AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Roadrunners Complete Sweep of Chicago on Military Appreciation Night

November 5, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Tucson Roadrunners celebrate win
Tucson Roadrunners celebrate win
(Tucson Roadrunners, Credit: Kate Dibildox)

Tucson, Arizona - The Tucson Roadrunners completed their first sweep of the season against the Chicago Wolves by a score of 5-3 on Saturday night as rookie goaltender Anson Thronton secured his first career AHL win in his first pro hockey debut on Military Appreciation Night at Tucson Arena. Nearly $22,000 was raised in the team's postgame jersey auction, with all proceeds going to VetTix; an organization that helps local military and active veterans attend sporting events and live entertainment with their friends and family.

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Tucson Roadrunners Forward Jan Jenik dropped the gloves against Defenseman Matt Donavan at the end of the first period and got the crowd into it.

DON'T OVERLOOK IT

POINT STREAKS INCOMING - Nathan Smith scored a goal in his second straight game and now has a point in his last five games. Justin Kirkland had four assists tonight as well as one on Friday's game and now has six assists in five games played. Ben McCartney also added an assist tonight and had two in Friday's win. Both Kirkland and McCartney are now riding two-game point streaks whereas Nathan Smith is riding a five-game point streak.

LOOK AT THIS

(Kate Dibildox, Tucson Roadrunners)

Roadrunners forwards Nathan Smith and Dylan Guenther celebrate a goal in the fourth period to take a 4-2 lead over the wolves.

THEY SAID IT

"Very exciting for sure, it's something I've been looking forward to for a long time and just to get the first one under my belt it feels amazing."

Goalie Anson Thornton after his first career AHL win.

THE RUNDOWN

The first period saw no scoring but a fight at the end when forward Jan Jenik and defenseman Matt Donovan squared off for an electric tilt. Jenik came off the ice getting the crowd into the game. Thronton made 12 saves to keep the score at 0-0 heading into the second.

The second period saw a total of five goals, three from Tucson and two from Chicago. Victor Soderstrom cashed in the first one just 47 seconds into the period for his first of the season with a snipe from the right circle, he was set up by Justin Kirkland and Dylan Guenther. The Wolves tied it up at 6:52 with a short-handed breakaway from Nathan Sucese to tie it at one. The stick of Ryan McGregor gave Tucson back the lead after McCartney and Aku Raky gave him a great look in front of the net at 9:51. Chicago would tie it once again with a power-play goal from Isaac Ratcliffe who shoveled the puck through the padding of Thornton. The assists came from Chris Terry and Maxime Comtois. However, Josh Doan would make it 3-2 after a late period goal from a Patrick Koch rebound just 23 seconds later at 18:43. Kirkland added his second assist of the game on the goal.

With the Roadrunners leading 3-2 in the final period, Nathan Smith added some insurance with his second straight goal in back-to-back games from Guenther and Kirkland once again at 12:28. With desperation time imminent, Chicago pulled their netminder Keith Kinkaid to give them a 6-on-five advantage. Chris Terry made it a 4-3 goal game with just two minutes after taking a bad angle shot on Thornton assisted by Austin Strand and Mitchell Vande Sompel. With the netminder still pulled for Chicago, Josh Doan was set up for his second goal by Justin Kirkland for a breakaway on the empty net to secure the 5-3 win over the Wolves.

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Images from this story

Tucson Roadrunners celebrate win
Tucson Roadrunners celebrate win
(Kate Dibildox)		   



American Hockey League Stories from November 5, 2023


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