GAME #25 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

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Game #25: Tucson Roadrunners (14-10-0-0) vs Abbotsford Canucks (14-10-0-1)

Time: 7:00 p.m. MST, Abbotsford Centre, Abbotsford, B.C.

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WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #42 Jordan Samuels-Thomas, #64 Adam Forbes

Linespeople: #37 Bradley Ewing, #68 Owen Middleton

Supervisor: Jay Sharrers

Two of the hottest teams in the AHL face off Friday night as the Tucson Roadrunners visit the Abbotsford Canucks at Abbotsford Centre. Both sides enter the matchup riding season-high four-game winning streaks, tied with three others for the longest active streak in the league. Over their last four contests, each club has recorded two shutouts while allowing just three goals.

The similar on-ice success is reflected in the Pacific Division standings, where fourth-place Abbotsford holds a slim one-point edge over Tucson, having played one more game. A Roadrunners victory on Friday would leapfrog them past the Canucks and put them within striking distance of the third-place Coachella Valley Firebirds, who sit two points ahead.

Three things:

  • Both teams have benefited from stellar goaltending during their winning streaks. Tucson’s Matthew Villalta has been dominant, winning his last four starts with a .975 save percentage during that stretch. In his last outing, Villalta made a season-high 39 saves in the Roadrunners’ 5-1 victory over the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday, following consecutive shutouts against San Diego on Monday and Henderson on Saturday. Abbotsford’s Nikita Tolopilo has also been great between the pipes, posting back-to-back shutouts in a weekend sweep of the Manitoba Moose. Tolopilo now has three shutouts in his last five starts. The Canucks also have Artūrs Šilovs as an option in net. Šilovs, who has spent most of this season in the NHL, has been perfect in his limited AHL action, winning both of his starts.

  • Tucson and Abbotsford have been perfect on the penalty kill during their win streaks. The Roadrunners have successfully killed all 12 power plays during that stretch, while the Canucks have gone 15-for-15, including an impressive eight penalty kills against the Colorado Eagles on Dec. 7. For the season, Abbotsford ranks sixth in the AHL with an 85.3 percent success rate on the penalty kill, while Tucson sits 13th at 83 percent. Roadrunners assistant captain Ben McCartney has been one of the Tucson’s best penalty killers, and has scored two short-handed goals this season. Likewise, Canucks forward Dino Kambeitz has also netted two short-handed goals, with both players tied for the second-most in the league.

  • The Roadrunners’ recent success has been fueled by several players consistently contributing offensively. Forward Josh Doan has registered a point in nine of the last 11 games, posting 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points during that stretch. Assistant captain Andrew Agozzino has been equally productive, recording a point in eight of his last 10 games with 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points, including a three-point performance (1 goal, 2 assists) on Wednesday. Forward Cameron Hebig has tallied a point in seven of his last nine games, with 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points. Egor Sokolov has points in five of his last seven games, contributing 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points, including two assists on Wednesday. Meanwhile, forward Ben McCartney has recorded a point in three of the last four games, with 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points.

What’s the word?

“Matty (Villalta) has been awesome. Guys want to play hard in front of him. Everyone wants to see each other succeed, so it’s great to see him play really well and pick up those wins and shutouts, and we know he’s going to do it again for us.”

Roadrunners assistant captain Kevin Connauton on goaltender Matthew Villalta

Number to Know:

127 – In their first two matchups earlier this season on Oct. 29 and 30, both teams combined for 127 penalty minutes and 42 penalties. Each team set its season high for penalty minutes and minor penalties in a single game during the series, with Tucson racking up 47 penalty minutes and 11 minor penalties on Oct. 29, and Abbotsford totaling 33 penalty minutes and nine minor penalties on Oct. 30. Despite all the trips to the sin bin, no players dropped the gloves in either game, though both contests featured several scrums after the whistle.

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We’re Doing It Live
Friday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Abbotsford Centre. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.