Game #54: Tucson Roadrunners (5) @ Bakersfield Condors (4)
Game #54: Tucson Roadrunners (5) at Bakersfield Condors (4)
SOG: TUC (28) – BAK (21)
PP: TUC (2/6) – BAK (1/7)
BAKERSFIELD SCORING: Matthew Savoie (14, 15), Drake Caggiula (18), Ronnie Attard (4)
TUCSON SCORING: Kailer Yamamoto (16, 17), Ben McCartney (9, 10), Cameron Hebig (21)
Roadrunners Extend Point Streak with Gritty 5-4 Win Over Condors
Bakersfield, CA – Kailer Yamamoto and Ben McCartney each scored twice as the Tucson Roadrunners (27-22-3-2) edged the Bakersfield Condors (23-20-6-3) in a 5-4 shootout victory Friday night at Mechanics Bank Arena.
Yamamoto led all skaters with three points (1G, 2A), while three other Roadrunners posted multi-point performances: McCartney (2G), Cameron Hebig (1G, 1A), and Sammy Walker (2A).
Yamamoto opened the scoring just three minutes into the contest, but Bakersfield answered with back-to-back goals from Matthew Savoie and Drake Caggiula four minutes apart to take their first lead of the night late in the first period. With under three minutes left in the frame, Yamamoto struck again to send the game into the first intermission tied at 2-2.
The Condors regained the lead early in the second period on a goal from Ronnie Attard, but McCartney quickly responded just 1:38 later to knot the score at 3-3. Tucson kept the momentum rolling, as Hebig found the back of the net just two minutes later to put the Roadrunners ahead 4-3. McCartney added his second of the night late in the third period to double the Roadrunners’ lead. That goal stood as the game-winner when Savoie netted his second with one second remaining, cutting the final score to 5-4.
Tucson’s penalty kill came up big down the stretch, successfully killing 6-of-7 Bakersfield power plays—including a nine-minute stretch to open the third period after Yamamoto’s five-minute major for spearing and McCartney’s four-minute double minor for high-sticking. Goaltender Jaxson Stauber was a key factor in the effort, turning aside crucial chances as he secured his second win in three starts and 10th victory of the season.
The Roadrunners have now won the first two games of their three-game road trip and have taken five of their last six contests while earning points in all six. The recent hot streak has solidified Tucson’s hold on the final Pacific Division playoff spot with 59 points. They now have a four-point cushion over the eighth-place Condors and are tied in points with the sixth-place Abbotsford Canucks.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Fresh off signing a two-way NHL contract with the Utah Hockey Club, Hebig wasted no time making an impact. Using his signature wrist shot, he beat Olivier Rodrigue early in the second period to give Tucson a 4-3 lead. The goal—his team-leading 21st of the season—helped Hebig reclaim the Roadrunners’ scoring lead while marking his second point of the night after assisting on Yamamoto’s second tally in the first period.
Hebig now sits tied for second on the team with nine multi-point games, three of which have come in the last five contests.
The milestone goal also etched Hebig’s name in Roadrunners history. He passed former Roadrunner and current Condor Lane Pederson for third all-time in franchise points (125) and tied Pederson for third in all-time goals (58).
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
Yamamoto lit the lamp twice in the first period and to bring his season total to 17 goals. He added an assist in the second period, to notch his first three-point night of the season. It also marked his team-leading 12th multi-point game of the year and his second straight against Bakersfield, dating back to Tucson’s 3-2 win on Feb. 11. Over his last two meetings with the Condors, Yamamoto has racked up five points (3G, 2A).
The Spokane, Washington native is now tied for the team lead in multi-goal games (3), while continuing to pace the Roadrunners in total points (47), assists (27), power-play points (13), and points per game (1.02).
THEY SAID IT
“It was a playoff style game. We’re in a tight battle with these guys (Bakersfield) for seventh and sixth place in the playoff race. We know they’re gonna push tomorrow here in their home barn, but it was a big win for us. It shows that we can compete with anybody and we’ll do it again tomorrow.”
Roadrunners captain Austin Poganski on the importance of Friday’s victory over Bakersfield
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
Tucson struck first on an early power play after Bakersfield’s Ethan de Jong was called for delay of game just over two minutes in. Yamamoto wasted no time capitalizing, wiring a wrister from the right circle past Rodrigue to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead at 3:03.
Bakersfield answered back with pressure two minutes later. Caggiula forced a turnover near center ice and broke in on a two-on-none rush with Savoie. Caggiula slid a centering pass to Savoie atop the crease, but Stauber kicked aside the one-timer to preserve Tucson’s lead. Montana Onyebuchi was whistled for hooking on the play, sending the Condors to their first power play. The Roadrunners’ penalty kill stood strong, not allowing a shot to escape unscathed.
Tucson earned its second man advantage moments later when defenseman Kevin Connauton was tripped by Cameron Wright. During the power play, Sammy Walker generated back-to-back high-danger chances by driving the puck to the net, but Rodrigue denied him both times.
