Game #10: Tucson Roadrunners (2) vs San Diego Gulls (4)
Game #10: Tucson Roadrunners (2) vs San Diego Gulls (4)
SOG: TUC (26) – SD (18)
PP: TUC (0/2) – SD (1/2)
SAN DIEGO SCORING: Josh Lopina (2), Jansen Harkins (5), Sam Colangelo (7), Nikita Nesterenko (4)
TUCSON SCORING: Egor Sokolov (8), Sam Lipkin (2)
ROADRUNNERS RALLY NOT ENOUGH IN 4-2 DEFEAT TO SAN DIEGO
Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Roadrunners (5-5-0-0) fought back from a pair of two-goal deficits but forwards Egor Sokolov’s and Sam Lipkin’s goals weren’t enough in its 4-2 defeat to the San Diego Gulls (4-8-0-0) on Sunday at Tucson Arena. Defenseman Montana Onyebuchi had an assist for his first point of the season. Defenseman Kevin Connauton and forwards Aku Räty and Andrew Agozzino also tallied an assist each. Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta made 14 saves.
San Diego led 2-0 after the first period, but Sokolov’s goal got the Roadrunners back in the game at the start of the middle frame. The Gulls had an answer every time Tucson got to within striking distance and scored late in the second period to take a 3-1 lead ahead of the second intermission. Lipkin found the back of the net for the second time in three games at the start of the third period to get it back to a one-goal game, but the equalizer evaded the Roadrunners despite dominating the final 20 minutes.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Sokolov followed up Saturday’s three-point performance with a momentum-shifting goal early in the second period on Sunday. He has scored in five of the last six games, registering 10 points from seven goals and three assists in that span. Sokolov has also tallied a point in nine of the Roadrunners’ first 10 games. The fifth-year pro has a team-high 14 points and eight goals, which ranks third in the AHL in both categories.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
After not dressing in Saturday’s game, defenseman Kevin Connauton was a force on the backend alongside his partner Makysmillian Szuber. Connauton had a team season-high six shots on goal and created some of Tucson’s best scoring chances in the game. He set up Sokolov’s second-period goal, wiring an accurate pass from the Tucson goal line all the way to the far blue line. The 15-year pro hit Agozzino in stride, who snapped a quick pass to Sokolov. Tucson’s leading scorer entered the Gulls zone with speed and had enough space to fire a hard shot past San Diego goaltender Oscar Dansk. Connauton earned an assist on the play and his fourth point of the season, pulling him even with Szuber for the second-most points among Roadrunners defensemen.
THEY SAID IT
“It seems like whenever we need a goal, he (forward Egor Sokolov) is the guy getting it for us. It’s great to see him have such a great start to the season.”
Roadrunners assistant captain Andrew Agozzino on leading scorer Egor Sokolov’s strong start to the season.
THE RUNDOWN
It was a defensive struggle in the early going as both squads’ offenses combined for one shot on goal through the first nine minutes of the game. The first scoring chance came after forward Josh Doan’s high-sticking minor put the Gulls on the man advantage midway through the period. The Roadrunners penalty kill limited San Diego’s first power play to low-danger shots outside until Villalta blocked a sequence of close-range rebounds to keep the game scoreless. After Villalta secured the puck to end the play, Sokolov and Gulls forward Nathan Gaucher traded shoves and the pair earned off-setting rough penalties. Tucson controlled play during the two minutes of 4-on-4 action and Connauton generated the team’s first scoring chance when he carried the puck through the San Diego zone towards the net and fired a hard wrist shot on goal and follow-up shot from the rebound. After the penalties expired, the Gulls capitalized on a Tucson turnover at even-strength, and forward Josh Lopina scored off the rush to put San Diego ahead 1-0 with seven minutes remaining. Less than two minutes later, Gulls forward Jansen Harkins beat Villalta on a breakaway to give San Diego a 2-0 lead. The Roadrunners finished the opening frame strong, and Szuber nearly put Tucson on the board in the closing seconds, but Dansk made the save to preserve San Diego’s two-goal lead entering the first intermission. The Gulls outshot Tucson 9-7 in the first.
The Roadrunners cut the deficit in half 1:45 into the second period from a snipe from Sokolov. Connauton looked for a breakout pass near his own goal line and fired a cross-ice pass to Agozzino, who dished it to Sokolov near the blue line. The Russian winger stayed onsides, flew into the San Diego zone, and picked the top right corner above Dansk’s glove to make it a 2-1 game. Sokolov’s line alongside center Austin Poganski and left winger Kailer Yamamoto continued to carry the Tucson offense throughout the period. With five minutes remaining, Yamamoto nearly scored on a 2-on-1 with Sokolov, but his one-timer rang off the right post. The Roadrunners out-chanced and outshot the Gulls 8-4 in the middle frame, but San Diego escaped the period with its original two-goal lead intact after forward Sam Colangelo’s power-play goal put the Gulls ahead 3-1 with 3:07 remaining.
The Roadrunners scored in the opening two minutes for the second period in a row after Lipkin put home a rebound 1:41 into the third period. His goal was made possible by Onyebuchi, who skated around the San Diego zone toward the net before firing a hard shot on goal. It was Lipkin’s second-career AHL goal and second goal in the last three games. Tucson dominated possession through the first half of the period and came close to finding the equalizer several times. Near the 10-minute mark, the rookie trio of Julian Lutz, Sam Lipkin, and Miko Matikka generated a couple of quality scoring chances. Shortly after, defenseman Robbie Russo had a great look from below the blue line, with Dansk in the butterfly position on the ice, but his slap shot just missed the upper corner of the net by inches. Tucson continued to pressure San Diego for the rest of the game and outshot the Gulls 11-5 in the period. Tucson had its best chance at tying the game when Gulls defenseman Rodwin Dionicio’s tripping penalty gave the Roadrunners its second power play of the night with just over seven minutes remaining. Doan and defenseman Artem Duda had a pair of scoring chances, but Dansk made several big saves down the stretch. Tucson pulled Villalta with 2:42 remaining, but Gulls forward Nikita Nesterenko buried an empty-net goal in the final minute.
The Roadrunners will kick off a three-game road trip with a mid-week matchup against the Ontario Reign on Wednesday at Toyota Arena. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. MST. The game will be available to stream on AHLTV on FLO HOCKEY.
