GAME #61 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at COLORADO EAGLES

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Game #61: Tucson Roadrunners (29-26-3-2) at Colorado Eagles (36-16-5-3)

Time: 2:05 p.m. MST, Blue FCU Arena, Loveland, CO

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #59 Simon Desbiens, #82 Harrison O’Pray

Linespeople: #24 Eric McDonald, #81 Seth Mukai

Supervisor: Pierre Racicot

After dropping the series opener, the Tucson Roadrunners (29-26-3-2) will look to bounce back and earn a series split against the Colorado Eagles (36-16-5-3) in Sunday’s finale at 2:05 p.m. MST.

Tucson saw its two-game winning streak come to an end with a 6-2 loss on Saturday, marking the third time this season the Roadrunners have fallen in a series opener against Colorado. However, Tucson has responded well in the second games of those matchups, earning points in both previous finales—a 3-2 overtime loss on Dec. 29 and a 3-1 win at Blue FCU Arena on Oct. 12.

The Roadrunners will aim for another strong response on Sunday while trying to halt a two-game road skid. It won’t be easy, as Colorado has won six of its last seven games and leads the Pacific Division with 80 points. Tucson, meanwhile, holds the seventh and final playoff spot with 63 points, maintaining a narrow two-point edge over the eighth-place Bakersfield Condors.

Three Things:

  • Poganski Powering Up
    Austin Poganski’s late power-play goal in game one cut Tucson’s deficit to 6-2 and continued the Roadrunners captain’s strong second half. Poganski has seven goals in the last 24 games—trailing only Kailer Yamamoto (nine) over that span. The tally marked his 13th of the season and third on the power play. He is just one goal away from matching his career-high of 14, set last season in his first year with Tucson. The St. Cloud, Minnesota, native also needs just one more point to tie his career-best mark of 31, which he previously recorded last season and in 2018-19 with the San Antonio Rampage.

  • Russo Nears 300
    Veteran defenseman Robbie Russo recorded his 30th point of the season on Poganski’s third-period goal, matching last year’s production with the Utica Comets. The assist also brought him to 299 career AHL points—leaving him just one shy of the 300-point milestone. The Westmont, Illinois, native continues to climb the Roadrunners’ all-time leaderboard, now sitting at 88 points in a Tucson sweater—third all-time among Roadrunners defensemen. He is just two points away from tying former Tucson and current Bakersfield blueliner Cam Dineen (90) for second all-time. Russo leads all Roadrunners defensemen in points and power-play points (2G, 10A, 12 PPG).

  • Yamamoto and Lutz Stay Hot
    Yamamoto opened the scoring for Tucson and notched his second goal in three games, bringing his total to four points (2G, 2A) in his last four outings. The Spokane, Washington, native leads the team in points (51), assists (32), and points per game (1.02). He also ranks second in power-play points (15) and third in both goals (19) and power-play goals (5). Rookie forward Julian Lutz recorded his ninth assist and 11th point of the season on Yamamoto’s tally, continuing his recent hot streak. The 21-year-old has registered four assists in his last five games.

What’s the Word?

“He (Julian Lutz) has been really good for us. I really like his play and he made a great pass tonight. We’ll see what the lines are tomorrow, but if I’m with him, I’m excited.”

Roadrunners forward Kailer Yamamoto on the emergence of rookie Julian Lutz

Number to Know:

4 – The Roadrunners have scored a power-play goal in four consecutive games, going 5-for-19 (26%) during that span—well above their season average of 20%, which ranks ninth in the AHL. The current streak matches their longest of the season, marking Tucson’s third four-game power-play goal streak of the year and first since their 4-3 win over San Jose on Feb. 7.

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We’re Doing It Live

Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 1:50 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Blue FCU Arena. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.