chemistry with a new team.

Number to Know:

22 – The number of saves made by Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta on Friday. Although the volume of saves may not jump off the page, the 25-year-old netminder kept Tucson in the game by making highlight-reel saves throughout the night. His most impressive came in the first minute of the middle frame when he made a split save to rob Colorado captain Jayson Megna. Villalta picked up where he left off last year, where he set Roadrunner records for wins (31), games played (51), minutes (3048), and saves (1328).

We’re Doing It Live
Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Blue FCU Arena in Loveland. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.