GAME #70 PREVIEW: TUCSON ROADRUNNERS at ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

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Game #70: Tucson Roadrunners (33-31-3-2) at Rockford IceHogs (29-30-6-2)

Time: 5 p.m. MST, BMO Center, Rockford, IL

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Referees: #44 Alex Lepkowski, #32 Damian Figueira

Linespeople: #97 Devon Gale, #49 Odin Nelson

The Tucson Roadrunners (33-31-3-2) look to split the series in their last road game of the regular season when they face the Rockford IceHogs (29-30-6-2) in Saturday’s finale at 5 p.m. MST from the BMO Center.

Rockford took the opener on Friday, 6-3, after jumping out to a 4-1 lead and holding off Tucson’s late push. The loss ended the Roadrunners’ two-game winning streak and snapped Rockford’s two-game skid. It marked the IceHogs’ second straight victory against Tucson after dropping their first matchup in late February. The Roadrunners are now 1-1-1 against the IceHogs and 2-4-1 against Central Division opponents this season.

Both clubs are currently holding on to the final playoff spots in their respective divisions. Tucson sits seventh in the Pacific with 71 points—just one ahead of the Bakersfield Condors, who have won two straight, and six back of sixth-place Calgary. Rockford is fifth in the Central with 66 points, maintaining a six-point edge over Iowa for the final postseason berth and trailing fourth-place Grand Rapids by eight points.

Saturday’s contest looms large for the Roadrunners, who are looking to stay above the cutline as the Pacific Division playoff race tightens down the stretch with three games remaining.

Three Things:

  • Duda on the Rise
    Rookie defenseman Artem Duda continued his strong second-half surge with a power-play goal in Friday’s series opener, marking the first time in his young career he’s scored in back-to-back games. The 21-year-old Moscow native now has 29 points (6g, 23a) on the season and a +17 rating—tied for the AHL lead in plus-minus among rookie defensemen. Duda is also tied for sixth in goals and sits fifth among rookie blueliners in both points and assists. Friday’s tally was his second power-play goal of the year, tied for fifth among AHL rookie defensemen and matching the most by any Roadrunners defenseman this season. His steady climb up both the team and league leaderboards has been fueled by his strong play down the stretch—Duda has recorded three points (2g, 1a) in his last three games and four points (2g, 2a) over his last four. Five of his six goals this year have come since February, a testament to his growing confidence and production as the playoff race intensifies.

  • Agozzino Hits 20 Again
    Alternate captain Andrew Agozzino found the back of the net in the third period Friday to keep Tucson in the fight, while extending his point streak to three games with three points (1g, 2a) over that stretch. The veteran forward has also picked up points in back-to-back road games and has five points (3g, 2a) in his last four contests away from the Tucson Arena. The goal marked Agozzino’s fourth consecutive 20-goal season and made him the third Roadrunner to hit the mark this year, joining Cameron Hebig (23) and Egor Sokolov (21). With 43 points (20g, 23a) in 52 games, Agozzino’s .83 points per game leads the team. Ten of those goals have come since February, tying Ben McCartney for the team lead in the season’s second half.

  • Captain in the Clutch (and Early)
    Roadrunners captain Austin Poganski once again made his presence felt early, opening the scoring just 41 seconds into Friday’s contest with his career-high 15th goal of the season. It marked the third time this year Poganski has lit the lamp in the opening minute of a game—previously doing so on Jan. 21 (0:59) and Feb. 16 (0:49), both against Henderson. The goal was also his seventh in the first period this season, tying Agozzino and Sokolov for the team lead. Poganski has now scored Tucson’s first goal in a game six times this year, tied with McCartney for the second-most behind Sokolov’s 11. With four points (2g, 2a) in his last five outings, the captain continues to lead by example as Tucson pushes toward the playoffs.

What’s the Word?

“Be ready to go from puck drop and playing Roadrunner hockey. We’re annoying to play against when we’re doing it right– getting hits, getting pucks to the net. We know what to do, and we’re excited for tomorrow.”

Roadrunners alternate captain Travis Barron on the team’s keys to success in game two

Number to Know:

5 – Defenseman Max Szuber owns the team’s longest active point streak at five games after logging an assist on Agozzino’s third-period goal Friday. The 22-year-old from Opole, Poland has tallied five points (1g, 4a) during the streak and has been especially effective on the road, collecting three assists over his last four away games.

Szuber’s five-game streak tied rookie Maveric Lamoureux for the longest by a Roadrunners defenseman this season. He also became just the sixth Tucson skater to post a streak of five games or more in 2024-25, joining Lamoureux, Sokolov, Agozzino, Hebig, and Kailer Yamamoto (currently with the Utah Hockey Club).

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We’re Doing It Live

Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 4:45 p.m. MST with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by “Voice of the Roadrunners” Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from the BMO Center. Fans can catch all the action on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.