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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Preview - Game #5: Tucson Roadrunners vs Bakersfield Condors

October 25, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Game #5: Tucson Roadrunners (1-3-0-0) vs Bakersfield Condors (2-0-1-1)

Time: 7:00 p.m. MST, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ

Referees: #82 Harrison O'Pray, #24 Jack Young

Linespersons: #74 Eric Anderson, #32 Rob Fay

The Tucson Roadrunners conclude its four-game homestand at Tucson Arena with back-to-back games against the Bakersfield Condors on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. MST. The Roadrunners look to notch its first home win of the season and end its two-game skid after last weekend's sweep to the Texas Stars. Texas scored three unanswered goals in the third period and erased Tucson's late lead in both contests.

Bakersfield also enters the series on a two-game winless streak after losing 3-2 in overtime to the San Diego Goals on Saturday and 2-1 in a shootout against the Calgary Wranglers on Tuesday. The Condors have earned at least a point in each of its first four games, and three of its four games have been decided by one goal.

Three things: Bakersfield has yet to be defeated in regulation this season. The Condors are currently third in the Pacific Division with six points in four games played but have played fewer games than the two teams ahead of them in the standings. The Calgary Wranglers lead the division with 10 points in six games, followed by the San Jose Barracuda with eight points in five games. Bakersfield has made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, and is off to a strong start in 2024-25 thanks to its strong defensive play and goaltending. The Condors have only allowed seven goals this season, the lowest in the Pacific Division and second-best in the AHL behind the Grand Rapid Griffins (five goals). Goaltender Collin Delia is 1-0-1-0 with a 0.96 goals-against average, which is the third-best in the AHL among goalies with at least two starts. His .961 save percentage is also top-10 in the league.

Offensively, forward Seth Griffin leads the Condors in scoring with two goals, one assist, and three points in three games played. He is also shooting at a 50-percent clip, with two goals on only four shots. This is nothing new, having led Bakersfield in scoring in each of the last three seasons. Griffin had a team-high 63 points from 15 goals and 48 assists last year. The former Boston Bruins fifth-round draft pick is the team's all-time AHL leader in assists and points and has the second-most career career points among active AHL players. Tied with Griffin in points is rookie forward Matthew Savoie, who opened the season with a three-game point streak. The 20-year-old has three points from one goal and two assists and leads the team with a plus-five rating. Savoie was drafted ninth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2022 and made his AHL debut in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs with the Rochester Americans. Last season, he split time between the WHL and AHL, tallying five points from two goals and three assists in six games for the Americans. The 5-foot-9, 179-pound forward was traded from Buffalo to the Edmonton Oilers in July and has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 10 career AHL games.

Tucson is led offensively by a trio of forwards with four points each: Aku Räty, Egor Sokolov, and Andrew Agozzino. The latter two have registered one point in each of the first four games, while Raty leads the team in multi-point games with two. Raty tallied two assists in Tucson's 4-3 defeat to Texas on Sunday. Agozzino also had an assist, and has scored a goal in two of the last three games. The two are tied with forward Hunter Drew for the team lead in goals scored with two apiece. Drew had a goal and an assist for a two-point night in his first game of the season on Saturday against Texas. He added another goal on Sunday to give him two goals and three points in two games played. In his last 13 games dating back to last season, Drew has 12 points from seven goals and five assists.

What's the word?

"It's gonna be hard for us to score. But we're confident in our defensive structure and in our goalies. However many we can put in, I'm sure will be enough."

Roadrunners forward Hunter Drew on the Condors allowing just seven goals against this season

Number to Know:

17 - Roadrunners goalie Jaxson Stauber has made 17 or more third-period saves in each of his first two starts. The 25-year-old netminder stopped 17 shots in the final frame on Sunday and 19 in Tucson's 4-2 victory over Colorado on Oct. 12. Overall, he's blocked 74 of 80 shots faced this season, which is the 12th-most shots against in the league and the highest among goaltenders with two starts. Stauber made 41 saves in his last start on Sunday and his performance earned him the second star of the game. The 6-foot-3, left-handed catcher is 1-1-0-0 on the season with a .925 save percentage and 3.00 goals-against average.

Latest Transactions: On Thursday, Oct. 24, defenseman Patrik Koch was reassigned to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) from the Utah Hockey Club On Wednesday, Oct. 23, defenseman Maveric Lamoureux was recalled to the Utah Hockey Club, marking the second Roadrunner to be called up this season On Tuesday, Oct. 22, forward Brayden Tracey was released from his PTO with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) On Tuesday, Oct. 22, forward Will Gavin was loaned to the Allen Americas (ECHL) from the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) On Tuesday, Oct. 22, forward Noel Nordh was reassigned to the Soo Greyhounds (OHL) from the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)

We're Doing It Live

Friday's game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1450AM and the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. with Roadrunners Warm-Up, hosted by "Voice of the Roadrunners" Jonathon Schaffer, who has all of the action from Tucson Arena. The game can also be seen on AHLtv now on Flo Hockey.

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