Game #43: Tucson Roadrunners (3) @ San Jose Barracuda (5)
Game #43: Tucson Roadrunners (3) at San Jose Barracuda (5)
SOG: TUC (28) – SJ (40)
PP: TUC (0/1) – SJ (1/2)
SAN JOSE SCORING: Filip Bystedt (8), Danil Gushchin (10, 11), Colin White (6), Ethan Cardwell (6)
TUCSON SCORING: Egor Sokolov (15), Cameron Hebig (17), Lleyton Moore (2)
Roadrunners Rally Falls Short in 5-3 Loss to Barracuda
San Jose, CA – The Tucson Roadrunners (20-20-2-1) wrapped up their weekend slate in San Jose with a series split, falling 5-3 to the Barracuda (24-14-2-3) in Saturday’s finale at Tech CU Arena.
Tucson twice erased a one-goal deficit as they pushed for a second consecutive comeback victory. Filip Bystedt opened the scoring for San Jose midway through the first period, redirecting a point shot from defenseman Braden Hache. Egor Sokolov responded in the final two minutes of the frame, pouncing on a rebound from Hunter Drew’s shot to tie the game at 1-1. However, Danil Gushchin put the Barracuda back on top with just 15 seconds left in the period.
Cameron Hebig evened the score again early in the second, sniping a shot from the top of the left circle for his career-high 17th goal of the season. The milestone night also marked Hebig’s 260th career game with Tucson, tying former Roadrunner and current Pittsburgh Penguin Michael Bunting for the most games played by a forward in franchise history.
Gushchin struck again midway through the second, restoring San Jose’s lead at 3-2 heading into the third. Tucson pressed for the equalizer in the final minutes but couldn’t find the breakthrough before San Jose secured the win with empty-net goals from Colin White and Ethan Cardwell. Lleyton Moore added a late goal for the Roadrunners with a wrist shot from above the left circle in the final seconds, cutting the final score to 5-3.
Despite taking the loss, Roadrunners netminder Matthew Villalta delivered a strong performance, making 35 saves to give Tucson a chance at mounting a comeback. It was the 11th time this season Villalta has recorded 30 or more saves in a game.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Hebig showed off his skill and hockey IQ while scoring his game-tying goal early in the second period. After defenseman Max Szuber kept the puck in the offensive zone with a smart chip off the boards, Hebig secured possession, curled toward the slot, and ripped a blistering wrist shot past Romanov for his career-high 17th goal of the season.
The goal marked Hebig’s 31st point of the year, putting him just one away from matching his career-best 32-point season in 2023-24. He has been on fire lately, recording at least one point in 10 of his last 12 games, tallying eight goals and six assists (14 points) during that span.
Hebig’s latest tally also moved him up the Roadrunners’ franchise leaderboard. He now has 54 career goals in a Tucson sweater, just four away from tying Lane Pederson for third-most in team history. His 117th career point brings him within three of Jan Jeník for fourth all-time.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
Sokolov’s game-tying goal late in the first period was the result of his pure effort and skill. He forced a Barracuda turnover with relentless pressure, then carried the puck into the San Jose zone before delivering a perfectly placed saucer pass to Drew in the slot. When Drew’s shot rang off the crossbar, Sokolov was there to bury the rebound and even the score at 1-1.
The goal extended Sokolov’s point streak to four games (2G, 2A) and further cemented his status as one of Tucson’s top offensive producers. He ranks second on the team in goals (15) and points (32).
THEY SAID IT
“I feel like we have to keep building on what we’re doing here on this road trip. Yesterday’s game definitely gave us confidence. It felt good as a team, and I think we have to get that feeling back over the next couple of games on this road trip.”
Roadrunners defenseman Maveric Lamoureux on the San Jose series
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
Villalta set the tone early, standing tall as San Jose’s attack pressed Tucson in the opening minutes. He made an impressive stop seven and a half minutes in when he flashed the glove to deny Gushchin’s shot from the left circle, keeping the game scoreless.
Forward Travis Barron was a spark for Tucson in the early going. He generated the team’s first scoring chance just two minutes in with a one-timed slap shot that San Jose netminder Georgi Romanov turned aside. Midway through the period, Barron set up Drew with a crisp feed from the left wing, but Drew’s backhand attempt from the slot sailed just high.
San Jose broke through at 10:55 after a sustained offensive push. Hache fired a shot from the right point, and Bystedt deflected it past Villalta from just outside the crease to give the Barracuda a 1-0 lead.
