Game #69: Tucson Roadrunners (3) @ Rockford IceHogs (6)
Game #69: Tucson Roadrunners (3) at Rockford IceHogs (6)
SOG: TUC (38) – RFD (31)
PP: TUC (1/2) – RFD (1/2)
ROCKFORD SCORING: Aku Räty (6), Cavan Fitzgerald (7), Joey Anderson (17), Cole Guttman (23), Jackson Cates (9), Nolan Allan (2)
TUCSON SCORING: Austin Poganski (15), Artem Duda (6), Andrew Agozzino (20)
Roadrunners Drop Series Opener in Rockford 6-3
Rockford, IL – The Tucson Roadrunners (33-31-3-2) opened their final road series of the regular season with a 6-3 loss to the Central Division’s Rockford IceHogs (29-30-6-2) on Friday night at the BMO Center. The defeat snapped Tucson’s two-game winning streak and halted Rockford’s two-game skid. The Roadrunners are now 1-1-1 against the IceHogs and 2-4-1 against Central Division opponents this season.
Tucson captain Austin Poganski opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the game with his career-high 15th goal of the season, but Rockford responded with four consecutive goals, including three in the opening frame.
Former Roadrunner Aku Räty, acquired by Rockford in early March, tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal at 6:54. Cavan Fitzgerald and Joey Anderson followed with goals 34 seconds apart late in the period to give the IceHogs a 3-1 advantage after 20 minutes.
Cole Guttman made it 4-1 midway through the second, but the Roadrunners answered on the power play as rookie defenseman Artem Duda scored for the second straight game to cut the deficit to two.
Jackson Cates pushed the IceHogs’ lead back to three just 29 seconds into the third period, finishing a two-on-two rush with a quick shot following a centering feed from Gavin Hayes. Tucson continued to battle, and alternate captain Andrew Agozzino struck with 7:16 remaining, burying a rebound for his 20th goal of the year. He became the third Roadrunner to hit the 20-goal mark this season, joining teammates Cameron Hebig (23) and Egor Sokolov (21).
Agozzino’s goal was set up by alternate captain Ben McCartney, with both players extending their point streaks to three games.
Tucson pulled goaltender Jaxson Stauber in the final minutes in search of a comeback, but Rockford sealed the win with an empty-net goal from Nolan Allan in the final minute.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Duda’s second-period tally gave Tucson a much-needed boost late in the frame—and marked a milestone for the 21-year-old rookie defenseman.
The goal was Duda’s second on the power play this season and his first since Nov. 9 against San Diego. It also marked the first time in his career that he’s scored in back-to-back games. The Moscow native now has four points (2g, 2a) over his last four outings and has tied Max Szuber for second in scoring among Roadrunners defensemen with 29 points (6g, 23a), trailing only Robbie Russo’s 32.
Russo recorded the primary assist on Duda’s goal, a milestone of his own. The helper was his 90th point as a Roadrunner, tying Cam Dineen for second all-time among Tucson defensemen. The veteran blueliner now has two points (1g, 1a) in his last three games.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
Poganski’s goal just 41 seconds into the contest didn’t just give Tucson the early lead—it also marked a milestone night for three Roadrunners.
For Poganski, it was his 15th goal of the season, surpassing last year’s career high. It was also his seventh first-period goal of the year, tying Agozzino and Sokolov for the team lead. The tally marked the sixth time Poganski has opened the scoring for Tucson this season, tied with McCartney for second-most on the team behind Sokolov (11). The captain now has four points (2g, 2a) in his last five games.
Hebig and Ryan McGregor each picked up assists on the play, and both hit milestones of their own. Hebig’s helper was his 21st of the season, setting a new career high and eclipsing last year’s total of 20. He now has three points (1g, 2a) in his last two outings.
Meanwhile, McGregor’s assist gave him 13 points (3g, 10a) for the second consecutive season—this time in six fewer games. Just two games removed from netting the game-winner against Bakersfield, the 26-year-old Burlington, Ontario native now has two points (1g, 1a) in his last three contests.
THEY SAID IT
“Tomorrow’s huge. These points are huge. We like to put fate in our own hands. Two points tomorrow would go a long way, so we have to get the body prepared for tomorrow, get the mind ready, and away we go.”
