GAME #11: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS AT ONTARIO REIGN

/in , /by

Game #11: Tucson Roadrunners (5-5-0-0) at Ontario Reign (4-6-0-0)

Time: 8:00 p.m. MST, Toyota Arena, Ontario, CA

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

WATCH PARTY AT COLD BEERS & CHEESEBURGERS: DETAILS HERE

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #93 Phillip Kasko, #92 John Lindner

Linespersons: #71 Harrison Heyer, #96 Michael McBain

The Tucson Roadrunners open a three-game road trip with a mid-week matchup against the Ontario Reign on Wednesday at 8 p.m. MST. Tucson split its two-game weekend home series against the San Diego Gulls after Sunday’s 4-2 defeat. Forward Egor Sokolov scored for the third game in a row, which is tied for the current longest active goal streak in the AHL. He has also scored in five of the last six games.

After a 1-4 start, Ontario is 3-2 in its last five games. Both losses have come in its last two games against the Coachella Valley Firebirds over the weekend. The Reign gave up a one-goal third-period lead in Friday’s 4-3 home loss to Coachella Valley and conceded three unanswered goals in Sunday’s 4-2 road defeat. Forward Martin Chromiak scored both of Ontario’s goals for his third and fourth of the season, which is tied for the most on the team.

Three things:

  • Forwards Glenn Gawdin, Jeff Malott, and Samuel Fagemo lead Ontario with eight points. After going pointless in October, Fagemo has tallied four goals and four assists in the last five games. The Los Angeles King’s 2019 second-round pick registered six of his eight points in back-to-back games where Ontario scored a league-high eight goals against the Henderson Silver Knights and Abbotsford Canucks in the first week of November. The team recorded 21 points and 14 assists in both games, which is the most in a single AHL game this season.
  • Despite Ontario’s record, the team has given up the second-fewest shots per game (26.00) in the Western Conference and fourth-fewest in the AHL. Conversely, Tucson has allowed the second-most shots on goal per game in the league (33.10). Only Henderson has conceded more (34.27). But the Reign have struggled to get off to fast starts in games this season. Ontario has only scored the first goal three times this season, but is undefeated in those games. The Roadrunners have scored first in half of its games for a 4-1 record.
  • Roadrunners defenseman Kevin Connauton has a two-game points streak (one goal and one assist) and has four points in his last five games. On Sunday, he tallied his third assist of the year on Sokolov’s goal early in the second period. The 15-year veteran also had a team season-high six shots on goal in the game. Connauton is playing his best hockey of the season going into Wednesday’s matchup against his former team. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound blueliner spent last year with Ontario, where he led all Reign defensemen with a plus-18 rating, and scored in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals against Coachella Valley.

What’s the word?

“They (defenseman Kevin Connauton and forward Egor Sokolov) have been major factors. They contribute so much in every game. They’re so focused and play with a lot of purpose. They possess the puck, and the more we have the puck, the opposition doesn’t, which gives us a better chance at winning. They’re detailed people and players, and they care.”

Roadrunners coach Steve Potvin on defenseman Kevin Connauton and forward Egor Sokolov.

Number to Know:

40 – Sokolov and Tucson forward Hunter Drew both rank in the top four in the league in shooting percentage. The duo have scored on 40% of their shots. Sokolov has scored eight goals on 20 shots and Drew has found the back of the net four times from 10 shots.

Latest Transactions:

  • None

We’re Doing It Live
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 7:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who all of the action from Toyota Arena. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.