January 22, 2025 • 44 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Co-Host Kim Cota-Robles are joined by Roadrunners forward Aku Raty ahead of the team's Tuesday matvh versus the Henderson Silver Knights. They talk about his second season in the AHL and his friendship with fellow Finnish forward Miko Matikka as welll as what the goals second half of the season for himself and the team.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's five o'clock. Got yours hues day? They's two sun
Roadrunners heavy out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty am with
Jonathan shit Right Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts. It's so funny.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night together.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
So I don't know, maybe we should start implementing some
breakdance pregames during the season and see how that goes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet, Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Fox Sports fourteen fifty am our usual Tuesday night get together.
Jonathan Schaeffer here with Kim Coder Roebliz our Game Day edition.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
It is Tuesday night.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Roadrunners are in game two of a back to back
series versus the Henderson Silver Nights, continuing on the six
game road trip sorry six game homestand not even we're
back home.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I'm just I'm so we are home. We are at home.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I'm so used to being on the road. Kim, we
kind of just barely got back to which is crazy.
It has even been a week since we've been back,
and all of a sudden we're in a game number
two of this six game homestand now getting aku Ratsu
on the show as well, and yeah, Kim, last night's
game was was a bit tough. I mean, it felt
like a homecoming game. Things were going so well. We
(01:17):
were up four to one and the Silver Knights were
able to score three an answered forced overtime. We got
the important points, but just couldn't close it out, and
it was definitely a tough game. But again, we're excited
to be back upcoming tonight and we'll be ready to
roll again.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
It was it was a fun game until it really
really wasn't a fun game. We've had those before, but
that that was that was disappointing on kind of a
few different levels. This is a team that we should
have bet, absolutely no question, and we were there, We
were right on the precipice of it, we had it
in our hands and and we lost it. And I think,
(01:55):
you know, nobody's beating themselves up more about it than
the boys. So I think tonight will be a very
different match. And that's kind of That's kind of what
we've seen from them, right is that the first match, unfortunately,
you know, we just don't get it together and the
way that it needs to be. And then the second
match they come out and it's a completely different team.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, and it was kind of one of those instances
where we haven't really it's been a while since we've
seen a game like that, and it sucks that they've
happened at home because, you know, dating maybe all the
way back in October in which we had a couple
of good leads on the Texas Stars. Lost both of
those games, and then this was a very similar one,
but this time we were leading four to one in
(02:37):
the second period. Anderson did score a powerplay goal at
the end of that second frame, and then obviously we
saw what happened at the end there, and it was
a tough situation for Tucson. They were down a defenceman,
Kevin Cannaton had to leave the game, so we're already
down to mand Rovers just kind of just felt exhausted
at the end. You can just tell that Anderson had
(02:58):
a bit of a jump on the team.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I wouldn't say we.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Played conservative in that third period, but uh, you know,
you talked to Curtis Douglas after that game, and you know,
we kind of just were on the defensive for a bit,
you know, like we had we were trying to just
hold onto that four to two lead, and I think
the lesson learned for tonight's matchup will be don't do that,
you know, and it doesn't matter where you are in
the standings. And I talked to see Popman before the game,
(03:24):
and you know, he said, it doesn't matter if you're
looking at a team below the standings below you, they're
gonna give it your all and or they're gonna give
it they're all on you. And Henderson's at that point
this season where you don't they're just playing spoiler. Who
knows it might go on some crazy run in the
second half of the of the season. You know, no
team is out of it until maybe when you have
twenty games left and then you might think like, Okay,
(03:45):
that team's not making it, but they're they're playing spoiler
spoiler right now.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And they did that for two.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Sunday took a really really important point away from us,
and uh yeah, we we just had to settle with it.
And it sucks because we were four minutes away from
getting that second really important point and even over time
it could have been anyone's game.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
But just how it goes.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And I think the Roadrunners will be a lot more
aggressive coming for tonight.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
The Silver Knights had nothing to lose coming into into
last night's game. They still don't. They're they're gonna play
nothing to lose hockey, right, They're they're gonna go all out.
And and that's the kind of hockey we should be playing.
We should be matching that vibe. And we were, and
and last night we were, and then and then like
like you said, like Curtis said, so Scott, yeah he
(04:31):
said that, you said and you said, you said that
that you know that, Yeah that It was just it
turned into more a more defensive game than it should
have been. And it was also especially if you weren't there,
if you didn't get a chance to see, it was
a much more contentious game then I was expecting it
to be. We have been. I think this season the
(04:52):
team is playing a little bit more of maybe maybe not,
but but this is kind of just my my take
on it. A little bit more of a conservative games
in terms of fighting, and last night was kind of
fight night. There was no holds barred. I don't know
how many five for fighting penalties did I have to
call last night. It was more than I was expecting,
(05:18):
considering considering I from my perspective. We're playing better hockey
than they are, so you know, to be going to fisticuffs.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
It was.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
It was a different type of game. The vibe was
different than I was really expecting it to be. So
I'm cautiously optimistic for tonight, but more optimistic than cautious
I think at this point.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Hey, you're always uh, you always more cautious than I
really am.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I'm always optimistic.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And you know, Tucson's gonna want to really really bounce
back after a game like last night.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And yeah, Kim, I felt bad for you at one point.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
And also are our scorekeepers who actually did a really
good job concerning how that game went right because you know, uh,
you had three fights in the second period. Sam Lipkin
Kevin Cannan in their first two fights of the year.
Hunter Drew, I believe was in his fourth fights.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
If I'm not mistake, I'm.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
A not afraid to just drop the stick, drop the gloves,
let's go. He usually like they don't come from out
of nowhere like they Drew. Hunter is prepped and ready
to go for those ones.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I have a fight card. Let me see if it's uh.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
But Lincoln was a surprise for me. And he I
noticed that he came back with a little bit of
a busted lip, which was unfortunate.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
There's a lot there's a lot of blood on the ice.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
A few delays or just one big delay because of
blood on the ice. And again that was that was
a surprise. That was not anything I could have predicted.
And that's one of the things that I know the
fans love about the game is that there is violence.
But I I was not expecting almost any of that.
You know, you expect a little bit of back and forth.
(07:06):
I think there. I've asked the players before, you know,
who's our biggest rival, and it's kind of everybody, it
seems to be the answer. And that I get is
who are we playing in the next twenty four hours.
That's our biggest rival.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
And I remember we talked to Kevin Canaughton last week
and he said, yeah, maybe when the teams are above
you and the standings is what it most feels like
a rivalry. But it does again, it really doesn't matter
who you play, like any these teams are so talented
and even though Henderson's not where they want to be at,
they still have you know, the talented prospects and the
players to get victories. But yet kim those fights in
(07:43):
that third or part in that second period. Kevin Cannaughton
against Mitch McClain was Cannon's first fight of the season,
and then Sam Lipkin went up against Riley McKay, also
his first fight of the season, and then Hunter Drew
got in fight number four against Joe Fleming. So that
now adds up to seventeen total fights for the season
(08:03):
for Tucson.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And listen to this tune again.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I'm looking at a fight card that Chase Clemens updates
for me after every game. We only had one fight
in the month of December, and all of a sudden,
in January we have seven. So I don't know what
changed exactly. Kind of it's kind of weird, Like you
don't see any fights in December. You just see one
(08:26):
from Curtis Douglass and I was in the beginning of
the month, and then we are, you know, we're still
maybe a week or so away from it becoming February,
and we have seven fights in this month alone.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
The season of giving is over, yeah, it is, unless
we're giving. Unless we're giving hands, this season of giving
us over.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
It is, Well, it's funny to ben At, our social
media manager, posted a New Year's resolution to get more fights,
just as a joke. But I think maybe some of
the guys saw that and uh it said like, okay,
well we'll do that New Year's resolution free end.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I don't know. It's weird because it's like it's.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Not like the games in December weren't scrappy, but it
just the fights just weren't happening. I don't know what
it was. And then all of a sudden, we're seeing
a lot of more of that, and yeah, obviously, and
the best part is we've gone like two games in
a row with like some of the best fights, right,
Like Montana probably had the fight of the year on Wednesday,
(09:30):
January fifteenth versus the Calgary Wranglers against Gallant or Gallant Pardon,
and then you know, just five days later, I think
Hunter Drew just had the best fight of the year
with you know, you saw the gloves drop onto the ice,
them hearing around.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Like I could hear the stick.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, yeah, like just kind of slowly gathering to each other,
and then all of a sudden, Hunter Drew's throwing the
uppercuts and then.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh he was. It was a human It was such
an even matchup like it was. Could not have been
gripted better. But yeah, again, not what I was expecting anyway.
