GAME #59 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS vs SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

/in , /by

Game #59: Tucson Roadrunners (28-25-3-2) vs San Jose Barracuda (29-21-4-3)

Time: 4:00 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #51 Bobby Jo Love, #16 Adam Tobias

Linespeople: #14 Jett Larson, #76 Gabe Lomen

For the second time this season, the Tucson Roadrunners (28-25-3-2) snapped a multi-game losing streak with a decisive win over the San Jose Barracuda (29-21-4-3) in Game One. Now, they’ll aim to complete the sweep in Sunday’s series finale at Tucson Arena. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. MST.

The Roadrunners controlled Saturday’s opener from start to finish, racing out to a three-goal first-period lead and cruising to a 6-3 victory. Alternate captain Andrew Agozzino and second-year defenseman Max Szuber led the charge with three points apiece—Agozzino recorded his first hat trick of the season and fourth of his career, while Szuber notched his first three-point game of the 2024-25 campaign with three assists.

The win improved Tucson’s record to 2-1 against San Jose and tightened the Pacific Division playoff race. The Barracuda hold sixth place with 65 points, while the Roadrunners sit in seventh—the final playoff spot—with 61. The Bakersfield Condors are close behind in eighth with 59 points.

A regulation win on Sunday would pull Tucson within two points of San Jose and secure the Roadrunners’ first series sweep since their 4-3 overtime victory over Abbotsford on Feb. 23.

Three Things:

  • Balanced Attack
    Five Roadrunners recorded multi-point performances in Saturday’s series opener. Forwards Ryan McGregor (2A), Ben McCartney (1G, 1A), Kailer Yamamoto (1G, 1A), Agozzino (3G), and Szuber (3A) all contributed multiple points in the 6-3 win. Yamamoto and McCartney sealed the victory with back-to-back empty-net goals just 25 seconds apart in the final minute after San Jose pulled its goalie for an extra attacker. Their late tallies capped off strong individual performances and extended their recent hot streaks—Yamamoto has six points (3G, 3A) in his last four games, while McCartney has five (3G, 2A) in his last five. Both players rank among the top four on the team in multi-point outings this season, with Yamamoto leading the Roadrunners at 13 and McCartney sitting fourth with six, including two in his last five games. McCartney also notched the 100th and 101st AHL point of his career, reaching a significant career milestone in his 201st AHL game. McGregor also recorded his second multi-point game in his last seven contests and third of the season. The playmaking forward has three assists in his last three games, providing another offensive spark for Tucson as they look to build momentum.

  • Szuber’s Standout Night
    Szuber became the fourth active Roadrunner to record a three-assist game and the first since Cameron Hebig accomplished the feat on Jan. 21 against the Henderson Silver Knights. It marked Szuber’s second career three-point game and his first since April 19, 2024—also against San Jose. Two of his assists came on the power play, moving him into fifth on the team with 10 power-play points (1G, 9A), just one behind Robbie Russo for the most among Tucson defensemen. It was also Szuber’s third multi-point game of the season, trailing only Russo (five) for the most among Roadrunners blueliners. The 22-year-old ranks third among Tucson defensemen in scoring with 22 points, trailing Artem Duda (23) and Russo (29). Szuber has been on a roll offensively, tallying six points (1G, 5A) in his last five games.

  • Agozzino’s Hat Trick
    Agozzino became the second Roadrunner to record a hat trick this season and the first since Hebig notched the team’s first on Jan. 3 against Texas—another 6-3 victory. Two of Agozzino’s goals came on the power play, making him just the second Tucson player to register multiple power-play goals in a game this season and the first since Aku Räty did so on Oct. 12 against Colorado. The performance marked Agozzino’s second three-point game of the season and first since Dec. 18 against San Diego (1G, 2A). It was also his first hat trick since Nov. 27, 2021, with the Belleville Senators. Agozzino’s four career AHL hat tricks have come with four different teams: Tucson, Belleville, the Colorado Eagles, and the Lake Erie Monsters.

What’s the Word?

“It was super important. We were on a losing streak, so we’ve kind of changed directions again, and we’ll just try to keep it going and get the winning streak going.”

Roadrunners defenseman Max Szuber on the importance of Saturday’s Game One victory

Number to Know:

3 – Forward Curtis Douglas found the back of the net for the third consecutive game, with each tally serving as the opening goal. It marks the first three-game goal streak of his career and makes him the fifth active Roadrunner to record a three-game scoring streak this season, joining Hebig, Yamamoto, Egor Sokolov, and Hunter Drew.

Douglas is the first Tucson player to accomplish the feat since Hebig’s four-game streak from Jan. 11 to Jan. 20. With a goal on Sunday, Douglas would match Hebig’s team-high four-game goal streak this season.

Latest Transactions:

  • None

We’re Doing It Live

Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tucson Arena. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey and purchase tickets using the link here.