Game #63: Tucson Roadrunners (7) at Colorado Eagles (1)

SOG: TUC (31) – COL (41)

PP: TUC (1/2) – COL (0/4)

TUCSON SCORING: Steven Kampfer (5), Ronald Knot (4), Ryan McGregor (9), Adam Cracknell (17), Jan Jenik (6), J.S. Dea (21 PP), Curtis Douglas (6)

COLORADO SCORING: Charles Hudon (25)

ROADRUNNERS EARN LARGEST VICTORY OF THE SEASON WITH 7-1 WIN OVER COLORADO EAGLES

Tucson, Arizona – The Tucson Roadrunners scored seven unanswered goals to defeat the Colorado Eagles 7-1 Saturday night from the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Seven different Roadrunners lit the lamp across Tucson’s three consecutive multi-goal periods, while forwards Adam Cracknell and Jan Jenik led the team with a goal and two assists apiece. Tyler Parks started in net for the Roadrunners and recorded both a career-high and a Tucson season-high 40 saves on 41 shots faced. The Roadrunners win their third-straight series opener on the road and snap Colorado’s five-game unbeaten streak, as the two teams will meet for the fourth and final time on the season Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. MST.

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Forward Jan Jenik made his return to the Roadrunners lineup in a big way Saturday night, tallying a multi-point performance with a goal and two assists in his first outing since December 18. Jenik extended his active point streak that began on December 13 to four games after entering Saturday’s series opener with four points (2g 2a) over his final three games before missing Tucson’s last 37 contests. In 24 games played with the Roadrunners this season, the 22-year-old has recorded six goals and 11 assists for 17 total points with a plus-five.

DON’T OVERLOOK IT

GOALS ON GOALS – The Roadrunners recorded three multiple-goal periods in a single game for the second time this season Saturday night against Colorado, with all seven goals scored by a different skater. Four different Tucson forwards recorded multiple points in the win: Mike Carcone (2a), Jan Jenik (1g 2a), Adam Cracknell (1g 2a), and Colin Theisen (3a). Tucson’s three-goal second period in the 7-1 victory also marked the Roadrunners fourth multi-goal middle frame over their last six contests. In all, the Roadrunners have lit the lamp in 11 of their last 13 middle periods, including each of their last five while away from the Tucson Arena.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

Forward Boko Imama returned to the Roadrunners lineup Saturday night after last taking the ice for the Arizona Coyotes in their overtime contest against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Imama assisted on the first goal of the game for Tucson, scored by defenseman Steven Kampfer with 7:39 still to play in the first period. The feed to Kampfer gave Imama his second-straight AHL outing with an assist after setting up forward Josh Doan for his first professional goal on Tuesday at home against Ontario. The 26-year-old has matched his career high for points with 14 (5g 9a) this season while also appearing in five games in the NHL with the Coyotes, who are 4-0-1-0 with Imama in the lineup.

THEY SAID IT

“I’m glad we were able to put up that many goals and earn the win. My teammates helped me out and put me right back in the right spot. I’m grateful to have such great teammates.”

Roadrunners Forward Jan Jenik on returning to the Tucson lineup for the first time in 37 games and factoring into a 7-1 win with a goal and two assists.

THE RUNDOWN

The Eagles opened the scoring in Saturday’s series opener 6:59 into the first period with a goal by their leading scorer Charles Hudon for his 25th of the season and a 1-0 advantage. Tucson kept Colorado from taking a multi-goal lead over back-to-back trips to the penalty-kill through the middle of the opening period, before defenseman Steven Kampfer tied the contest at 1-1 with his first goal as a Roadrunner. Kampfer got the puck from Boko Imama off of a face-off win by Adam Cracknell for his fifth total goal on the season between Tucson and the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Roadrunners took their first lead of the night at 2-1 less than three minutes later with another goal scored by a defenseman, as Ronald Knot buried the puck for the second time in the last three games. After Colorado got on the board early, Roadrunners goaltender Tyler Parks stopped 11 of the 12 total shots faced through the opening 20 minutes of his seventh-straight start, sending Tucson to the second period leading 2-1. The Roadrunners offense kept their momentum going early in the middle frame with a goal by Ryan McGregor 1:13 into the period to extend their lead to 3-1. The score was McGregor’s ninth time lighting the lamp this season, while his linemates Mike Carcone and Jan Jenik each tallied assists. Adam Cracknell gave the Roadrunners their second consecutive multi-goal frame before the midway point of the second period with his 17th goal of the season, giving the Tucson Captain his fourth three-point game of the year. A pair of forwards joined Cracknell with multiple-point performances of their own late in the middle frame, as Jan Jenik lit the lamp for his sixth goal of the season and Mike Carcone recorded his second assist on the night. Jenik was back on the ice for his first game since December 18 and tallied his second point of the period with the score on a delayed penalty after he and Carcone factored into McGregor’s early goal to open the frame. With his second assist of the game, Carcone moved into a tie for first place for the AHL scoring lead with 72 total points (27g 45a). Leading by a count of 5-1 at the start of the third period, the Roadrunners held onto their advantage before adding a pair of late goals over the final 3:27 of the contest to make it a 7-1 game in their favor. J.S. Dea found the back of the net while on a five-on-three man-advantage for his 21st goal of the season, before Curtis Douglas capped off Tucson’s largest victory of 2022-2023 by scoring his sixth goal of the season with 40 seconds remaining in regulation. Colorado increased their shots on goal totals through each period from 12 in the first to 13 in the second and 16 in the final frame, but backstop Tyler Parks kept the Eagles scoreless over the final 53:01 of the contest to earn his second-straight series-opening win and seventh victory overall on the season with a career-high and Roadrunners season-high 40 saves.

(Photo Credits: Colorado Eagles)