And Curtis. Did Curtis get in any bites? I don't
think Curtis.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
He did not Curtis.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, And also in my opinion, I thought Curtis played
one of his.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Best games of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
He looked so good out there, you know, scoring the
first goal of the night for Tucson, drew a penalty,
he was flying all over the ice, and.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yeah, he looked fantastic.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And you know, every time he scores a goal, I'm like, okay,
just get an assist and get a fight now, and
then you got the Gordiao hat trick. And he hasn't
gone one yet this year, where he's been close a
lot of times.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
So for anyone that didn't get a chance to hear
a postgame interview with Curtis last night, I had a
chance to speak with him very briefly, and I think
part of the reason that we saw kind of not
a clean gate cleaner game from him, but a but
a very disciplined game from him last night is that
he experienced a person. The loss that he shared with
(11:01):
me in the interview, his great his grandmother, his mom's mom,
passed away the night before last I think it was
two days ago or so, and so he was very
much playing for her, and I just wanted to send
my condolences to his family. And it's definitely one of
those situations where you you know, you don't know what
(11:22):
someone's going through until you talk to them. That was
such a I can't imagine how difficult it was for
him to play last night, to power through last night,
and yeah, just sending absolutely all the love to that
family that I possibly can.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah, it's you know, yeah, that is like a really
good point, Kim.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
You know, we don't know what's going on in the
personal lives of these guys, and you know, and we
say it all the time because we get to know
these guys as the season goes on. But you know,
as much as they are hockey players, they're humans first.
You know, They're not they're they're not just a hockey
player and that's all they do. You know, they have lives,
they have family, a lot of them have kids, and
I think it's tough too for maybe more of the
(12:02):
younger guys who are away from their families all the
way in Canada right now. I mean, Kurtis Douglas's family
is from Ontario and that's I don't know how far
of a flight that is, but that's far away. And
you know, a lot of these guys unfortunately don't get
to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the holidays,
and you know it's because they play this boor because
(12:23):
they have a passion for it, they love it, they
want to get far in their career, and it's just
one of those tough moments where, yeah, you just don't
know what these guys are going through and how much
work they put in, and you know, the background of
it all, like all fansy is, you know them take
the ice play game and it come off and then
(12:43):
sure maybe at player events and stuff too. But and
again it's no disrespect, but they just, you know, not
everyone sees the hard work that these guys put in
every day in and every day out. And we just
got to give Matt props to them, and yeah, congratulations
for Chris Douglas having a fantastic dame, but yeah, also
condolences to his family and yeah, just always want to
(13:06):
make sure that these guys are okay, they're you know,
mentally good, and I think Steve Poppin and the staff
also does a really good job and you know, just
make having a balance for it, all right.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
So it's about two thousand miles to Ontario from.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Here, oh my god, see exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
So yeah, so him, you know, having the chance to
go home and to beat with his family is probably
not feasible for him. So but I know that he's
got a good support system here. I know that the team,
especially Ryan McGregor, you know, is with him a thousand percent,
but very much. You know, as as painful as a
loss is for the fans, you know, the boys feel
(13:44):
it so much more, you know, and it's it's yeah,
if you're if you're upset with the way they played,
increase that by tenfold the players. So that's what I
expect tonight will be. Will be a very different team,
And I know that, like you said, Steve, Steve has
(14:06):
things in hand and we'll transform these guys into who
we need them to be tonight and to keep pushing offensively,
because that's that's what we need so so much right now.
We need offense and we need to get those points,
so critical.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, and these guys holy each other accountable, you know,
and we know that this team is We know that
this team is good, right Kim. And we're just in
a bit of a bit of a scuffle right now.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
It feels like since that six game winning streak, we
went to the holiday break on the highest note of
the season, and though the wins up still came. I mean,
we've lost three of our last ten. Are sorry, We've
lost seven of our last ten games technically speaking, couple
of them overtime losses. So yeah, I mean it's a
tough stretch right now for Tucson. Every team goes through it.
(14:57):
But to think, you know, we got out of a
five and seven start and still are now in a
playoff position since that start, you know, so we know
the team is going to turn things around. You wish
it had started in that game versus the Henderson Silver Knights,
but just didn't go the way it wins. And yeah,
(15:18):
we'll just keep pushing on. It's a really important homestand
for Tucson, you have one more game versus the Henderson
Silver Knights tonight and then I think the big series
is coming against Abbotsford, who are the hottest team in
the division right now. You know, they just swept the
Ontario rate, who was the hottest team in the division
before them. So it's all about It's what I'm seeing
Kim too. In this division. It's all about the streaks.
(15:40):
It's all every I feel like every team just is
going on hot streaks and cold streaks, but it all
keeps happening at the same time, and maybe one team
is the opposite because all of a sudden, we're on
the cold streak right now. Ontarios hasn't been getting wins
as of late. San Jose has been struggling. Abbotsford was,
but now they're on a hot streak right now too.
Coach'll Valley's back on back in the good fold again
(16:04):
as well, and Colorado has been, you know, keeping up
with the pace, and you know, you know, I know,
maybe next week it's gonna be all opposite where we're
on the winning streak and Abbotsford falls down and Ontario
gets back on the into the fold as well. It's
all been just flip flopping, and that's why when you
look at the halfway point of the season, which we're
now technically at the halfway point, these standings are not
(16:24):
where they're gonna be at. It really all just depends
on it happening what happens, probably in the last ten games.
It's probably gonna take whoever gets the most fire under
their gut in the last ten games of the season
on what the playoff position is going to look like.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I think you're right about the
fire and the belly, you know, like it is that's
a weird one. No, no, no, but that's that's like
perfect because I want to say, like, it's more about
the vibes, you know, like and how the guys are
going into this feeling. You know. You know who's a
great vibe for this team is Josh Dom. Yeah, that
(17:00):
that kid just brings so many positive vibes, just like
hockey is fun, Let's go out there and have a
great time. And he keeps everybody loose. And as much
as I don't want to admit it, but him not
being here is probably having, you know, an impact on people.
I know, I know that when I have a coworker
who like is gone, takes some PTO or is at
(17:22):
a conference or anything like that, Like it definitely throws
me off, and I sit at a desk all day,
you know, like I'm not in physical contact, you know,
with with that person. So and that's just you know,
that's part of the league, that's part of the game.
Everybody knows that that's it. So there's got to be somebody,
you know, who steps up and who becomes that person
who makes hockey fun for the team and you know,
(17:46):
lets them kind of relax a little bit and and
then then I think that that's that's I think that's
when you see the goals come for us, and that's
when you see the points start and the streaks start building.
