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AHL Tucson Roadrunners

Roadrunners, Villalta Shut Out Henderson In Return Home

March 13, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Tucson Roadrunners News Release


Tucson Roadrunners' Montana Onyebuchi battles Henderson Silver Knight's Dysin Mayo
Tucson Roadrunners' Montana Onyebuchi battles Henderson Silver Knight's Dysin Mayo
(Tucson Roadrunners, Credit: Kate Dibildox, Tucson Roadrunners)

TUCSON, AZ - The Tucson Arena defied physics by adding a fifth wall on Tuesday night, goalie Matthew Villalta, as the Roadrunners defeated the Silver Knights 4-0 to improve to 32-19-3-2 on the year.

It was a Tucson Tuesday if there ever was such a thing as the Roadrunners shutout the Henderson Silver Knights behind a 31 save performance from Matthew Villalta. The Roadrunners added three first period goals to jump out early and kept their foot on the gas for the full 60 minutes. Austin Poganski would start things early for the Roadrunners scoring just 3:12 into the first period. Poganski was assisted by Cam Crotty and Justin Kirkland. Just over a minute later, Colin Theisen would score for the Roadrunners as they jumped to an early 2-0 lead. Josh Doan and Jan Jenik assisted Theisen.

It would be another 10 minutes of play in the first period before Ben McCartney would bury a shot in the back of the net and give Tucson a 3-0 lead. Patrik Koch and Austin Poganski picked up assists, and Poganski became the first two-point scorer of the night for the Roadrunners.

Alas, in the final minute of period two, Tucson would get on the board again with a power-play goal from Jan Jenik. Jenik's goal, assisted by Justin Kirkland and Steven Kampfer, gave Tucson the 4-0 lead. Jenik and Kirkland would both tally their second points of the night joining Austin Poganski as a multiple-point scorer. For Jenik, it was his second multiple-point game in a row against Henderson.

The final period, but really the entire game, was taken over by Tucson netminder Matthew Villalta. The first-year Roadrunner would tally his third shutout of the season in a 31 save effort. Villalta would face 13 shots in the first, eight in the second and ten in the third. He faced pressure all night as Henderson had seven power-play opportunities. The special play on special teams would help Tucson secure two-points in a playoff race that is heating up.

"It was a fun game; we got the crowd going early and the boys came ready to go. We have to keep it going and keep our head down moving forward," said Forward Jan Jenik following Tucson's 4-0 victory over Henderson on Tuesday night.

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Images from this story

Tucson Roadrunners' Montana Onyebuchi battles Henderson Silver Knight's Dysin Mayo
Tucson Roadrunners' Montana Onyebuchi battles Henderson Silver Knight's Dysin Mayo
(Kate Dibildox, Tucson Roadrunners)		   



American Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2024


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