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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Roadrunners Complete Sweep of San Jose

December 2, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Tucson Roadrunners' Cameron Hebig and Curtis Douglas on game night
Tucson Roadrunners' Cameron Hebig and Curtis Douglas on game night
(Tucson Roadrunners, Credit: Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners)

TUCSON, AZ - The Tucson Roadrunners took the Heart out of the Barracuda on Saturday night winning 7-5 to complete the weekend sweep and improve to 12-6-1-1 on the year.

It was Anime night at the Tucson Arena on Saturday night, but the Roadrunners may have mistaken it for anime-zing night scoring four goals in the first period for the second consecutive night. San Jose would score first just 2:07 into the game and stun the Tucson faithful. The Roadrunners wouldn't fold as just 37 seconds later Hunter Drew would tie the game up 1-1. Drew was assisted by Curtis Douglas on the play. Later in the period Cameron Hebig would find the back of the net and give Tucson the early lead. Hebig was assisted by Hunter Drew and Peter Diliberatore. It was Diliberatore's first assist on the year and the second point of the night for Drew. At the 16:16 mark it would be Travis Barron keeping the hot start going for Tucson and lighting the lamp. Barron was assisted by Aku Raty and Austin Poganski. The Roadrunners were not satisfied with three goals in the period however, as Hunter Drew would receive a pass from Cameron Hebig and score his second goal of the period with seven seconds left in the first period. It was the third point of the game for Drew (two goals, one assist) and the second for Hebig.

A 4-1 lead wouldn't scare off the Barracuda as they would storm back in the second period with two goals of their own to make it a 4-3 game. Tucson outshot the Barracuda 16-9 in the second frame and 35-28 on the night but San Jose would score twice and make it a contest.

In the third it would be Jan Jenik, who would light the lamp for the Roadrunners. Jenik was assisted by John Leonard and Max Szuber on the early third period goal. Just 2:26 later it would be Travis Barron getting his name back on the scoring sheet. Barron would score the game-winning goal to make it 6-3 Tucson. Barron was assisted by Aku Raty and Max Szuber. It was Szuber's second assist of the evening. Just 11 seconds later San Jose would answer with a goal and cut the lead to two. A Roadrunners penalty would then send San Jose on a power-play which would lead to the fifth goal of the night for the Barracuda. San Jose would pull their goalie late, down by one, and John Leonard would find himself with the puck. Leonard had a look at the empty-net but selflessly found Travis Barron in the corner who would bury the puck giving himself the first hat-trick of the year for the Roadrunners and secure the 7-5 Tucson victory.

The Roadrunners head to Colorado for a two-game series with the Eagles on December 8-9 before returning home to the Tucson Arena on December 15-16th against Abbottsford.

"It's all about how you answer and how you respond, especially in this league. We knew they would push back after our hot start but we answered every time they did" said Forward Hunter Drew after Tucson's 7-5 Saturday night victory.

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Images from this story

Tucson Roadrunners' Cameron Hebig and Curtis Douglas on game night
Tucson Roadrunners' Cameron Hebig and Curtis Douglas on game night
(Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners)		   

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