Is when the guys are just having to time playing
hockey and remembering that it's a game and that they
get to play this amazing game as grown human adults
(18:07):
and just go out there and not be too serious
about it.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Yeah, that conversation with Josh Den we had a few
weeks ago, you know, just the uh and I think
it was funny. I think that was our last home
stand too, the four game homestand which we went four
and oh in. And yeah, you know, every guy will
say we get we play a kids sport or what
the kid's game or something is what they usually call it,
and they get paid to do it, and they've these
(18:33):
guys have done it their whole lives, and you know,
it's at the end of the day. And even for
us too, I mean, we we have some of the
best jobs ever in sports.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
We literally get to work for a hockey team, you know,
and uh, you know, as much as we have these
we've had these long stretches of games and no matter
when or lose, at the end of the day, yeah,
we're we're blessed to be here. We're blessed to be,
you know, working in one of the best sports in
the world. And I think at the end of the day,
the guys always realized that, and you know, and sometimes
(19:03):
it just takes a night to kind of sleep sleep
it off, you know, like I'm sure the moods this
morning are much better than what had happened last night.
And I think again, we always say it, but having
the back to back helps, you know, you think, like, Okay,
whatever happened last night happened.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Let's look at the pauses, right.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
We scored four goals, we had the game in hand,
and it just got away from us just a bit
at the end that we got the point, but we
left a second point on the table.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
How do we get that back tonight?
Speaker 3 (19:31):
How do we you know, jump start to a four
to one lead again, but this time keep it so,
you know, no matter what, see Pavin is telling the
guys in the locker room, whether at morning skate or
before the game, I'm sure they're gonna work on, you know,
what can we do to make sure this just doesn't
happen again and we get much more of a jump start.
And Henderson almost took a one nothing lead in the
(19:53):
game too, that that goal was called off in the matchups,
so I mean, yeah, you know all and then the
Road Runs kind of just took took control, but game
could have gone a lot different in that case too.
So for the Road Runs to kind of you know,
get past all the chaos that was the first and
second period was good, and uh, hopefully to just find
(20:15):
a way to close it out tonight.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
I know. One of the things that Steve leans on
in his discussions and his mindset with the team is
very much a stoic belief in that you have emotional
resilience because you manage what you can control and you
can't control the past. The past has happened, so we're
looking forward. We're gonna get better today than we were
(20:39):
tomorrow based on letting go and just just being as
positive as we possibly can. And I really appreciate that
inner strength that he has, but then also that that
he shares that with the boys, and it seems like
for the most part they really, you know too to
a player, have have been learning from that and have
(21:02):
been growing from his teachings. I think that every player
that plays under Steve Poptman. Sorry, I'm going to be
a big Steve Potman potmanat fan right now, but I
think that every player that comes through here is going
to learn something that nobody is walking away from this
team empty handed, just because even if they don't learn
(21:23):
anything from him physically, they're going to be learning things
from him mentally, and then it's going to make them
not just better players, but also kind of better humans
out in the world and have a more positive mindset. Sorry,
that got really philosophical. I did not intend for that.
I kind of leocked out for a second. There.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
She's shoot Man put Kim in the locker room before again,
that kind of inspired me to go aad first into tonight. Yeah,
I I absolutely love working with this coaching staff too,
and you know I'm learning from them as well.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
And you know, in my.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
First year, as you know, the full play by play guy,
you know, learning out his ways of coaching too, talking
to him every game for the pregame, talking to Zach
thirteeny at intermission and also at practice, and Sohn Slaney
as well, and just everybody. You know, it's not only
as a player, but I think staff members of the
team also learn a lot from Steve Povin. And he's
(22:21):
a person that we're all gonna remember years from now
when we're both in the NHL, and we're gonna look
back and say like, yeah, you know, guys like Steve
Povin are reason why you get better every day, and
not only as a player, but as a person, as
a staff member, as anyone working with an organization. If
you've worked closely with Steve Povin, you know what the
(22:42):
standard is here. Everyone works so hard to get in
this situation. And yeah, you know, you look at the
record of the team right now and it's not where
we want to be. It's not maybe what we expect
it to be at, but the fact that we have
a whole other second half of the season. We are
four games over five hundred. We're in a player spot
right now. It's uh, it's a good spot to where
(23:02):
we want to be at and uh we're looking forward
to continuing on now joining us number thirty eight, Aku
Ratu Aku, appreciate you taking the time on your game
day to join us.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Uh. How's it going, man? And yeah, what's your usual
game tabe routine? Looking like?
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Yeah, no problem, feel good? Uh yeah, I just came
from from the rink. We had a Usually with back
to backs, we have full meeting. I I tend to
shoot some parks and get warm up a little bit
and then just get get launch from the rink and
go home. Take all that. I think that's my routine usually.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Yeah, And obviously a really hard fought game last night
just uh just didn't go the way we wanted at
the end there.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
But we'll take the point and we'll move on.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
And I think that's the luxury of the back to backs, right,
you know, it's uh, it's all new opportunity for us
tonight to try to get two more points and uh,
you know, what's the plan for tonight to try to
get about nice bounce back victory for us.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah. I was just talking with with Potsy, our head coach,
and he like, I agree with him, Like he said
that we didn't even play back just six on five
day they scored a couple of which just so I thought,
I like, we just gotta play it the same way,
like we were fine off four to one in the
second period. Like if I think we're gonna get the
(24:27):
win if you play the same way to the Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
And we're technically halfway through the season now. We played
thirty six games. We have thirty six more to go,
and it's crazy to think that we're only halfway there.
And I feel like we've we've played a full season.
But I think that's what I'm most excited for too,
And I think same goes for everyone else. Uh, within
the staff in the locker, we have a whole other
half of a season to you know, work what we
(24:50):
need to work on, keep what's been keeping us going.
And Uh, you personally, you know, you're you're in your
second season in the AHL. Uh what would have been
your takeaways so far in this second season and what
are you looking forward to now in the second half?
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (25:07):
Yeah, this is a. It's a tough league. I had
a I had a really good year last year, but
it hasn't went my way this year. That's not much,
but it's still like I feel like I'm playing a
lot of good games for still like I feel like
with the team too, like we we maybe haven't got
the result, yep, but I think I think it's the
(25:29):
wins and points. They should be coming soon. I'm if
I'm if me and our team, if you're playing well
like we, I know that we're gonna get a lot
of wins and score a lot of goals.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
You're right there. You're just like right on the precipice
of Yeah, just some amazing victories. So very excited for you.
Thank you for letting us interrupt nap time. I know
that's a big deal. We won't keep you too long. Okay, good, okay, good,
good good. I'm glad we're not interrupting that time. I
(26:05):
wanted to talk to you less. I think last time
I talked to you, sometime maybe last year, we talked
about the competitive competitiveness that you have with your brother
Attu as he plays up in Abbertsford and he's going
to be here this week, right, Yeah, sorry, So number one,
are you looking forward to seeing him or is it
(26:27):
like more contentious? And number two, did you know that
he got named HL Player of the Week this week?
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah, I just I just heard about in the ringk
Our coach said before that I had no idea about.
I haven't had time to congratulate him. But yeah, it's
more like he's he's like one of my best friends,
post friends. So its obviously I'm excited to see you.
It's just texting about going golfing. We haven't. He's used
(27:00):
a little bit better golfer but not much forty so
I have to play a lot. So we're just I
get I set out at tea time, have a little match.
