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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Roadrunners Earn Standings Point in Seventh Consecutive Home Game with 3-2 Overtime Loss to San Diego

March 4, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith in action
Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith in action
(Tucson Roadrunners, Credit: Kate Dibildox/Chris Hook)

Tucson, Arizona - The Tucson Roadrunners opened the weekend with a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Diego Gulls Friday night, as Tucson's lineup featured 16 skaters with multiple players recalled to the Arizona Coyotes earlier in the day. Forwards Mike Carcone and Cam Hebig lit the lamp for Tucson, and goaltender Ivan Prosvetov stopped 33 of 36 shots faced with perfect 11-for-11 and 10-for-10 marks in the first and third periods, respectively. The Roadrunners and Gulls will meet again Saturday night at 7 p.m., which represents the final contest at the Tucson Arena between I-8 Border Rivals this season.

YA GOTTA SEE IT

Roadrunners forward Cameron Hebig evened the score at 2-2 with 9:15 gone by in the second period Friday night against San Diego. The goal was Hebig's seventh of the season, as the 26-year-old has recorded three points (2g 1a) in his last three outings. In addition, the third-year Roadrunner has scored four goals in his last four series openers on home ice dating back to a two-goal performance against the Chicago Wolves on January 24.

DON'T OVERLOOK IT

STREAKS SURVIVE - With their 3-2 overtime defeat on Friday, the Roadrunners continued their run of earning at least a standings point in seven consecutive contests at the Tucson Arena. Forward Adam Cracknell also extended his active scoring streak on home ice to seven-straight outings, with 11 points (3g 8a) during that span and five points (1g 4a) over his last five appearances overall. With the score tied at 2-2 entering the three-on-three overtime period Friday, the Roadrunners have allowed two goals or less in regulation in their last five games.

THEY SAID IT

"It would have been nice to get both points today, but we battled hard under the circumstances of being down some bodies. We have to get back at it [Saturday] and be ready to go."

Roadrunners forward Cam Hebig on Tucson's effort in their 3-2 overtime loss to the San Diego Gulls on Friday. The Roadrunners had 16 skaters in the lineup after multiple players were recalled to the Arizona Coyotes earlier in the day.

THE RUNDOWN

Friday's series opener was scoreless for the opening 13:13 of the first period, which represented the longest a game between Tucson and San Diego had been without a goal through six meetings on the season series. Tucson forward Mike Carcone broke the 0-0 tie with his team-leading 26th goal of the season off of a face-off win by Adam Cracknell, who recorded his 23rd assist on the tally. Carcone's goal was the only score of the opening 20 minutes, as Roadrunners backstop Ivan Prosvetov stopped all 11 shots faced in the frame. Both teams took one trip to the man-advantage in the first period, with Tucson holding the Gulls without a shot on goal during their early power-play. San Diego flipped the script on a 1-0 Roadrunners advantage with a pair of goals scored 38 seconds apart in the opening 4:44 of the middle frame, giving the Gulls their first lead of the night at 2-1. Tucson kept pushing and tied the game back up at 2-2 before the midway point of the period. Forward Cam Hebig pushed the puck in for his seventh goal on the season, as fellow third-year Roadrunners Cam Crotty and Ryan McGregor each picked up assists. The remaining 10:45 of the frame was without a goal, sending the Roadrunners and Gulls to the final 20 minutes of regulation even at 2-2. Tucson narrowly outshot San Diego 11 to 10 during the third period, but both teams were held scoreless to force overtime still knotted at 2-2. With 15 seconds gone by in the three-on-three overtime period, Gulls forward Josiah Slavin netted his fifth goal of the season to give San Diego a 3-2 victory in the series opener. The Roadrunners earn a standings point with the overtime loss and will look to grab two more in the series finale Saturday night, with Tucson able to clinch the eight-game season series and I-8 Border Cup Trophy over the Gulls with a regulation win.

Check out the Tucson Roadrunners Statistics




Images from this story

Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith in action
Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith in action
(Kate Dibildox/Chris Hook)		   

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