
Roadrunners Open Chicago Series with 3-2 Win
November 4, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release

Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith and Chicago Wolves' Tory Dello and Adam Scheel on game night
(Tucson Roadrunners, Credit: Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson, Arizona - The Tucson Roadrunners put the sauce on top of the cheese deep dish pizza to bed as they defeated the Chicago Wolves 3-2 at the Tucson Arena on Friday night.
YA GOTTA SEE IT
Tucson Roadrunners Forward Josh Doan would rip a one-timer and light the lamp giving the Roadrunners a 3-1 lead on his team leading third goal of the year. Tucson would hold on 3-2 in Friday night's contest.
DON'T OVERLOOK IT
LET'S START FAST, FINISH STRONG - The Tucson Roadrunners are 4-0 when scoring the first goal in the game. The Roadrunners also have not trailed in any game that they have won. In addition, the Roadrunners are 3-1 when going into the third period tied. All that to say, start fast and finish strong!
LOOK AT THIS
(Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners)
Roadrunners Forward Nathan Smith awaits the puck moments before scoring a first period goal in Friday night's 3-2 victory over the Chicago Wolves. Smith had assisted on the three previous Roadrunners goals from last weekend.
THEY SAID IT
It was a team win tonight; everyone did their job very well. Our forwards found the soft areas and scored some nice goals, and the PK (penalty-kill) was great
Goalie Matthew Villalta after Friday night's 3-2 victory
THE RUNDOWN
The first period of Friday night's contest featured a Nathan Smith goal to start the party for Tucson. Smith was assisted by Ben McCartney and Vlad Kolyachonok on the play. Nathan Smith factored on Tucson's fourth-straight goal, this time being the goal scorer. Tucson would then successfully kill off two Chicago power-plays that they would face in the period and head into the locker room with the 1-0 lead.
The second period was the Matthew Villalta show. After a Chicago goal 4:24 into the period, Villalta would make all 12 saves that he would face in the period. Villalta, who started his franchise record seventh-straight game, would end the night stopping 27/29 shots and getting his fourth victory of the young season. Tucson and Chicago both had 13 shots in the period, but the Roadrunners did not find the back of the net.
Vlad Kolyachonok came out for period three and made his presence felt immediately. He would score an unassisted goal 2:12 in and give Tucson the 2-1 lead. Kolyachonok's goal would be followed six minutes later by a Josh Doan one-timer to light the lamp. Doan was assisted by Ben McCartney and Jan Jenik on the play. The goal would be the eventual game-winner. Chicago didn't go down without a fight as they would answer the 3-1 deficit with a power-play goal of their own just past the halfway point of period three. With the 3-2 game late into the third, Chicago would pull their goalie and try to tie things up with a 6-on-5 extra-attacker situation. The Tucson defense and phenomenal goalie play from Villalta would prevail and the Roadrunners would hold on and secure two points and another tally in the win column.
Images from this story
![]() Tucson Roadrunners' Nathan Smith and Chicago Wolves' Tory Dello and Adam Scheel on game night (Lucas Ault, Tucson Roadrunners) |
American Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2023
- Game Preview: Condors v Firebirds, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Arturs Silovs Picks up Shutout as Canucks Win 2-0 on Diwali Night - Abbotsford Canucks
- Ads Stumble Against Griffins - Milwaukee Admirals
- Silver Knights Fall, 2-0, to Canucks - Henderson Silver Knights
- Bears Take Down Islanders, 3-1 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Eagles Top Reign, 5-3 - Ontario Reign
- Wolves Fall to Roadrunners 5-3 - Chicago Wolves
- Olausson Nets Two Goals in Colorado's 5-3 Win Over Reign - Colorado Eagles
- Griffins Defeat Admirals 2-1 for First Road Win of Season - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Tokarski Backstops Amerks to Shootout Win in Syracuse - Rochester Americans
- Thrilling Third Period Results in Monsters' 5-4 Win Over Bruins - Cleveland Monsters
- Dylan Garand Makes 31 Saves as Wolf Pack Edge Comets 3-2 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Phantoms Grind Out Standings Point at Springfield - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Texas Shuts Out Iowa 4-0 - Iowa Wild
- Murray Shines, Stars Shut Out Wild In Iowa - Texas Stars
- Limoges, Priskie Lift Bears to 3-1 Win Over Islanders - Hershey Bears
- Coghlan Comes up Clutch in T-Birds' 5th Straight Win - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Crunch Downed by Amerks, 5-4, in Shootout - Syracuse Crunch
- Gulls Fall to Checkers, 5-4 - San Diego Gulls
- P-Bruins Bested by Monsters in Thrilling Third Period - Providence Bruins
- Comets Fall Short Against Wolf Pack, 3-2 - Utica Comets
- Gerry Mayhew Scores in Overtime for Second Consecutive Day as Checkers Beat Gulls - Charlotte Checkers
- Penguins Stunned by Senators in Overtime, 3-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Blackhawks Assign Phillips to Rockford - Rockford IceHogs
- Rockford Avenges Friday Loss - Manitoba Moose
- Guttman Provides Crucial Goal in Hogs' Third Straight Win - Rockford IceHogs
- Anaheim Ducks Recall Robert Hagg from San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- Morning Skate Report: November 4, 2023 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Phantoms Recall Nolan Maier - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Texas Stars - Iowa Wild
- Pre-Game Report: Wolf Pack Pay Lone Visit to Comets in Weekend Finale - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game #8: Tucson Roadrunners vs Chicago Wolves - Tucson Roadrunners
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Islanders, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Wolf Pack Complete Trio of Transactions - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Hogs Head North for First of Weekend Set in Manitoba - Rockford IceHogs
- Bridgeport Islanders Open November in Hershey Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
- Roadrunners Open Chicago Series with 3-2 Win - Tucson Roadrunners
- Wranglers Win Fifth Straight - Calgary Wranglers
- Silver Knights Triumph Over Canucks, 5-2, In Road Win - Henderson Silver Knights
- Canucks Fall 5-2 on Home Ice to Henderson Silver Knights - Abbotsford Canucks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Tucson Roadrunners Stories
- Forward Cameron Hebig Signs Two-Year, Two-Way Contract with Utah Mammoth
- Tucson Roadrunners Announce 10th Anniversary Schedule
- Tucson Roadrunners Announce 2025-26 Home Opener
- Goaltender Dylan Wells Signs One-Year AHL Contract with Tucson Roadrunners
- Defenseman Scott Perunovich Signs One-Year, Two-Way Contract with Utah Mammoth