We we almost have good matches against him, so and
I think very well too. It's actually yeah, they're they're
coming tomorrow, so I think we're gonna have a little
(27:21):
finish finished dinner in American restaurant with me, meat, Atika
and uh and him. So I think it's gonna be cool.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
I was that actually leads to my next question. I
was going to ask you, like what how different is
it to have a fin on the team with you now?
And like do you guys like have you know, like
I know how I feel and you know, somebody who
comes from the same background, I get to work with them,
you know, Like it just feels good. It feels good
to have, you know, somebody who's close to you, who
(27:52):
knows you know kind of where you come from. So,
what is your relationship like with Miko?
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Really good? Yeah, we I've never talked with him before.
He got here a little younger than a couple of
years younger than me, so but we clicked clicked up
pretty right away. Like he was a really cool dude,
a little different than me, but at the same time.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
It's very different than you.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
Yeah, at the same time, like we like our humor
and like how well like how we talk, It's like
it's pretty similar. We yeah, like we have really fun
together and it's be good to have a fin the team.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
It's good. It's funny too.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
So in this process of and we're we we plan
on interviewing all the players throughout the season, right, but
we kind of have to cycle to see like who's available,
especially on the game day, and we're like, okay, let's
let's ask the fins.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Let's see if they're available.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
And first we asked Miko, and I kind of asked
them a little later than I would I would have
liked and so, you know, especially on the game, do
we want to get this show done? So I was like, okay,
let's ask Aku. He replied really quick. So I was like, perfect,
all right, we got Aku ready. And then Miko texted
back right after saying like all right, that time works perfect,
and it's like, oh, we'll get Aku.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
We'll get you later on.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
But uh, I didn't even think that you guys probably
lived together, and you guys are probably saying like they
both just asked us to uh both do the show.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yeah, that was exactly what happened. I was in the
car and I should I have this thing today? And
He's like no, way was later I was like, I
thought it was like the things that he obviously I
don't mind doing no of course, of course whatever, but
I thought they like asked him and he said asked
(29:38):
him first, and he would have said that like all right,
like I have this thing and I know he has
done nothing, and he just said no, and then you
guys asked me. I was like, all right, I can't
say no, like let's go. Yeah, I know but yeah,
it's yeah, he said, he said yes to you guys,
but I was before him. I answered before him, So yeah,
it was all good. But I was like this guy, man, no,
(30:02):
I can't, I can't do it. I have this thing.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
We really appreciate you getting back to us quickly. And yeah,
we're gonna get Miko. Eventually, we get all guys and everyone.
Eventually we even get staff members too. But uh, yeah,
it's all about the cycle. And I just I don't
know why, you know, especially it's a game day and
we want to get our guests. I would send ready
to go, especially we know, we know how busy you
guys are.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
And I just didn't think.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Him in the back of my head that these guys
probably lived with each other and we're asking him both
to do a show in the same time, and uh,
you know, we we appreciate you coming on, and uh,
what if you liked to what if he liked from
Miko's play in his rookie season, you know, uh, you know,
coming on. Uh just kind of figuring it out. And
he felt that once he started finding his game, had
(30:45):
to have that injury. He was out for about a
month and then since he's come back. I think he's
excelled a bit more been it's snake been in a
lot as the as he's returned and now we got
rewarded with a point the other night. What have you
seen from his game this season so far?
Speaker 5 (30:59):
Yeah, agree, it's yeah, like I said, it's not this
is not an easy week. Like he he's still a
young kid, like first year pro like I like think
with me, like I played four years professionally back home,
and the game is almost a little different when you
jump from he was in college, or if you come
(31:20):
from juniors to pro level. So yeah, it took took
him a little bit time, but it's yeah, I agree,
like he's after that injury, he's been playing well and
before that too, he's just had like a couple of
really good games and then got injured. It sucks, but yeah,
I agree, he's Yeah, it's we've been talking like it
(31:40):
doesn't be easier for both of us, but it's a
good thing that we we have fun together after like
it's outside the rink, in the rink, like it's it's
super fun all the time. But we've been talking to
like what do you have to do to be able
to score points or be effective in this league, and
I think I have been able to help him a
(32:01):
little bit.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Yeah, I'm sorry, I was just going to add to that,
you know. I I think that's the fun part or
maybe that one of the best parts of you know,
this industry as a whole, or just working in sports
is there's always challenges, right, Like it's it's never going
to be easy. And you know if if without challenge,
you're not getting better every day. And I think that
(32:22):
comes a lot, especially in this league where you know
it's a development league. We you maybe you have to
struggle for a month to get better for the next month.
And uh and you know sometimes it's you feel like
you're playing well, you get snaked in a little bit.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
But uh, I think that's just the best part of sports.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Yeah, it's I agree, total agree. Yeah, it's yeah, it's
like the stuff that we've been talking with him, it's
just like just defining a role, like doing something because
he's used to scoring points. He's used to be a
skill guy. But all of a sudden, you come to
this league. There's you're playing against chrome man like guys
(32:59):
are fast or stronger, more skill than in in the league.
In college or in finished junior league. So you just
have to find a role play, bring something to the
table for the team, which I had to do too,
Like I'm playing different in here when I was playing
in when I was the guy in my hometown team.
(33:22):
It's that's how he usually goes in the pro hockey.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
As he tried at all to get you to wear
a beanie because I feel like he's a huge beanie guy. Right,
He's got that bright white beanie and then doesn't he
have like a really like hot pink one.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Yeah? Did he end up getting rid of it?
Speaker 5 (33:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Yeah, go ahead, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
I think it was. Yeah, it was when when there's
a where juniors going under twenties, I think Finland. Yeah,
Finland was playing against TVSA in the finals, and here
was I did. I had a bet with with Parker,
our strength coach, like I'm at the winner and then
(34:08):
he had a Cheeks had a bet with trust done
and if if it was for money and if you
say wins, teas can never wear that paint again. But
if Finland wins with a couple of goals, donor has
to wear that for the whole road.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
So did he get rid of it?
Speaker 5 (34:31):
Did he get rid of the he can he can
probably wear in Finland. I don't. I don't. I think
he should be able to get away with that. But
to the rink he hasn't wear it. And same with
the other shoes. He has those like Golden Goose Helsinki
white sneakers, So it's a I get fined five dollars
every time he wears the Yeah that was part that
(34:54):
was park.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Well, Yeah, I winnessed that first hand.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
It happened at the airport and I like saw that
all unfold and I was wondering if it's if it
actually happened or not.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
Yeah, I don't think he I don't think he has
I think tis I think I want to say he
were those sneakers today, But I think it's if he
if he comes to the road drip of those. I
think that's the that's the best. But yeah, it's it's
fun to do with a couple of those, like especially Virtue.
I had a bed with with the Germans when where
(35:29):
Finland was playing as Germany. We had a bad with Lois.
I think it's all fun.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
I had to google. I had to google the Golden
Goose sneakers and they are really interesting there.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
They are customs too, like they're wise.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
Of course they are of course custom goal seekers.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Yeah, it's like it looks like he like he like
rolled with the marker like Helsinki and like like that.
Like I remember coming with their good and they were like,
did you actually like there's an expensive shoes like you
actually yeah? Yeah, customs?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Oh wow, Yeah, I need to see these. I don't
know if I've ever seen these. If somebody's listening and
it hasn't, you need to google the Golden Goose sneakers.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Looking this up too.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
They're so crazy looking. I can hardly wait to.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
See they're not too crazy looking, Like I don't want
I don't want to mess up this tree, but I
go to alright, I've got a Google after but yeah, water,
Yeah those are I like them. But Parker is not
the Parker is not the biggest fan of.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
Parker is not a fan of anything.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Oh yeah, that's no. Well it's funny too, I think.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
I think one time at the airport we were checking
in and Parker asked he He's like, do you have
any other shoes to wear? And then he goes like no,
and he's like okay, Like but then when when Parker's
asking you that question, it's obvious. I'm like, hey, you
need to wear different shoes when you're at the airport.
