Roadrunners Slip in 4-1 Loss to Grand Rapids

April 8, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release

The Roadrunners fell to the Grand Rapids Griffins by a 4-1 score Saturday night at Tucson Arena.

"That's a tough team to come back against when you give them four goals," Mike Van Ryn said afterward. "We didn't generate a whole lot tonight. I thought the guys that came in and played for us played well. Our power play has to generate a bit more for us, and that's really it."

Grand Rapids built a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes of the contest.

With 6:53 left to play in the opening frame, Lawson Crouse buried his 12th goal of the season, cutting the Roadrunners' deficit in half when he spun and beat Grand Rapids' Tom McCollum up-high with a shot from in close.

Crouse's goal extended his season-long point-streak to five games, the longest current stretch on the team.

The Griffins responded with another two goals in the first half of the second period, upping their lead to 4-1.

Hunter Miska was pulled following Grand Rapids' fourth goal; he stopped 14 of the 18 shots he faced in 30:00 minutes of action.

Adin Hill came in for relief, turning away all five shots he faced in the final 30:00 minutes of play, but the Roadrunners were unable to chip away offensively.

"Obviously it really wasn't the result that we wanted, but we battled hard," Lawson Crouse said. "We had a couple of mental and physical collapses out there, and that's stuff that we can learn from and be better for next time."

With the Ontario Reign's 3-2 loss to the San Diego Gulls, the Roadrunners' magic number to clinch the Pacific Division title falls to 1.

The team will take on the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday night at the Valley View Casino Center, where the puck is scheduled to drop just after 7:00 PM PST.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2018

• Sateri Shuts down Wolf Pack 2-0 - Hartford Wolf Pack
• Crunch Burned by Devils, 4-2 - Syracuse Crunch
• Moose Announce Team Award Winners - Manitoba Moose
• Seney, Appleby Lift Devils over Crunch, 4-2 - Binghamton Devils
• Iowa Drops Game to Milwaukee 3-2 in Overtime - Iowa Wild
• Smith Wins It in OT for Admirals - Milwaukee Admirals
• Sateri Shuts the Door Again in 2-0 Shutout Win - Springfield Thunderbirds
• Moose Fade Late to Bakersfield 4-3 - Manitoba Moose
• Phantoms Double-Up Providence 6-3 to Clinch Division Title - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Rampage Score in Final Minute to Defeat Monsters 4-3 - San Antonio Rampage
• Rough First Dooms P-Bruins in 5-2 Loss to Phantoms - Providence Bruins
• Despite 43 shots, Bridgeport falls in weekend finale at Webster Bank Arena - Bridgeport Islanders
• Russell Scores Shorthanded Twice in 4-3 Condors Win - Bakersfield Condors
• Monsters Clipped by Rampage, 4-3 - Cleveland Monsters
• Four-Goal First Period Gives Penguins 5-2 Win at Bridgeport - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
• Phantoms Secure Atlantic Division Regular Season Title - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Wolves Headed to Playoffs for 19th Time in 24 Years - Chicago Wolves
• Hershey Drops Final Road Game in Charlotte, 3-1 - Hershey Bears
• Checkers Sweep Bears to Close out Home Schedule - Charlotte Checkers
• McKenna, Heatherington Assigned to Texas from Dallas - Texas Stars
• Coreau Assigned to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Coyotes Assign Strome, Murphy, Mermis & Hanley to Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
• Rockford's Roster Bolstered with Six Players from Blackhawks - Rockford IceHogs
• Flames Assign Spencer Foo, Rasmus Andersson and Jon Gillies to Stockton - Stockton Heat
• Quenneville Agrees to Amateur Tryout - Bridgeport Islanders
• Comets Release Forward Matt Leitner - Utica Comets
• Sabres Assign Eight to Rochester - Rochester Americans
• Game Preview: Bears Rematch with Checkers in Final Road Game of Season - Hershey Bears
• Griffins Clinch Playoff Berth with 4-1 Win - Grand Rapids Griffins
• Roadrunners Slip in 4-1 Loss to Grand Rapids - Tucson Roadrunners
• Gulls Ride Comforts of Home to 3-2 Victory - San Diego Gulls
• Gill Nets Overtime Winner to Lift Amerks over First-Place Marlies - Rochester Americans
• Griffins Clinch Berth in 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs - Grand Rapids Griffins

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