GAME #40 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS vs ONTARIO REIGN

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Game #40: Tucson Roadrunners (19-18-2-0) vs Ontario Reign (24-14-1-1)

Time: 7 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #51 Bobby Jo Love, #64 Adam Forbes

Linespeople: #48 Jake Herzog, #76 Gabe Lomen

Supervisor: Hayley Moore

The Tucson Roadrunners (19-18-2-0) will close out their six-game homestand with a critical two-game set against the Ontario Reign (24-14-1-1), beginning with Friday’s series opener at 7 p.m. MST at the Tucson Arena.

It’s been a tough stretch for the Roadrunners, who have collected one point through the first four games of the homestand. After a hard-fought overtime loss to the Henderson Silver Knights on Jan. 20, Tucson dropped three straight in regulation, including the series finale against Henderson and back-to-back losses to the Abbotsford Canucks. Saturday’s 6-2 defeat to Abbotsford extended the Roadrunners’ winless streak to a season-high six games—just the second time this season they’ve suffered three consecutive regulation losses.

Despite the struggles, there were some positives from the Abbotsford series. Tucson’s penalty kill was rock-solid, going a perfect 9-for-9 and extending its streak to 11 consecutive successful kills dating back to the Henderson series. Meanwhile, the power play snapped a seven-game drought when Austin Poganski found the back of the net in the first period on Saturday, ending an 0-for-18 dry spell.

In the standings, Tucson sits just outside of a playoff spot in eighth place with 40 points. However, the Roadrunners are just two points back of the seventh-place Bakersfield Condors for the final Pacific Division playoff spot. This weekend’s showdown with Ontario presents a big opportunity for the Roadrunners to close the gap and climb back into the top-seven mix.

Ontario, meanwhile, remains one of the AHL’s hottest teams over the past two months after going on an impressive 15-2-0-1 run from mid-November through early January. The Reign have won three of their last four games but are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday. Despite the setback, Ontario sits third in the Pacific with 50 points and has three games in hand over the second-place Coachella Valley Firebirds, who also have 50 points.

Three things:

  • Cameron Hebig – Streaking All-Star
    2025 AHL All-Star Cameron Hebig has been a force for the Roadrunners and extended his red-hot point streak to a season-high eight games with an assist on Austin Poganski’s first-period goal on Saturday. Hebig has racked up an impressive 11 points (5G, 6A) during this stretch, matching the team’s longest point streak of the season—previously set by Kailer Yamamoto from Nov. 15 to Dec. 6. Hebig’s streak is tied with Abbotsford’s Erik Brännström and Colorado’s T.J. Tynan for the second-longest active point streak in the AHL, trailing only San Diego’s Sasha Pastujov (10 games). Additionally, only seven players in the league have posted a longer point streak this season. His consistent offensive production has been a bright spot for Tucson during their recent slide. Hebig remains Tucson’s leading scorer with 14 goals on the season and is tied with Egor Sokolov for the second-most points on the team with 28.

  • Kailer Yamamoto – Multi-Point Machine
    Kailer Yamamoto has been on a tear and delivered another standout performance in Tucson’s most recent game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday, tallying a goal and an assist to secure his team-high ninth multi-point game of the season. He has recorded multiple points in each of the last three games, including a two-goal performance against Henderson on Jan. 21 and a two-assist outing against Abbotsford on Jan. 24. This marks the second time this season that Yamamoto has recorded a three-game multi-point streak, with his first coming in November against Henderson on Nov. 16 and Calgary on Nov. 22 and 23. He leads the team in points (32), assists (19), and points-per game (1.03).

  • Austin Poganski – Captain’s Impact
    Roadrunners captain Austin Poganski has been heating up, scoring Tucson’s opening goal on Saturday to extend his point streak to four games (2G, 3A). His current streak matches his season-high from December, when he posted four points (2G, 2A) over four games. Poganski’s goal on Saturday was not only his first power-play goal and point of the season but also a testament to his knack for setting the tone early. He has now scored Tucson’s first goal in two of the last three games and has opened the scoring for the Roadrunners four times this season—tied for the second-most on the team behind Egor Sokolov (6). Additionally, Poganski shares the team lead in first-period goals (5) with Hebig and Yamamoto, further solidifying his role as a key contributor in Tucson’s fast starts.

What’s the word?

“Let’s go, and let’s keep pushing ourselves. We all have more. This time of the year is tough, but we can all band together and really get this thing going again.”

Roadrunners assistant captain Travis Barron on his message to the locker room ahead of the Ontario series

Number to Know:

5 – The Roadrunners have been making a habit of fast starts, scoring within the first 5:06 in each of their last five games and striking within the first two-and-a-half minutes in four of those contests. This stretch includes two goals in the opening minute and three within the first 1:13. Tucson has also opened the scoring in four of its last five games, consistently setting the tone early and putting opponents on their heels right out of the gate.

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We’re Doing It Live

Friday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:45 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 watch the game on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey or purchase tickets using the link here.