But he just wears those Golden good sneakers.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
Yeah. No, nobody likes that guy, Parker.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
I know know, the worst kept secret.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
That's kidding. We love you, Parker. If you're listening, we
appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Wait, so, Aku, So last year your roommates were Maxie
and then you had alternating roommates at points during the season. Right,
and then, but you guys were living next door to Montana?
Is that right? Am I making that up? No?
Speaker 5 (37:33):
I listened, Yeah, moo was.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
He was.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
He hung out in our place with him, but he
had a he lived ten minutes from our place. Oh okay,
so he wasn't here, Yeah, but he was. He was
there a lot of time.
Speaker 4 (37:46):
Okay. And then so this season, are you who's your roommate?
Speaker 5 (37:50):
No, I'm I'm actually alone right now. But yeah, we
got Miko is like, and the building right there at
fifty meters from out my place. Ruby's here, Benny not
Mavis here. Maverick is here too. You know that he's
back from b Yeah, Booch is here too. Oh my gosh, yeah,
(38:13):
gotcha here.
Speaker 4 (38:15):
And then I know, last time we talked to you're
just like a kind of big all around sports guy
for those for those anybody else that's on the radio
can't see this, but but Aku is wearing a Diamondbacks
T shirt right now. And last time we talked you
talked about basketball and how much you enjoy basketball. Is
there a basketball court where you are where you are at?
(38:37):
And then is there any way that you can talk
the whole Super Bowl situation into becoming like a basketball situation.
I feel like that would be a much safer prospect
than what's happening right now with Super Bowl, which is
just chaos.
Speaker 5 (38:52):
Yeah, we got to talk about when.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
When came, Yeah, let's talk about it. Keep going, keep going.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
So we talked about this story like for the past
few guests, because everyone remembers it, but we asked about
them from their point of view.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
What was your point of view of that story?
Speaker 5 (39:10):
You were actually close to You were next to me there,
I was. I thought, I thought that was easy ball
to use your head. You could have you could have
used your head, and then I don't know what happened,
and then I should I saw you.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
You hadn't.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
I mean, that's not the story I heard aku, So
this is really really interesting that Johnny could have.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Everyone has a different point of this, could have had it.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I think I thought it was easy. It's easy.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
No, but it's funny you say that I have thought
about it. I'm like, I should have. I should have
headbutted that, you know. And I think that the funniest
part of that story is after I completely ate it,
hugged the floor, got up, I didn't know that I
was technically out, and you kind of just said like, Johnny,
you're out.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
After I just heard my yeah, You're like you're like
you're you're actually looking.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
I think it was Curtis who was like, I hate
to be that guy, but Johnny are out, and you
kind of just like single to me, like you're you're
out of the circle.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
I was like, okay, good, I'm leaving. I just took
a fall for whatever.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
And then Doan was the one who later told me
that when you add someone new is because it resets
the game. So I was pretty much someone to be added.
So I pretty much took a fall for a game
to be started again.
Speaker 5 (40:24):
So yeah, that game is getting out of hand, right,
now we're getting Yeah, we're freaking you, we're freaking freaking
uhs reset the game.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
Yeah, you guys, you guys kicked the ball into the
catering area yesterday too, and you uh.
Speaker 5 (40:40):
Yeah, it was like the ball like stops and doesn't
touch the ground. It's that reasons the game well like too,
So it's oh my godeah we have we have So
that's so much fun. Like that's all right outside of
playing and like just playing hockey like that's that's the
most fun time that we have in the rink.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
When we talked to Parker about sewer ball last week
or whatever it was that we talked to, he called
you guys mini horses playing that game. That you guys
are just like out of control and and very focused
on the game. But just these powerful little bodies moving
through a kind of a tight space. And it's it's insanity.
(41:23):
It's it's insanity the amount of times that civilians are
almost The woman who does security for the back door,
I don't know if you've seen her. She's got her
little short, dark haircut. Her name is Jenny. She sits
there and make sure that nobody comes in that back door.
That's not supposed to, except when you guys are playing
sewer ball. Then she stands up against the wall with
her back to the wall to make sure that she
(41:44):
doesn't get hurt, because that's how insane it is. So
shout out to Jenny like she's doing the real work out.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
I agree. Yeah, yeah, it's good. But you have like
we have personal we have like rivalries, we have personality
therater sites. Oh that's yeah. It's just like every game
day for good twenty minutes. It's like it's all war.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
That's fantastic. Okay, wait, ok, before we let you go,
I have one last thing that I want you to do.
If you can. It's not a question, but I'm hoping
that you can do this for me. I was hoping
take a deep breath, that you could give me your
best welcome to the ice, your chuice on.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Roadrunners right now?
Speaker 4 (42:31):
Yeah, I mean yeah, just take a deep breath.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Oh and just try Pogo?
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Did it?
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Pogo? Did it?
Speaker 5 (42:40):
Like you want me to like?
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yell?
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:42):
Well yeah, do it?
Speaker 5 (42:43):
Do it?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
What do we want Miko to hear you next door?
Speaker 5 (42:51):
Is it you that you do every game? Right?
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (42:56):
I do it?
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Wait does it sound?
Speaker 2 (42:58):
Wait?
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Does it sound good. Does it sound okay? Because I.
Speaker 5 (43:02):
Hope let's see if you switch it today, like all right, wait,
don't tell me. Welcome to ice Tu Roadrunners. And then
the goalie Matthew.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, that's that's good. That's good.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Come all right, well, Aku, thanks so much for joining. Yes,
we really appreciate it. Good luck the nap real one
for doing that, and we'll see you later.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Don't click that please.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
No, alright, man, just having Aku rat on the show.
We're gonna close things out really quickly here, Kim. Just
a big game tonight for the road Runners. And again
we we talked about how tough that game was last
night and just talking to what a great mood he
was in, you know, just excited to have another game tonight.
And I think that's again the coaching staff just mentally
(43:55):
preparing our guys, you know, and even said Steve said
that it was it was a good game. We just
lost it at the end there, and I think that's
the positivity going into tonight.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
We had a good game. Let's do it again and
let's get a win.
Speaker 4 (44:07):
One hundred percent. Like we were talking about it, it's
about the vibes, it's about making hockey fun so that
you get those points and you can just let it
roll off your back and the head to the next game.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
We will be ready for the next game, starting with
road Runners warm up happening very surely Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am, our usual Tuesday night get together. We will
see you for game action here at the Tucson Arena.
It's five o'clock. Got yours hues day? They's two sun
Roadrunners heavy out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty am with
Jonathan shit Right Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts. It's so funny.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night together.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
So I don't know, maybe we should start implementing some
breakdance pregames during the season and see how that goes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet, Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Fox Sports fourteen fifty am our usual Tuesday night get together.
Jonathan Schaeffer here with Kim Coder Roebliz our Game Day edition.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
It is Tuesday night.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Roadrunners are in game two of a back to back
series versus the Henderson Silver Nights, continuing on the six
game road trip sorry six game homestand not even we're
back home.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I'm just I'm so we are home. We are at home.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I'm so used to being on the road. Kim, we
kind of just barely got back to which is crazy.
