Game #22: Tucson Roadrunners (4) vs Colorado Eagles (3)
Game #22: Tucson Roadrunners vs Colorado Eagles
SOG: TUC (28) – COL (24)
PP: TUC (0/3) – COL (0/2)
COLORADO: Nate Clurman (1), Wyatt Aamodt (5), Cedric Pare (3)
TUCSON SCORING: Victor Soderstrom (4), Peter Diliberatore (1), Cameron Hebig (6), Josh Doan (10)
ROADRUNNERS DEFEAT COLORADO EAGLES 4-3 AFTER SURGING FOR THREE THIRD PERIOD GOALS TO SPLIT WEEKEND SERIES IN LOVELAND, CO
LOVELAND, CO – Love was in the land for the Tucson Roadrunners as they scored three third period goals to defeat the Colorado Eagles 4-3 on Saturday night; improving to 13-7-1-1 on the season and 5-1-1-0 in their last seven.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Tucson Roadrunners Forward Colin Theisen rips a wrap around shot in the final minute of Saturday night’s contest which was tapped in by Josh Doan to give Tucson a 4-3 lead. Colorado would pull their goalie for the final 23 seconds, but Tucson would secure the twopoints and head back to Tucson feeling like Colin Theisen in the YouTube thumbnail seen above; co-starring Jan Jenik.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
IT’S 5 O’CLOCK IN TUCSON – Saturday marked the 5th time in the last five games Tucson has had at least a three-goal period. It also marked the 5th game-winning goal of the season for forward Josh Doan. It was the 5th appearance in back-to-back games this season for netminder Matthew Villalta. To top it all off, the Roadrunners are 5-1-1-0 in their last seven games.
LOOK AT THIS
Forwards Josh Doan, Jan Jenik, and Colin Theisen celebrate Josh Doan’s game winning goal with just 23 seconds remaining in Saturday night’s game. Colin Theisen’s beautiful wrap around attempt was deflected in by Doan and the three players reactions seen here could represent all of the Roadrunners fans watching reactions.
THEY SAID IT
As a group, we figured if we came out and had a good third period, we’d give ourselves a chance and fortunately we did. Matty (Villalta) made some huge saves to keep us in the game early as well as down the stretch
Forward Josh Doan after Saturday’s 4-3 victory in Colorado.
THE RUNDOWN
The Roadrunners got back to their patented quick starts in Saturday evening’s game scoring first and taking the 1-0 lead. It was Victor Soderstrom who would light the lamp at the 5:17 mark of period one. Soderstrom was assisted by Austin Poganski and Dylan Guenther. Guenther added to his team leading point total with his 13th assist and 19th point of the year on the play. Colorado would come storming back less than two minutes later. The Colorado goal would send an abundance of teddy bears onto the ice as it was Colorado’s Teddy Bear Toss Night. You can attend Tucson’s Teddy Bear Toss next Saturday, December 16th at the Tucson Arena. The teddy bears would be gathered and taken off the ice and play would resume. Each side would have two minor penalties and both sides would go 0/2 on the power-play. Tucson outshot Colorado 9-6 in the period but the two sides would head into the intermission knotted up 1-1.
In the second it would be Colorado who would take the early advantage. Four and a half minutes into the period the Eagles would score an even-strength goal and capture a 2-1 lead. It wouldn’t be until the 18:13 mark that another goal would be scored, this one also coming for the Eagles, giving them a 3-1 lead. Tucson was outshot 11-6 in the period and trailed by two heading into the final frame.
Peter DiLiberatore would find himself striping a shot past the Colorado netminder at the 9:13 mark and cutting the two-goal Colorado lead in half. It was Diliberatore’s first goal of the year for the Roadrunners. DiLiberatore was assisted by John Leonard and Nathan Smith on the play. The momentum was taken out of the building as Tucson would answer with another goal just a minute and 17 seconds after. It would be Cameron Hebig scoring the game-tying goal, his sixth of the season. Cameron Crotty and Curtis Douglas picked up assists. The two teams would trade shots for the next nine and change minutes of the period to what was seemingly going to be an overtime thriller. Josh Doan had other plans. With 23 seconds left in regulation, Colin Theisen would shoot an even-strength wrap around shot and Josh Doan would deflect it into the back of the net causing pins to be dropped and heard in the arena. Doan was assisted by Colin Theisen and Cameron Crotty on the play and Tucson would take a 4-3 lead. Colorado would pull their goalie for the final 23 seconds but Tucson would fend off the 6-on-5 and secure the two points.
Tucson returns home next Friday and Saturday December 15th-16th at the Tucson Arena against Abbottsford. Saturday night is Teddy Bear Toss so be sure to bring your teddy bears to be donated to local kids in the Tucson area.
