
Roadrunners Stay Sharp at Home with 5-2 Victory over Stockton
Published on December 29, 2018 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release
Three unanswered third period goals drove the Roadrunners to their second-straight victory Friday night at Tucson Arena, a 5-2 win over the Stockton Heat.
The team improved its home record to 10-3-0-0 in the process; a mark that calculates in as a .769 win percentage that ranks second best in the Western Conference and third best in the AHL.
After heading into the Christmas break with a much-needed victory last Saturday in San Jose, the Roadrunners kept momentum in their favor with a steadfast approach, mentality.
"You have to come back with the same consistency that you left with," head coach Jay Varady said. "We had pretty good focus going into the break, we had a couple of good games there in San Jose, we got back and had a practice and it was just back to business. We didn't change really anything we did, we addressed it, we talked about it, and we got to work."
Following a scoreless first period, Jens Looke, in his return to the lineup after missing five games due to an injury, buried the evening's first goal just over four minutes into the second when his backhand spin-o-rama ricochet off of a Stockton defender and into the back of the net.
Looke's tally, his sixth of the year, matched his total from the 2017-18 campaign, which he attained in 59 games. Friday was just his 22nd game on the year.
"I'm getting stronger and I'm getting faster, but the biggest part I think is the fact that I'm getting used to everything over here," he said. "Last year was my first year here in the U.S. and I'm feeling more comfortable here this year, and I think that's playing a big role for my game right now."
Stockton responded with two goals in a 1:07 span to take a 2-1 lead.
With just over a minute to play in the second period, Nick Merkley's shot through traffic from the top of the left circle deflected off of a Heat defender and into the net to tie the game 2-2.
Merkley's extended his point streak to three games with his goal, his second of the year.
The teams remained tied until just past the midway point of the third period when Laurent Dauphin stripped a Stockton defender to walk in alone and beat Jon Gillies through the five-hole with a move to his backhand.
Dauphin's goal, giving the Roadrunners a 3-2 lead with 9:47 to play, was the first of the shorthanded variety for the Roadrunners this season.
Tyler Steenbergen upped the Roadrunners' lead to 4-2 just over two minutes later when he beat Gillies high to the glove side with a shot through a screen.
In the final moments of regulation, while operating on a five-on-three power play, Robbie Russio stepped into an Adam Helewka pass to give the Roadrunners a 5-2 lead, scoring his first goal of the season when his shot seeped through Gillies' pads and trickled over the goal-line.
Merkley, credited with the secondary assist on Russo's goal, registered his first multi-point performance of the campaign.
Hunter Miska stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced to earn his eighth win of the season, improving his overall record to 8-4-4.
"I thought we had chances early in the game where we missed the net, we just had a little more focus as the game went on of hitting the net and getting pucks to that blue paint," Varady added. "I think we just stuck with it, we stayed with the plan, we didn't get away from what the plan was and eventually it paid off."
With the win, the Roadrunners' record improves to 17-8-3-1.
The teams will meet again on Saturday night at Tucson Arena, where the puck is scheduled to drop just after 7:05 PM.
American Hockey League Stories from December 29, 2018
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- Stars Stay Hot at Home in 5-1 Victory over Ontario - Texas Stars
- Penguins Erupt for 7-3 Win at Lehigh Valley - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Amerks Come up Short to Comets - Rochester Americans
- Crunch Defeat Thunderbirds, 4-3, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Sens Close out 2018 with Win over Devils - Belleville Senators
- Monsters Earn a Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Griffins - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolf Pack Fall in OT - Hartford Wolf Pack
- St. Denis helps Bridgeport to its third straight win with overtime winner on Saturday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Devils Slowed by Senators, 3-2 - Binghamton Devils
- Goloubef Sparks P-Bruins Comeback in Hershey - Providence Bruins
- Eagles Sign DeJong to Professional Tryout Agreement - Colorado Eagles
- Comets Topple North Division Leading Amerks - Utica Comets
- Bruins Rally in Third, Down Bears 4-1 - Hershey Bears
- Admirals Taken Down by Wild - Milwaukee Admirals
- Crunch Collect Extra Point in OT Win over T-Birds - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Boyle to Gulls, Redmond Recalled - San Diego Gulls
- Canucks Extend AHL Affiliate Deal with the Utica CometsÃÂ - Utica Comets
- Poturalski Lifts Checkers over Laval in OT - Charlotte Checkers
- Game #30 Preview: Tucson vs. Stockton - Tucson Roadrunners
- Sound Tigers Recall Gaudreau from Worcester - Bridgeport Islanders
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- Minnesota Wild Recalls Defenseman Matt Bartkowski from Iowa - Iowa Wild
- Ottawa Recalls Rodewald - Belleville Senators
- Welinski to Anaheim, Sustr Joins San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- Bears Add Two Defenders from South Carolina - Hershey Bears
- Stockton Looks to Even the Score Saturday - Stockton Heat
- Florida Panthers Acquire 2020 Fifth-Round Pick from Toronto - Springfield Thunderbirds
- American Hockey League Announces Suspensions - AHL
- Flames Recall Dillon Dube from Stockton - Stockton Heat
- Ottawa Recalls Elliott and Wolanin - Belleville Senators
- Condors Wizard Night with Specialty Jerseys Tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs. Devils, December 29 - Belleville Senators
- Tampa Bay Lightning Assign Defenseman Slater Koekkoek to Syracuse Crunch for Conditioning Assignment - Syracuse Crunch
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- Devils Sign Goaltender Evan Cormier to Amateur Tryout - Binghamton Devils
- Road Team Wins 6th Straight in Series as Chicago Tops Hogs - Rockford IceHogs
- Roadrunners Stay Sharp at Home with 5-2 Victory over Stockton - Tucson Roadrunners
- Early Lead Doesn't Hold - Ontario Reign
- Blais Caps Comeback in Win over Reign - San Antonio Rampage
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.
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