It has even been a week since we've been back,
and all of a sudden we're in a game number
two of this six game homestand now getting aku Ratsu
on the show as well, and yeah, Kim, last night's
game was was a bit tough. I mean, it felt
like a homecoming game. Things were going so well. We
(01:17):
were up four to one and the Silver Knights were
able to score three an answered forced overtime. We got
the important points, but just couldn't close it out, and
it was definitely a tough game. But again, we're excited
to be back upcoming tonight and we'll be ready to
roll again.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
It was it was a fun game until it really
really wasn't a fun game. We've had those before, but
that that was that was disappointing on kind of a
few different levels. This is a team that we should
have bet, absolutely no question, and we were there, We
were right on the precipice of it, we had it
in our hands and and we lost it. And I think,
(01:55):
you know, nobody's beating themselves up more about it than
the boys. So I think tonight will be a very
different match. And that's kind of That's kind of what
we've seen from them, right is that the first match, unfortunately,
you know, we just don't get it together and the
way that it needs to be. And then the second
match they come out and it's a completely different team.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, and it was kind of one of those instances
where we haven't really it's been a while since we've
seen a game like that, and it sucks that they've
happened at home because, you know, dating maybe all the
way back in October in which we had a couple
of good leads on the Texas Stars. Lost both of
those games, and then this was a very similar one,
but this time we were leading four to one in
(02:37):
the second period. Anderson did score a powerplay goal at
the end of that second frame, and then obviously we
saw what happened at the end there, and it was
a tough situation for Tucson. They were down a defenceman,
Kevin Cannaton had to leave the game, so we're already
down to mand Rovers just kind of just felt exhausted
at the end. You can just tell that Anderson had
(02:58):
a bit of a jump on the team.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I wouldn't say we.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Played conservative in that third period, but uh, you know,
you talked to Curtis Douglas after that game, and you know,
we kind of just were on the defensive for a bit,
you know, like we had we were trying to just
hold onto that four to two lead, and I think
the lesson learned for tonight's matchup will be don't do that,
you know, and it doesn't matter where you are in
the standings. And I talked to see Popman before the game,
(03:24):
and you know, he said, it doesn't matter if you're
looking at a team below the standings below you, they're
gonna give it your all and or they're gonna give
it they're all on you. And Henderson's at that point
this season where you don't they're just playing spoiler. Who
knows it might go on some crazy run in the
second half of the of the season. You know, no
team is out of it until maybe when you have
twenty games left and then you might think like, Okay,
(03:45):
that team's not making it, but they're they're playing spoiler
spoiler right now.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And they did that for two.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Sunday took a really really important point away from us,
and uh yeah, we we just had to settle with it.
And it sucks because we were four minutes away from
getting that second really important point and even over time
it could have been anyone's game.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
But just how it goes.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And I think the Roadrunners will be a lot more
aggressive coming for tonight.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
The Silver Knights had nothing to lose coming into into
last night's game. They still don't. They're they're gonna play
nothing to lose hockey, right, They're they're gonna go all out.
And and that's the kind of hockey we should be playing.
We should be matching that vibe. And we were, and
and last night we were, and then and then like
like you said, like Curtis said, so Scott, yeah he
(04:31):
said that, you said and you said, you said that
that you know that, Yeah that It was just it
turned into more a more defensive game than it should
have been. And it was also especially if you weren't there,
if you didn't get a chance to see, it was
a much more contentious game then I was expecting it
to be. We have been. I think this season the
(04:52):
team is playing a little bit more of maybe maybe not,
but but this is kind of just my my take
on it. A little bit more of a conservative games
in terms of fighting, and last night was kind of
fight night. There was no holds barred. I don't know
how many five for fighting penalties did I have to
call last night. It was more than I was expecting,
(05:18):
considering considering I from my perspective. We're playing better hockey
than they are, so you know, to be going to fisticuffs.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
It was.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
It was a different type of game. The vibe was
different than I was really expecting it to be. So
I'm cautiously optimistic for tonight, but more optimistic than cautious
I think at this point.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Hey, you're always uh, you always more cautious than I
really am.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I'm always optimistic.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And you know, Tucson's gonna want to really really bounce
back after a game like last night.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And yeah, Kim, I felt bad for you at one point.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
And also are our scorekeepers who actually did a really
good job concerning how that game went right because you know, uh,
you had three fights in the second period. Sam Lipkin
Kevin Cannan in their first two fights of the year.
Hunter Drew, I believe was in his fourth fights.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
If I'm not mistake, I'm.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
A not afraid to just drop the stick, drop the gloves,
let's go. He usually like they don't come from out
of nowhere like they Drew. Hunter is prepped and ready
to go for those ones.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I have a fight card. Let me see if it's uh.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
But Lincoln was a surprise for me. And he I
noticed that he came back with a little bit of
a busted lip, which was unfortunate.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
There's a lot there's a lot of blood on the ice.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
A few delays or just one big delay because of
blood on the ice. And again that was that was
a surprise. That was not anything I could have predicted.
And that's one of the things that I know the
fans love about the game is that there is violence.
But I I was not expecting almost any of that.
You know, you expect a little bit of back and forth.
(07:06):
I think there. I've asked the players before, you know,
who's our biggest rival, and it's kind of everybody, it
seems to be the answer. And that I get is
who are we playing in the next twenty four hours.
That's our biggest rival.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
And I remember we talked to Kevin Canaughton last week
and he said, yeah, maybe when the teams are above
you and the standings is what it most feels like
a rivalry. But it does again, it really doesn't matter
who you play, like any these teams are so talented
and even though Henderson's not where they want to be at,
they still have you know, the talented prospects and the
players to get victories. But yet kim those fights in
(07:43):
that third or part in that second period. Kevin Cannaughton
against Mitch McClain was Cannon's first fight of the season,
and then Sam Lipkin went up against Riley McKay, also
his first fight of the season, and then Hunter Drew
got in fight number four against Joe Fleming. So that
now adds up to seventeen total fights for the season
(08:03):
for Tucson.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And listen to this tune again.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I'm looking at a fight card that Chase Clemens updates
for me after every game. We only had one fight
in the month of December, and all of a sudden,
in January we have seven. So I don't know what
changed exactly. Kind of it's kind of weird, Like you
don't see any fights in December. You just see one
(08:26):
from Curtis Douglass and I was in the beginning of
the month, and then we are, you know, we're still
maybe a week or so away from it becoming February,
and we have seven fights in this month alone.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
The season of giving is over, yeah, it is, unless
we're giving. Unless we're giving hands, this season of giving
us over.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
It is, Well, it's funny to ben At, our social
media manager, posted a New Year's resolution to get more fights,
just as a joke. But I think maybe some of
the guys saw that and uh it said like, okay,
well we'll do that New Year's resolution free end.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I don't know. It's weird because it's like it's.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Not like the games in December weren't scrappy, but it
just the fights just weren't happening. I don't know what
it was. And then all of a sudden, we're seeing
a lot of more of that, and yeah, obviously, and
the best part is we've gone like two games in
a row with like some of the best fights, right,
Like Montana probably had the fight of the year on Wednesday,
(09:30):
January fifteenth versus the Calgary Wranglers against Gallant or Gallant Pardon,
and then you know, just five days later, I think
Hunter Drew just had the best fight of the year
with you know, you saw the gloves drop onto the ice,
them hearing around.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Like I could hear the stick.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, yeah, like just kind of slowly gathering to each other,
and then all of a sudden, Hunter Drew's throwing the
uppercuts and then.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh he was. It was a human It was such
an even matchup like it was. Could not have been
gripted better. But yeah, again, not what I was expecting anyway.
