Game #72: Tucson Roadrunners (4) vs San Jose Barracuda (5)
Game #72: Tucson Roadrunners vs San Jose Barracuda
SOG: TUC (22) – SJ (33)
PP: TUC (1/5) – SJ (0/5)
SAN JOSE SCORING: Mitchell Russell (1), Gannon Laroque (1), Filip Bystedt (4), Mason Klee (1), Tristen Robins (7)
TUCSON SCORING: John Leonard (12), Milos Kelemen (16), Colin Theisen (7), Travis Barron (10)
The shot and goal from Barron that grandparents will tell their grandchildren about one day. “Did you see how smooth Travis Barron’s celly was after he buried the go-ahead goal?”. Travis Barron scored his tenth goal of the year in the third period of Saturday night’s 5-4 overtime loss to San Jose. Barron, a 2016 draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche, had 20 points during the regular season for the Roadrunners and has 70 career points in the AHL.
DON’T OVERLOOK IT
THE FINEST FANS ON THIS SIDE OR THAT SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI – The Tucson Roadrunners fans have been coming out in full force all season, but none stronger than game 72, the final game of the regular season. There were 6,205 fans in attendance on Fan Appreciation Night from the Tucson Arena. This is the second time this season that the Roadrunners have had over 6,000 people in attendance with the first coming on Star Wars Night on December 30th.
LOOK AT THIS
Forward’s Milos Kelemen and Colin Theisen celebrate during the third period of Saturday night’s contest. Kelemen had a three-point period, adding a goal and two assists in the frame. Kelemen scored his 16th goal of the year and Theisen scored his seventh goal of the year in the third period.
THEY SAID IT
“The fans of Tucson are so good to us, they were so loud and that makes it fun for us. We don’t love the result but it was a great regular season. We are getting ready to go to war everyday and have some fun (in the playoffs). I hope there is not one empty seat in this building on Wednesday (game one),”
Forward Travis Barron following Tucson’s 5-4 overtime loss on Saturday evening.
THE RUNDOWN
In the final game of the regular season it would be fastest goal of the year for the Roadrunners. 24 seconds into the game to be exact. They scored so fast that many of the 6,205 in attendance of the game missed the goal off the stick of John Leonard. Leonard was assisted by Cameron Hebig and Steven Kampfer on the play and before you could blink Tucson had the lead. San Jose would add two goals of their own throughout the first twenty minutes and head into the locker room with a 2-1 lead.
The second frame was even on shots, 10-10, but one of San Jose’s would find it’s way into the back of the net and the Barracuda would extend their lead to 3-1.
It wasn’t until the final period, similarly to Friday night’s game, that Tucson would get their offense humming. Again, similarly to Friday night, the Roadrunners would score often and score fast. Within the first 4:32 of the third period they would score three goals and take a 4-3 lead. The first came from Milos Kelemen who would break away from the Barracuda and bury the puck. Victor Soderstrom and Peter DiLiberatore would assist Kelemen on the play. Kelemen wasn’t done adding to his point total as he found Colin Theisen three minutes later and Theisen would light the lamp. It was Theisen’s seventh goal of the year and Kelemen’s 16th assist.
Kelemen would then feed Travis Barron just 28 seconds later, this time in a 3-3 game, and Barron would score giving Tucson their first lead of the contest. Hunter Drew picked up an assist on the play and Kelemen would pick up his third point of the evening and period.
San Jose would tie things up at the 7:41 mark of the third and the two sides would stay knotted up 4-4 through regulation. It was a quick overtime period as San Jose would score 1:51 in and win the contest 5-4.
Tucson will now look ahead to Wednesday evening at 7:00pm as they get the Tucson Whiteout underway.
