Dylan Guenther and Matthew Villalta selected to 2024 All-Star Classic
Tucson, Arizona- The Tucson Roadrunners today announced that Forward Dylan Guenther and Goaltender Matthew Villalta have each been selected to represent the organization in the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Tech CU in San Jose California.
Before his recent call up to the Arizona Coyotes, Guenther led the Roadrunners in scoring with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 29 games played. He also led the Roadrunners in scoring in both the months of October (2-3-5) and November (4-7-11) and was tied for second in December (4-8-12). Guenther was recalled to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday and had a goal in his first game back in the NHL against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. He currently has two goals and one assist in his first two games with Arizona after tallying a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Boston. Guenther was drafted 9thoverall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes having cumulated 207 points (99 goals, 108 assists) in the WHL between the Edmonton Oil Kings and Seattle Thunderbirds. He won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Oil Kings in 2021-22 and the Thunderbirds in 2022-23 with 29 goals and 20 assists for 49 total playoff points. Guenther has played 35 total games with the Coyotes having eight goals and 10 assists including two goals and an assist in two games in the NHL this season.
Goaltender Matthew Villalta earns his first All-Star bid in his first season with the Tucson Roadrunners. Entering the week, Villalta is tied for second in the AHL with wins (15) while leading the league in starts (25), minutes (1481) and saves (674). His 25 starts are four more than the next two goaltenders who each have 21. Both have also been selected for All-Star bids in: Jet Greaves from Cleveland and Dustin Wolf from Calgary. Villalta currently owns a record of 15-9-1-0 with a 2.71 goals against average and .910 save percentage. In 133 career games played, Villalta has a 73-41-12-3 record with a 2.97 goals against and .903 save percentage. He spent the first four seasons of his career as a member of the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate Ontario Reign.
The 2024 AHL All-Star Classic will include the AHL All Star Skills competition on Sunday, February 4, followed by the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony on Monday, February 5. And the 2024 AHL All-Star Challenge that evening.
Guenther and Villalta become the 12th and 13th all-time Roadrunners selected to an All-Star Game.
All-Time Roadrunners All-Stars
2016-2017: Brendan Perlini, Kyle Wood, Christian Fischer
2017-2018: Nick Merkley, Dylan Strome, Kyle Capobianco
2018-2019: Conor Garland, Kyle Capobianco, Michael Bunting
2019-2020: Kyle Capobianco, Lane Pederson, Brayden Burke
2020-2021: None
2021-22: No All Star Game Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2022-23: Michael Carcone
2023-24: Dylan Guenther, Matthew Villalta
The Roadrunners continue their five-game road trip in Abbotsford on Friday, January 12 at 8:00 p.m. MST against the Canucks for a pivotal series. Tucson currently holds the second spot in both the pacific Division and Western Conference at 20-10-1-1 (42 points) and will attempt to keep Abbotsford, who is tied for fourth in the division at 18-10-2-1 (39 points), at bay in the standings.
