GAME #68 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS vs BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

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Game #68: Tucson Roadrunners (32-30-3-2) vs Bakersfield Condors (28-27-7-3)

Time: 4 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

LISTEN LIVE HERE

WATCH LIVE HERE 

Tucson Roadrunners Current Roster: CLICK HERE

Referees: #40 Morgan MacPhee, #71 Brody Sutter

Linespeople: #92 Ryan Jackson, #48 Jake Herzog

Supervisor: Jay Sharrers

The Tucson Roadrunners (32-30-3-2) wrap up their four-game homestand and two-game weekend set against the Bakersfield Condors (28-27-7-3) on Sunday at 4 p.m. MST at Tucson Arena. The series finale also marks the eighth and final meeting of the season between the Pacific Division rivals.

Tucson has won two of its last three contests and will aim for its first series sweep since taking back-to-back games from the San Jose Barracuda in mid-March. On Saturday night, the Roadrunners erased a two-goal deficit with four unanswered goals in the final 17 minutes of regulation to beat the Condors 4-2. The win snapped a two-game skid against Bakersfield and improved Tucson’s record to 5-2 in the season series, including a perfect 3-0 mark on home ice.

The win also gave Tucson some breathing room in the playoff race. The Roadrunners remain in seventh place—the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division—with 69 points, now three ahead of Bakersfield. However, the Condors still hold two games in hand, making Sunday’s matinee crucial for Tucson with just four regular-season games remaining after this weekend.

Three Things:

  • Yamamoto’s Back
    Forward Kailer Yamamoto was reassigned to Tucson on Saturday from the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club and could make his return to the Roadrunners lineup as early as Sunday. The 26-year-old was recalled to Utah on March 26 and missed Tucson’s last six games while appearing in five contests at the NHL level, where he tallied a goal, an assist and a +2 rating. Despite the brief absence, Yamamoto still leads the Roadrunners in points (51) and assists (32), and ranks third in goals (19). The Spokane, Washington native also leads the team in multi-point games (13), ranks second in power-play points (15), and is tied for third in game-winning goals (3). His status for Sunday’s series finale is still up in the air, but the return of Tucson’s points leader will provide a major offensive boost to the Roadrunners’ playoff push.

  • Unsung Heroes Step Up
    Tucson’s third-period rally on Saturday was powered by some unlikely contributors. Defenseman Max Szuber evened the score at 2-2 with a booming one-timer from the point, extending his point streak to three games (1g, 2a)—his second three-game run of the season and first since mid-March. The goal was Szuber’s seventh of the year and matched both his goal and point totals (7g, 28pts) from his rookie campaign in 2023-24. Just over seven minutes later, forward Ryan McGregor delivered the go-ahead tally to put Tucson ahead 3-2 with 7:25 left. The goal marked a series of season firsts for the fifth-year Roadrunner: his first game-winner, first third-period goal, and first goal on home ice this season.

  • Rivalry Heats Up
    Tensions came to a head at the end of the second period when Tucson’s Hunter Drew dropped the gloves with Bakersfield’s Drake Caggiula, giving the Roadrunners a surge of momentum heading into the final frame. It marked the third fight between the Pacific Division foes in their last two meetings over the past eight days. Tucson and Bakersfield have now squared off in six fights across seven games this season—tying the Ontario Reign for the most bouts against a single opponent in 2024-25. With one final matchup on tap Sunday, the bad blood may not be finished brewing.

What’s the Word?

“We’re neck-and-neck with Bakersfield right now, so this is a huge weekend. We’re at home and we need to take advantage of that. 
We know how important these games are, and we’re up for it. I think we showed it in game one. We came out hard and there was no quit in us. To come back from 2-0 is huge and it was a great third period from the guys and it was great to see. Obviously we have to do it again on Sunday. It’s going to be another huge game.”

Roadrunners forward Cameron Hebig on the importance of Sunday’s game

Number to Know:

1 – Veteran defenseman Robbie Russo sealed Saturday’s win with an empty-net goal, marking his 300th career AHL point. The milestone also brought him within one point of second place on the Roadrunners’ all-time scoring list among defensemen. Russo now has 89 points in a Tucson sweater, just one behind Cam Dineen’s 90 for second all-time.

Whether he ties Dineen or not on Sunday, Russo is set to skate in his 188th game with the Roadrunners—tying Dakota Mermis for fourth-most games played by a defenseman in team history.

Latest Transactions:

  • On Saturday, Apr. 5, forward Kailer Yamamoto was reassigned to Tucson (AHL) from the Utah Hockey Club (NHL)

We’re Doing It Live

Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tucson Arena. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.