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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Roadrunners Fall to Ontario Reign 5-1 on Friday Night From the Tucson Arena

January 27, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


TUCSON, AZ - It was a dark, cold, cloudy day in Tucson as the Ontario Reign defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 5-1 on Friday night as the Roadrunners fell to 24-13-1-1 on the year.

Heavy fisted Curtis Douglas introduces himself to an Ontario Reign player with a few right hooks and heavy slam to the ground. Douglas had the Tucson Arena rockin' as he dropped the gloves in the second period. Douglas has a goal and eight assists in 27 games played for the Roadrunners this season. Douglas, the fourth round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2018, leads Tucson this season with 70 penalty minutes.

DON'T OVERLOOK IT

LIKE A REAR VIEW MIRROR - The Tucson Roadrunners were closer tonight than they may appear in the final score. The game was tied or within one goal for all of the first period and most of the second. It was not until the 16:12 mark of period two that Ontario would take a two-goal lead. 5-on-5 scoring was 2-1 Ontario on the night.

LOOK AT THIS

(Photo Credits: Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners)

Tucson Roadrunners players (left to right) Aku Raty, Max Szuber, and Lleyton Moore stand on the blue line as the National Anthem was performed by the Canyon Del Oro High School Choir, at the Tucson Arena. The Roadrunners, wearing their black Kachina jerseys, dropped the contest 5-1 to the Ontario Reign but still carry the best winning percentage in the Pacific Division at .641 with their 24-13-1-1 record.

THEY SAID IT

"They have a really good power-play, but we have to find a way to stay out of the box. We came out well tonight but need to capitalize on more chances. We know what we have to do and how we have to play,"

Forward Nathan Smith after Tucson's 5-1 loss on Friday night.

THE RUNDOWN

A quick paced start to the Friday night contest between the Ontario Reign and the Tucson Roadrunners would favor the visiting Reign as they would jump on the early power-play coming off of a Tucson high-sticking minor. The Reign would bury an early goal and take the 1-0 lead. Tucson would kill off a power-play later in the frame but would not find the back of the net themselves through the first twenty minutes. The Roadrunners outshot Ontario 15-4 in the first period and 42-27 on the night.

In the second it would be Nathan Smith getting things going for the good guys just over four minutes into the second frame. Smith would find himself on a breakaway with a defender and the Ontario netminder to beat. Smith would do just that as he buried the game-tying goal for Tucson. Smith, who picked up his fourth goal of the year, was assisted by Lleyton Moore and Peter DiLiberatore on the play. The game would remain tied for just over seven minutes of play before Ontario would again make it rain (pun intended) and take a 2-1 lead. At the 16:12 mark, the Reign would add another goal making it 3-1 and the frenzy of a final four minutes to the second period would begin. A big hit on a Tucson player would launch matching fighting majors on Tucson and Ontario at the 16:24 mark. In the final minute of the frame, another set of fighting majors, two continuing altercation majors and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would be handed out.

Period three would kick off on the same foot that period two ended on with a total of nine penalties in the period, including a minor on Tucson in the first 30 seconds of the frame. Ontario would add two goals in the first eight minutes increasing their lead to four. With a 5-1 score late in the game the roughing minors and penalties would begin to flow through the tension. The score would remain 5-1 as time expired and the Roadrunners would shift their thoughts to Saturday night's contest.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2024


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