Bakersfield evened the score at 10:48, moments after killing off Wright’s penalty. Savoie led the rush into the Roadrunners zone and snapped a wrister from the left circle over Stauber’s glove to make it 1-1.
With seven minutes left in the frame, Tucson rookie defenseman Maveric Lamoureux was assessed a high-sticking penalty, giving the Condors another power play. This time, they cashed in. Defenseman Connor Corcoran fired a shot from the point that Stauber kicked aside with his left pad, but Caggiula buried the rebound from a sharp angle below the right circle, giving Bakersfield a 2-1 lead with 5:16 remaining.
On the ensuing faceoff, Curtis Douglas dropped the gloves with Phil Kemp at center ice to spark the Roadrunners. Douglas landed several rights to take down the Condors defenseman and energize the Tucson bench. The momentum shift paid off, as Yamamoto netted his second of the period with 2:50 left. Hebig chipped the puck off the boards into the Condors’ zone, where Yamamoto corralled it along the wall, deked around Corcoran, and snapped a shot from the low right circle past Rodrigue to tie the game 2-2.
Tucson had to kill off one more penalty late in the period, as Sam Lipkin was called for tripping with 1:34 remaining. Stauber made a pair of key stops to keep Bakersfield off the board, and both sides went into the first intermission locked in a 2-2 tie.
SECOND PERIOD
Walker nearly put Tucson back on top in the opening minute, breaking in on a two-on-one rush, but his wrister sailed just wide. Instead, it was Bakersfield that struck first in the period to regain the lead at 2:52. Attard deked around Egor Sokolov and fired a shot from the high slot that deflected off Max Szuber and past Stauber to make it 3-2 Condors.
The Roadrunners wasted no time responding after Bakersfield was called for too many men. On the ensuing power play, Yamamoto teed up McCartney with a cross-ice feed from the right circle, and McCartney buried a one-timer from the low left circle to tie the game 3-3 at 4:29.
Just two minutes later, Hebig regained Tucson’s lead. After receiving a pass from captain Austin Poganski up high, Hebig took a couple of strides into the left circle and ripped a perfectly placed wrister into the top far-side corner to make it 4-3 Roadrunners at 6:29.
Bakersfield looked for an answer when Poganski was whistled for tripping just over two minutes later, but Tucson’s penalty kill shut down its second consecutive Condors power play to maintain the lead.
Late in the period, the Roadrunners had a golden opportunity with five straight minutes on the power play after Bakersfield took a trio of minor penalties. The stretch began at 6:52 when Maveric Lamoureux drew a high-sticking call against Caggiula. Midway through the man advantage, Andrew Agozzino was tripped by James Hamblin, giving Tucson a five-on-three for 50 seconds. During the two-man advantage, Walker cycled the puck behind the net and found Agozzino open in the slot, but Rodrigue denied the one-timer with his left pad.
Just as Hamblin’s penalty was about to expire, Hunter Drew was tripped by Connor Carrick, giving the Roadrunners another brief five-on-three. With 1:09 left on Carrick’s minor, Yamamoto hammered a slap shot from the high slot, creating a dangerous rebound for Walker and McCartney, but Rodrigue smothered the puck. On the ensuing faceoff, Agozzino unleashed a hard slapper from the right circle, only for Rodrigue to snatch it with a glove save to keep the Condors within one.
As time expired, tensions boiled over when Yamamoto knocked Wright to the ice, sparking a full-line scrum to cap an intense 40 minutes with both teams battling for the final Pacific Division playoff spot.
THIRD PERIOD
Tucson navigated a grueling start to the final frame, spending the first nine minutes shorthanded. Yamamoto was assessed a five-minute major for spearing during the altercation at the end of the second period, giving Bakersfield an extended power play to open the period. The Roadrunners’ penalty kill stood tall, allowing just two shots on goal and successfully killing their third consecutive Condors man advantage.
However, less than a minute after surviving the five-minute penalty, McCartney was whistled for a double minor for high-sticking, putting Tucson back on the kill for another four minutes. While shorthanded, Agozzino picked off a pass and raced in on a breakaway, but Rodrigue denied him with a sliding save on his forehand attempt.
Midway through the penalty kill, Tucson faced even more adversity when Artem Duda was called for delay of game, giving the Condors a full two-minute five-on-three. The Roadrunners survived the onslaught, and as McCartney stepped out of the box, he nearly made an immediate impact. He received a pass seconds after leaving the sin bin and bursting in on a breakaway. He deked Rodrigue and appeared to have him beat, but his shot rang off the crossbar with 10 minutes remaining.
Tucson generated yet another breakaway chance just over five minutes later when Poganski intercepted a pass high in the Condors zone. With defenders closing in, he fired a quick shot from the right circle that came inches from extending the lead but clanged off the left post.
Bakersfield pulled Rodrigue with 2:28 remaining, but Tucson sealed the deal when McCartney buried an empty-net goal to secure his second of the night and cap a hard-fought victory. Savoie scored with one second remaining in the game to make it 5-4.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners close out their Southern California road trip on Saturday in the series finale against the Condors at Mechanics Bank Arena. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. MST. Fans can catch the action live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
