Game #67: Tucson Roadrunners vs. San Diego Gulls

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Game #67: Tucson Roadrunners (38-23-3-2) vs. San Diego Gulls (24-32-8-0)

Time: Sunday, April 7, 5:00 p.m. PST, Pechanga Arena, San Diego, California

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Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #22 Jim Curtin, #42 Jordan Samuels-Thomas

Linespersons: #91 Joe Mahon, #32 Patrick Stuber

The Tucson Roadrunners close out the season series against the San Diego Gulls with a 6-1-0-0 record; having won Saturday’s game 4-1 for the team’s 38th win of the season. Places three through seven of the AHL’s Pacific Division are separated by just three points entering Saturday. Tucson’s 81 points puts the team at third place; which is two points over the Colorado Eagles and Abbotsford Canucks and three points over the Bakersfield Condors and Calgary Wranglers.

Three things:

  1. Rookie forward Sam Lipkin notched an assist for the Roadrunners in his first career pro game after signing a three-year entry level contract with the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. Fellow rookie Max Szuber also had an assist on Saturday’s win for his second straight point in two games. This season, Roadrunner rookies or members who are in their first season in the AHL have combined for 127 points (47 goals, 80 assists) this season including: Josh Doan (26 goals, 20 assists, 46 points), Aku Raty (14 goals, 28 assists, 42 points), Max Szuber (6 goals, 18 assists, 24 points) Patrik Koch (1 goal, 13 assists, 14 points) and Sam Lipkin (1 assist, 1 point). Szuber’s 24 points puts him tied at sixth in the AHL amongst rookie defensemen as well as his six goals.
  2. Through the last three games have ended in multiple-goal fashion, the first four games of this season series resulted in one-goal games with Tucson winning all four matches. Tucson and San Diego have had very different seasons when it comes to one-goal contests. The Roadrunners 19-5-3-2 record in one goal games, which is the fourth-best winning percentage in the AHL at .741; whereas San Diego has the second worst record in one goal games at 9-12-8-0 with a .448 winning percentage. That is only better than the San Jose Barracuda who have the worst record in one goal contests at 5-9-9-4; which is a .425 winning percentage. San Diego is in a list of just five teams in the AHL with losing records in one-goal games.
  3. Forward Hunter Drew has four points in five games against the Gulls this season which is tied with Curtis Douglas (2 goals, 2 assists), Milos Kelemen (4 assists), Justin Kirkland (2 goals, 2 assists) and Dylan Guenther, (2 goals, 2 assists) who’s with the Arizona Coyotes. Drew’s four points against his former team are the most he has versus any team this season; which is a third of his total season points at 12 (7 goals, 5 assists).

What’s the word?

“They were great guys; they were talking to me all game just telling me to keep it simple and play hard and honest and I think we had a really productive game.”

Tucson forward Sam Lipkin on playing his first AHL game on a line with Austin Poganski and Cameron Hebig.

Number to Know:

32 – Goaltender Dylan Wells is in line to make his 17th appearance of the season for the Roadrunners just one win away from his all-time career single-season-high that he set last year with the Rockford Icehogs. Against San Diego this season, Wells is a perfect 3-0-0 with a 2.00 goals against average and .926 save percentage.

Latest Transactions:

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ON THE AIR:

Tonight’s game will be broadcast live on the radio on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 4:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up hosted by Jonathon Schaffer, following with “The Voice of The Roadrunners” Adrian Denny as he brings all the action from Pechanga Arena. The game can also be seen on AHLtv.