Villalta stayed sharp down the stretch, making several key saves to keep the deficit at one. With five minutes left in the frame, he smothered a one-time slap shot from San Jose defenseman Lucas Carlsson off a faceoff in the Tucson zone. He finished the period with 14 saves, as the Barracuda outshot the Roadrunners 16-8.
Despite the shot disparity, Tucson found an answer late. With 1:52 remaining, Sokolov capitalized on a Barracuda turnover in the Roadrunners’ zone and carried the puck cross-ice into San Jose territory. With a defender draped on him, he delivered a centering pass to Drew in the slot. Drew redirected the puck off his skate and fired a shot off the crossbar. Sokolov pounced on the rebound and buried it into the open net with Romanov out of position, tying the game 1-1.
San Jose, however, responded with a late tally to reclaim the lead before intermission. With 15 seconds left, Thomas Bordeleau weaved below the blue line and threaded a pass to a wide-open Gushchin behind the Tucson defense. Gushchin deked and lifted the puck over Villalta’s shoulder to send the Barracuda into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
SECOND PERIOD
The Roadrunners started strong in the middle frame and quickly evened the score once again. Just over four minutes into the period, Szuber made a great effort to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and banked a pass off the boards to Hebig. After securing the puck, Hebig flew towards the slot and snapped a wrist shot into the top corner, beating Romanov glove side to tie the game 2-2.
Tucson kept the pressure on and nearly took the lead midway through the period. Kailer Yamamoto found himself in prime position on the left side of the net after a rebound off Robbie Russo’s shot from the right wall. Yamamoto caught the puck with his glove and attempted to settle it for a shot, but the Barracuda defense knocked it away before he could get a clean look. Moments later, captain Austin Poganski set up Max Szuber with a backhand pass from the high slot, but Szuber’s backhand attempt missed just wide.
San Jose reversed the momentum after earning the game’s first power play at the halfway mark and capitalized with the extra attacker. The Barracuda caught a break when Poganski’s stick snapped in the defensive zone, leaving an opening for Gushchin to rifle a perfectly placed shot into the top corner for his second goal of the game, putting San Jose ahead 3-2 with eight minutes left in the period.
Villalta came up with his biggest save of the game in the final two minutes to keep Tucson within one. He aggressively challenged Gushchin, making back-to-back point-blank saves—first on a one-timer from below the right circle, then on Gushchin’s rebound attempt from just a few feet out.
San Jose looked to extend its lead in the closing moments, as Gushchin once again appeared to complete his hat trick with 1:11 remaining. He buried a one-timer from the left side off a feed from Luca Cagnoni on a two-on-one and celebrated what seemed to be his third goal of the night. However, after a lengthy video review, officials determined the puck hit the crossbar and right post without fully crossing the goal line, overturning the call and keeping the score 3-2.
The reversal gave Tucson a surge of momentum, heading into the third period trailing by just one.
THIRD PERIOD
The Roadrunners had an early opportunity to tie the game when San Jose’s Pavol Regenda was called for slashing just 1:05 into the period, giving Tucson its first power play of the night. However, the advantage was cut short after an interference penalty negated the final 37 seconds. Tucson killed off the ensuing Barracuda power play to keep their comeback hopes alive.
Eight minutes in, Villalta came up big once again, denying Tristen Robins on a breakaway with a poke check. Tucson quickly turned defense into offense, as Aku Räty set up Moore in the high slot. Moore fired a low shot that created a dangerous rebound opportunity, but the Roadrunners couldn’t convert.
At the midway mark, Tucson’s Maveric Lamoureux and San Jose’s Lucas Vanroboys were both sent to the box, leading to two minutes of four-on-four play. Despite the extra open ice, neither team could take advantage.
With time winding down, the Roadrunners ramped up the pressure. Sokolov made a terrific backhand pass from below the goal line to Artem Duda in the high slot. Duda stepped into the pass and snapped a hard shot that Romanov just managed to get a piece of with his glove. Duda had another great look with 2:34 remaining, driving into the zone and ripping a wrist shot from the top of the slot, but Romanov was there again to make the stop.
The late push earned Tucson an offensive-zone faceoff, prompting the Roadrunners to pull Villalta for the extra attacker. However, San Jose capitalized with back-to-back empty-net goals from White and Cardwell to put the game out of reach. Moore responded with a wrist shot from above the left circle in the final seconds, but the Barracuda held on for a 5-3 victory.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners continue their six-game road trip with back-to-back games against the Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign. The Roadrunners will face off against the Condors at Mechanics Bank Arena on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. MST. Fans can catch all the action live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