And Curtis. Did Curtis get in any bites? I don't
think Curtis.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
He did not Curtis.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, And also in my opinion, I thought Curtis played
one of his.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Best games of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
He looked so good out there, you know, scoring the
first goal of the night for Tucson, drew a penalty,
he was flying all over the ice, and.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yeah, he looked fantastic.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And you know, every time he scores a goal, I'm like, okay,
just get an assist and get a fight now, and
then you got the Gordiao hat trick. And he hasn't
gone one yet this year, where he's been close a
lot of times.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
So for anyone that didn't get a chance to hear
a postgame interview with Curtis last night, I had a
chance to speak with him very briefly, and I think
part of the reason that we saw kind of not
a clean gate cleaner game from him, but a but
a very disciplined game from him last night is that
he experienced a person. The loss that he shared with
(11:01):
me in the interview, his great his grandmother, his mom's mom,
passed away the night before last I think it was
two days ago or so, and so he was very
much playing for her, and I just wanted to send
my condolences to his family. And it's definitely one of
those situations where you you know, you don't know what
(11:22):
someone's going through until you talk to them. That was
such a I can't imagine how difficult it was for
him to play last night, to power through last night,
and yeah, just sending absolutely all the love to that
family that I possibly can.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah, it's you know, yeah, that is like a really
good point, Kim.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
You know, we don't know what's going on in the
personal lives of these guys, and you know, and we
say it all the time because we get to know
these guys as the season goes on. But you know,
as much as they are hockey players, they're humans first.
You know, They're not they're they're not just a hockey
player and that's all they do. You know, they have lives,
they have family, a lot of them have kids, and
I think it's tough too for maybe more of the
(12:02):
younger guys who are away from their families all the
way in Canada right now. I mean, Kurtis Douglas's family
is from Ontario and that's I don't know how far
of a flight that is, but that's far away. And
you know, a lot of these guys unfortunately don't get
to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the holidays,
and you know it's because they play this boor because
(12:23):
they have a passion for it, they love it, they
want to get far in their career, and it's just
one of those tough moments where, yeah, you just don't
know what these guys are going through and how much
work they put in, and you know, the background of
it all, like all fansy is, you know them take
the ice play game and it come off and then
(12:43):
sure maybe at player events and stuff too. But and
again it's no disrespect, but they just, you know, not
everyone sees the hard work that these guys put in
every day in and every day out. And we just
got to give Matt props to them, and yeah, congratulations
for Chris Douglas having a fantastic dame, but yeah, also
condolences to his family and yeah, just always want to
(13:06):
make sure that these guys are okay, they're you know,
mentally good, and I think Steve Poppin and the staff
also does a really good job and you know, just
make having a balance for it, all right.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
So it's about two thousand miles to Ontario from.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Here, oh my god, see exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
So yeah, so him, you know, having the chance to
go home and to beat with his family is probably
not feasible for him. So but I know that he's
got a good support system here. I know that the team,
especially Ryan McGregor, you know, is with him a thousand percent,
but very much. You know, as as painful as a
loss is for the fans, you know, the boys feel
(13:44):
it so much more, you know, and it's it's yeah,
if you're if you're upset with the way they played,
increase that by tenfold the players. So that's what I
expect tonight will be. Will be a very different team,
And I know that, like you said, Steve, Steve has
(14:06):
things in hand and we'll transform these guys into who
we need them to be tonight and to keep pushing offensively,
because that's that's what we need so so much right now.
We need offense and we need to get those points,
so critical.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, and these guys holy each other accountable, you know,
and we know that this team is We know that
this team is good, right Kim. And we're just in
a bit of a bit of a scuffle right now.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
It feels like since that six game winning streak, we
went to the holiday break on the highest note of
the season, and though the wins up still came. I mean,
we've lost three of our last ten. Are sorry, We've
lost seven of our last ten games technically speaking, couple
of them overtime losses. So yeah, I mean it's a
tough stretch right now for Tucson. Every team goes through it.
(14:57):
But to think, you know, we got out of a
five and seven start and still are now in a
playoff position since that start, you know, so we know
the team is going to turn things around. You wish
it had started in that game versus the Henderson Silver Knights,
but just didn't go the way it wins. And yeah,
(15:18):
we'll just keep pushing on. It's a really important homestand
for Tucson, you have one more game versus the Henderson
Silver Knights tonight and then I think the big series
is coming against Abbotsford, who are the hottest team in
the division right now. You know, they just swept the
Ontario rate, who was the hottest team in the division
before them. So it's all about It's what I'm seeing
Kim too. In this division. It's all about the streaks.
(15:40):
It's all every I feel like every team just is
going on hot streaks and cold streaks, but it all
keeps happening at the same time, and maybe one team
is the opposite because all of a sudden, we're on
the cold streak right now. Ontarios hasn't been getting wins
as of late. San Jose has been struggling. Abbotsford was,
but now they're on a hot streak right now too.
Coach'll Valley's back on back in the good fold again
(16:04):
as well, and Colorado has been, you know, keeping up
with the pace, and you know, you know, I know,
maybe next week it's gonna be all opposite where we're
on the winning streak and Abbotsford falls down and Ontario
gets back on the into the fold as well. It's
all been just flip flopping, and that's why when you
look at the halfway point of the season, which we're
now technically at the halfway point, these standings are not
(16:24):
where they're gonna be at. It really all just depends
on it happening what happens, probably in the last ten games.
It's probably gonna take whoever gets the most fire under
their gut in the last ten games of the season
on what the playoff position is going to look like.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I think you're right about the
fire and the belly, you know, like it is that's
a weird one. No, no, no, but that's that's like
perfect because I want to say, like, it's more about
the vibes, you know, like and how the guys are
going into this feeling. You know. You know who's a
great vibe for this team is Josh Dom. Yeah, that
(17:00):
that kid just brings so many positive vibes, just like
hockey is fun, Let's go out there and have a
great time. And he keeps everybody loose. And as much
as I don't want to admit it, but him not
being here is probably having, you know, an impact on people.
I know, I know that when I have a coworker
who like is gone, takes some PTO or is at
(17:22):
a conference or anything like that, Like it definitely throws
me off, and I sit at a desk all day,
you know, like I'm not in physical contact, you know,
with with that person. So and that's just you know,
that's part of the league, that's part of the game.
Everybody knows that that's it. So there's got to be somebody,
you know, who steps up and who becomes that person
who makes hockey fun for the team and you know,
(17:46):
lets them kind of relax a little bit and and
then then I think that that's that's I think that's
when you see the goals come for us, and that's
when you see the points start and the streaks start building.
Is when the guys are just having to time playing
hockey and remembering that it's a game and that they
get to play this amazing game as grown human adults
(18:07):
and just go out there and not be too serious
about it.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Yeah, that conversation with Josh Den we had a few
weeks ago, you know, just the uh and I think
it was funny. I think that was our last home
stand too, the four game homestand which we went four
and oh in. And yeah, you know, every guy will
say we get we play a kids sport or what
the kid's game or something is what they usually call it,
and they get paid to do it, and they've these
(18:33):
guys have done it their whole lives, and you know,
it's at the end of the day. And even for
us too, I mean, we we have some of the
best jobs ever in sports.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
We literally get to work for a hockey team, you know,
and uh, you know, as much as we have these
we've had these long stretches of games and no matter
when or lose, at the end of the day, yeah,
we're we're blessed to be here. We're blessed to be,
you know, working in one of the best sports in
the world. And I think at the end of the day,
the guys always realized that, and you know, and sometimes
(19:03):
it just takes a night to kind of sleep sleep
it off, you know, like I'm sure the moods this
morning are much better than what had happened last night.
