NHL Preseason Action in Tucson: Coyotes (7) Ducks (1)

Preseason: Anaheim Ducks (1) at Arizona Coyotes (7)

SOG: ANA (30)-ARZ (30)

PP: ANA (1/9)-ARZ (1/5)

ANAHEIM SCORING: Pavel Mintyukov

ARIZONA SCORING: Nick Bjugstad, Jack Mcbain, Matt Dumba, Liam O’Brien, Sean Durzi, Lawson Crouse, Logan Cooley.

5,180 fans cheer on the Coyotes at the Tucson Convention Center as they wrap up their season with a dominant 7-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Tucson, Arizona- The Arizona Coyotes closed out the preseason with a dominant 7-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in front of 5,180 fans in attendance Saturday at Tucson Arena. Arizona had seven different players hit the back of the net with 10 total hitting the scoresheet. All seven former Roadrunners dressed for the game including Michael Carcone, Barett Hayton, Matias Macelli, Lawson Crouse, Victor Soderstrom, J.J. Moser, and Ivan Prosvetov who was the backup goaltender. Carcone finished the night with two assists as he was voted the first star of the game in his return to Tucson after leading the AHL in scoring last season with 85 points. Other players who had two points for the Coyotes were Jason Zucker (0+2=2), Matias Maccelli, (0+2=2), former third-overall-pick from the 2022 NHL draft Logan Cooley (1+1=2) and former longtime Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (1+1=2).

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Fans from Tucson came out to show support for both the Coyotes and the Roadrunners with over 5,180 fans in attendance. It was a packed house full of Arizona Hockey fans who are ready for puck drop just a week away as the Coyotes open their season in New Jersey and the Roadrunners start in Texas against the stars, both on the same day on Friday, Oct 13.

DON’T OVERLOOK IT:

Mariachi Los Diablitos De Sunnyside High School was honored as El Lazo de Tucson Community Partner of the year. Roadrunners’ Team President Bob Hoffman honored the band’s director Roberto Martinez in the first intermission with a personalized Roadrunners jersey. Sunnyside Mariachi has performed at all El Lazo de Tucson games since its inception in 2021.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

THEY SAID IT

“Yeah it was special for me, everyone including the guys made it special to me. They were giving me a little before the game but just good fun. It was great to be back.”

First Star of the game Michael Carcone on returning to Tucson after leading the Roadrunners in goals for the last three seasons.

THE RUNDOWN

The first period came off to a slow start until Matt Dumba scored the first goal of the game late at the 18:58 mark. Zucker had the assist and Arizona ended the period up 1-0. The Coyotes broke the doors open in the second, scoring four goals all from Sean Durzi, Liam O’Brien, Jack McBain and Logan Cooley. Cooley’s goal came on a penalty shot at 16:19 in the second period. With a 5-0 lead in the final frame, the Coyotes added two more goals from Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse. Anaheim’s loan goal of the game was scored by Pavel Mintyukov with assists by Jakob Silfverberg and Frank Vatrano. Karel Vejmelka was the winning goaltender, stopping 29 of 30 shots faced while Alex Stalock was handed the loss allowing seven goals on 30 shots.

(Photo Credits: Kate Dibilox, Tucson Roadrunners)