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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Game 45 Preview: Tucson at Ontario

February 8, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Game #45 - Tucson (28-14-1-1) at Ontario (23-18-4-1)

7 PM MST, Toyota Arena, Ontario, CA

LISTEN LIVE Fox Sports 1450, iHeart Radio app

WATCH LIVE AHL TV

Referees: Brandon Schrader (#46), Sean Fernandez (#72)

Linesmen: J.M. McNulty (#24), Steven Walsh (#85)

After a strong effort came up just short in San Diego last night the Roadrunners will try and turn their fortune around this evening in the third of their seven-game Gem Show Road Trip against the Ontario Reign, AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.

Three Things

1) Make no mistake, Friday night's effort was good. The start was good, the generation of offense was plentiful and produced 40 shots, the power play scored for a fourth straight game and Ivan Prosvetov was solid. Everything that has been a little bumpy over the course of this recent stretch was present Friday night. So what went wrong? Not much, honestly. It really was just an example of how minor details can be killer. Tucson only gave four power play chances to San Diego all game, a relatively average figure that most teams would probably be okay living with, it just so happened that San Diego cashed in on two of them. If you take those out, Tucson wins. If one of the three chances that rung off the post behind Stolarz goes in, Tucson at minimum forces overtime. There have been some games lately that can bring some understandable frustration, but last night wasn't one of them.

2) With that being said, Tucson's walking into a building that contains a smoking gun. Ontario, who is currently in fourth place in the Pacific, has won seven in a row, including a 10-3 thrashing of Bakersfield last night in Bakersfield. That's quite a performance for the first game out following them losing their starting netminder and one of the best in all of the AHL earlier this week when Cal Petersen was recalled to Los Angeles. The team's 29 goals over the course of this seven game run have led them to their tear, so if Tucson wants to cool that tonight, they're going to have to prepare for a shootout or the defense is going to have to be superb. Ironically enough, the last team to beat the Reign was the Roadrunners though, coming back on Saturday, January 18 in 2-1 fashion.

3) Tonight will conclude the three-game conditioning loan of Barrett Hayton in a Roadrunners uniform. Hayton matched a game-high with six shots on goal last night in San Diego and despite not earning a point, he was on the power play unit that brought Andy Miele's 12th of the year. Hayton's good looks also came in addition to an impressive back-check that broke up a two-on-one for the Gulls during the first period.

What's The Word?

Roadrunners forward Michael Bunting on last night in San Diego now looking back...

"We came out with some fire and then we let it slip. We came back though, we bounced back well, it was just unfortunate that we didn't get the two points there. It's a quick turnaround though, we've got to focus on Ontario and we can't dwell on the past."

Roadrunners forward Michael Bunting on what he felt good about from his team's play last night...

"We had 40 shots last night. We were putting pucks to the net, we were grinding, we were working in the tough areas. We've got to get out of this losing skid that we're in and we've got the team to do it. We've got great guys in this room and we know we can do it."

Roadrunners forward Michael Bunting on his goal, which was setup by Tyler Steenbergen...

"That was pretty funny, the guy shot it off his stomach two times and then he made an unbelievable pass through the seam. I was lucky enough just to get a shot off and for it to go in, but that was all him and a great play by him."

Number to Know

6. Tonight is the seventh meeting between these two sides this season and thus far this campaign Tucson has had Ontario's number, beating them six straight times. Wouldn't it be nice to make it seven tonight?

Catch tonight's active LIVE on AHLTV or join Roadrunners play-by-play voice Adrian Denny on Fox Sports 1450 AM and iHeart Radio as he calls the game from the Roadrunners' flagship radio station, beginning at 7:45 PM.

Check out the Tucson Roadrunners Statistics

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