Roadrunners Recap: Tucson (1) at Colorado (5): 1/10/2020
Game #34: Tucson (1) at Colorardo (5)
SOG: TUC (27) – COL (29)
PP: TUC (1/2) – COL (01/3)
TUC SCORING: Chaput (12pp)
COL SCORING: Dries (14), Joly (8pp), Bowers (5), Kaut (3), Condra (10)
ROADRUNNERS DROP FIRST ROAD GAME SINCE NOVEMBER 30
Despite winning their final four road games of 2019, the Roadrunners’ first contest away from Tucson Arena in 2020 did not go in their favor, falling 5-1 to the Colorado Eagles Friday.
The Eagles took their advantage on the evening’s first shift, capitalizing on an uncharacteristic turnover by Tucson in their own end just 29 seconds in.
Brandon Halverson, who was making his first start as a member of the Roadrunners, then stopped the next six shots faced before a flurry of goals from Colorado just 47 seconds apart ended his night.
Tyler Parks would then enter in relief for Tucson, the first action of Parks’ AHL career. Signed to a professional tryout (PTO) Friday morning, the 27-year-old, Missouri-born goaltender comes to the Roadrunners after a successful start to the season with the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Rapid City Rush.
Parks would settle in over the remaining 45 minutes for work, turning away 18 Eagles’ attempts, however, not before two would beat him. The contest was in the home team’s favor 5-0 in the first 25 minutes.
As mentioned though, Parks found his groove and before the final horn sounded, 46 seconds before to be exact, Michael Chaput spoiled the shutout bid of Adam Werner by poking a loose puck home on the power play. The goal served more relevance than that of just getting on the board for the Roadrunners though, as Michael Bunting extended his point streak to nine games by earning the primary assist.
Bunting joins Mike Sislo, who did so in 2018, as the only Roadrunners ever to have points in nine straight contests.
Late tally aside, a 5-1 loss was the end of Friday’s 60 minutes.
THEY SAID IT
“We hate losing. It usually shows in our games after a loss. We’ll all respond the way everyone expects us too. We hold ourselves to a standard and it should be much better tomorrow night.”
Forward Andy Miele communicating post-game that a game like tonight won’t sit will with the locker room.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
It’s hypothetical and surely there are other factors that went into it, but if you take away the rocky first period, it’s a 1-1 game the rest of the way tonight.
The sentiment heading into tonight’s contest was that it would be one contingent upon getting a good start and being on the right side of momentum swings. While neither of those worked in Tucson’s favor, the rest of the contest could check a few boxes. Tucson got a power play goal, they outshot Colorado in both the second and the third and got a very late tally that could carry some of that aforementioned momentum into Saturday night’s affair.
GOTTA SEE IT
For just about 59 minutes it looked as if it was going to be a tough night with a not so great result for the Roadrunners. However, as mentioned, Captain Michael Chaput’s 12thof the season, which game in power play fashion, provide some cheers.
Who else would pick up the primary assist? With what looks like a little shuffle / kick in front, #27 now has points in every game since December 14 and etch his name into team history one more place tomorrow night.
PHOTO OF THE GAME
It’s undoubtedly been a whirlwind 24 hours for Tyler Parks, who not only signed his tryout for Tucson at approximately 10 A.M. Friday, but was then thrust into action after a rocky start for the 18 skaters in front of Brandon Halverson.
An outstanding career story after going from NCAA DI to NCAA DIII, earning a shot in the Southern Professional Hockey League tryout, then performing well enough to get an ECHL look, Parks can now add AHL time to his resume. Congratulations, Tyler.