Roadrunners alternate captain Travis Barron on the importance of Saturday’s rematch
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
The Roadrunners wasted no time lighting the lamp, as Poganski opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the contest. Hebig sprung Poganski with a stretch pass from center ice, catching him behind the Rockford defense at the blue line. Poganski skated in alone and beat IceHogs netminder Drew Commesso glove side with a wrist shot from the right circle to give Tucson an early 1-0 lead.
Rockford capitalized on its first power-play opportunity five minutes later after Duda was sent off for interference. Räty scored against his old team to make it 1-1 at 6:54 with a one-timer from the slot, set up by Hayes after he worked the puck down low and found Räty with space in front. Räty fired a quick slapshot past Stauber to even the score.
Tucson responded with sustained offensive pressure in the second half of the frame. A failed clearing attempt by Commesso led to a dangerous chance the other way. Agozzino intercepted the puck and helped Tucson reset in the offensive zone. Rookie blueliner Maveric Lamoureux fired a heavy shot from the point through traffic, with McCartney providing a screen in front. Commesso, however, made the save cleanly and swallowed up the rebound with under seven minutes remaining.
Despite the push from Tucson, Rockford answered with back-to-back goals late in the period. Fitzgerald intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and raced the puck the other way before snapping a shot past Stauber from the slot to give the IceHogs their first lead of the night with 3:49 on the clock.
Just 34 seconds later, Anderson extended the Rockford lead to 3-1 with a one-timer from the high slot. Tucson couldn’t clear the puck from its zone, and Andreas Athanasiou tracked down the loose puck along the boards and drove it into the right corner before feeding Anderson for the quick strike with 3:15 to play.
SECOND PERIOD
Tucson came out flying in the middle frame and controlled the ice for most of the period.
Just over two minutes in, Agozzino nearly deflected home a Szuber point shot from the low slot, but the puck sailed inches wide. Ninety seconds later, McGregor jumped on a rebound after Hebig’s shot from the left circle, but Commesso made the stop to keep it a 3-1 game.
The duo stayed dangerous on their next shift. Hebig broke in alone on a breakaway and deked forehand to backhand but couldn’t lift the puck over Commesso’s outstretched pad. McGregor crashed the net and tried to poke home the rebound, but Commesso held his ground with a sprawling save on the goal line.
Tucson continued to tilt the ice in their favor. McCartney drove to the net just past the seven-minute mark with Rockford defensemen Ethan Del Mastro and Allan draped all over him. He managed to get a shot off, but Commesso once again came up with the stop.
Approaching the midway point, Hunter Drew created another quality look for Tucson when he beat Allan wide and broke in alone from the left wing. His wrister was turned aside by Commesso, but the sustained pressure drew a delay of game penalty from the IceHogs moments later. Tucson went on the power play for the first time and generated two chances, but still couldn’t find the back of the net despite outshooting Rockford 10-4 through the opening 13 minutes of the period.
In spite of the Roadrunners’ offensive push, Rockford extended its lead to 4-1 with 6:49 left in the frame. Guttman got behind the Tucson defense and received a pass from Zach Sanford before sneaking a wrist shot through Stauber’s five-hole from point-blank range.
Tucson answered just over two minutes later on their second power play of the period, following another Rockford delay of game penalty. Ninety seconds into the man advantage, Robbie Russo’s point shot created a rebound that kicked out to the right circle. Duda jumped on it and fired a wrister into the open side of the net and trimmed the deficit to 4-2 with 4:25 remaining.
THIRD PERIOD
Needing a pair of goals to pull even, the Roadrunners were dealt a setback just 29 seconds into the final frame. Rockford struck early when Hayes carried the puck into the Tucson zone on a two-on-two rush and threaded a pass across the crease to Cates, who buried a quick wrister to extend the IceHogs’ lead to 5-2.
Tucson went back to work and got one back with 7:16 left in regulation. Walker sparked the play with an aggressive forecheck that knocked the puck loose from a Rockford defender. McCartney corralled it and fired a quick shot on net, forcing a save from Commesso. The rebound popped out to the slot, where Agozzino hammered it home to make it 5-3.
With time winding down, the Roadrunners pulled Stauber for the extra attacker with three minutes left. Agozzino made a key defensive play in the final two minutes, diving to break up Paul Ludwinski’s empty-net bid from close range and keeping Tucson’s comeback hopes alive.
But with 58 seconds remaining, Allan sealed the win with an empty-net goal, putting the game out of reach and closing the door on Tucson’s rally.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners close out their final road trip of the regular season on Saturday in the series finale against Rockford at the BMO Center. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. MST. The game can be streamed live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