And I think again, we always say it, but having
the back to back helps, you know, you think, like, Okay,
whatever happened last night happened.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Let's look at the pauses, right.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
We scored four goals, we had the game in hand,
and it just got away from us just a bit
at the end that we got the point, but we
left a second point on the table.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
How do we get that back tonight?
Speaker 3 (19:31):
How do we you know, jump start to a four
to one lead again, but this time keep it so,
you know, no matter what, see Pavin is telling the
guys in the locker room, whether at morning skate or
before the game, I'm sure they're gonna work on, you know,
what can we do to make sure this just doesn't
happen again and we get much more of a jump start.
And Henderson almost took a one nothing lead in the
(19:53):
game too, that that goal was called off in the matchups,
so I mean, yeah, you know all and then the
Road Runs kind of just took took control, but game
could have gone a lot different in that case too.
So for the Road Runs to kind of you know,
get past all the chaos that was the first and
second period was good, and uh, hopefully to just find
(20:15):
a way to close it out tonight.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
I know. One of the things that Steve leans on
in his discussions and his mindset with the team is
very much a stoic belief in that you have emotional
resilience because you manage what you can control and you
can't control the past. The past has happened, so we're
looking forward. We're gonna get better today than we were
(20:39):
tomorrow based on letting go and just just being as
positive as we possibly can. And I really appreciate that
inner strength that he has, but then also that that
he shares that with the boys, and it seems like
for the most part they really, you know too to
a player, have have been learning from that and have
(21:02):
been growing from his teachings. I think that every player
that plays under Steve Poptman. Sorry, I'm going to be
a big Steve Potman potmanat fan right now, but I
think that every player that comes through here is going
to learn something that nobody is walking away from this
team empty handed, just because even if they don't learn
(21:23):
anything from him physically, they're going to be learning things
from him mentally, and then it's going to make them
not just better players, but also kind of better humans
out in the world and have a more positive mindset. Sorry,
that got really philosophical. I did not intend for that.
I kind of leocked out for a second. There.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
She's shoot Man put Kim in the locker room before again,
that kind of inspired me to go aad first into tonight. Yeah,
I I absolutely love working with this coaching staff too,
and you know I'm learning from them as well.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
And you know, in my.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
First year, as you know, the full play by play guy,
you know, learning out his ways of coaching too, talking
to him every game for the pregame, talking to Zach
thirteeny at intermission and also at practice, and Sohn Slaney
as well, and just everybody. You know, it's not only
as a player, but I think staff members of the
team also learn a lot from Steve Povin. And he's
(22:21):
a person that we're all gonna remember years from now
when we're both in the NHL, and we're gonna look
back and say like, yeah, you know, guys like Steve
Povin are reason why you get better every day, and
not only as a player, but as a person, as
a staff member, as anyone working with an organization. If
you've worked closely with Steve Povin, you know what the
(22:42):
standard is here. Everyone works so hard to get in
this situation. And yeah, you know, you look at the
record of the team right now and it's not where
we want to be. It's not maybe what we expect
it to be at, but the fact that we have
a whole other second half of the season. We are
four games over five hundred. We're in a player spot
right now. It's uh, it's a good spot to where
(23:02):
we want to be at and uh we're looking forward
to continuing on now joining us number thirty eight, Aku
Ratu Aku, appreciate you taking the time on your game
day to join us.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Uh. How's it going, man? And yeah, what's your usual
game tabe routine? Looking like?
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Yeah, no problem, feel good? Uh yeah, I just came
from from the rink. We had a Usually with back
to backs, we have full meeting. I I tend to
shoot some parks and get warm up a little bit
and then just get get launch from the rink and
go home. Take all that. I think that's my routine usually.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Yeah, And obviously a really hard fought game last night
just uh just didn't go the way we wanted at
the end there.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
But we'll take the point and we'll move on.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
And I think that's the luxury of the back to backs, right,
you know, it's uh, it's all new opportunity for us
tonight to try to get two more points and uh,
you know, what's the plan for tonight to try to
get about nice bounce back victory for us.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah. I was just talking with with Potsy, our head coach,
and he like, I agree with him, Like he said
that we didn't even play back just six on five
day they scored a couple of which just so I thought,
I like, we just gotta play it the same way,
like we were fine off four to one in the
second period. Like if I think we're gonna get the
(24:27):
win if you play the same way to the Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
And we're technically halfway through the season now. We played
thirty six games. We have thirty six more to go,
and it's crazy to think that we're only halfway there.
And I feel like we've we've played a full season.
But I think that's what I'm most excited for too,
And I think same goes for everyone else. Uh, within
the staff in the locker, we have a whole other
half of a season to you know, work what we
(24:50):
need to work on, keep what's been keeping us going.
And Uh, you personally, you know, you're you're in your
second season in the AHL. Uh what would have been
your takeaways so far in this second season and what
are you looking forward to now in the second half?
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (25:07):
Yeah, this is a. It's a tough league. I had
a I had a really good year last year, but
it hasn't went my way this year. That's not much,
but it's still like I feel like I'm playing a
lot of good games for still like I feel like
with the team too, like we we maybe haven't got
the result, yep, but I think I think it's the
(25:29):
wins and points. They should be coming soon. I'm if
I'm if me and our team, if you're playing well
like we, I know that we're gonna get a lot
of wins and score a lot of goals.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
You're right there. You're just like right on the precipice
of Yeah, just some amazing victories. So very excited for you.
Thank you for letting us interrupt nap time. I know
that's a big deal. We won't keep you too long. Okay, good, okay, good,
good good. I'm glad we're not interrupting that time. I
(26:05):
wanted to talk to you less. I think last time
I talked to you, sometime maybe last year, we talked
about the competitive competitiveness that you have with your brother
Attu as he plays up in Abbertsford and he's going
to be here this week, right, Yeah, sorry, So number one,
are you looking forward to seeing him or is it
(26:27):
like more contentious? And number two, did you know that
he got named HL Player of the Week this week?
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah, I just I just heard about in the ringk
Our coach said before that I had no idea about.
I haven't had time to congratulate him. But yeah, it's
more like he's he's like one of my best friends,
post friends. So its obviously I'm excited to see you.
It's just texting about going golfing. We haven't. He's used
(27:00):
a little bit better golfer but not much forty so
I have to play a lot. So we're just I
get I set out at tea time, have a little match.
We we almost have good matches against him, so and
I think very well too. It's actually yeah, they're they're
coming tomorrow, so I think we're gonna have a little
(27:21):
finish finished dinner in American restaurant with me, meat, Atika
and uh and him. So I think it's gonna be cool.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
I was that actually leads to my next question. I
was going to ask you, like what how different is
it to have a fin on the team with you now?
And like do you guys like have you know, like
I know how I feel and you know, somebody who
comes from the same background, I get to work with them,
you know, Like it just feels good. It feels good
to have, you know, somebody who's close to you, who
(27:52):
knows you know kind of where you come from. So,
what is your relationship like with Miko?
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Really good? Yeah, we I've never talked with him before.
He got here a little younger than a couple of
years younger than me, so but we clicked clicked up
pretty right away. Like he was a really cool dude,
a little different than me, but at the same time.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
It's very different than you.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
Yeah, at the same time, like we like our humor
and like how well like how we talk, It's like
it's pretty similar. We yeah, like we have really fun
together and it's be good to have a fin the team.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
It's good. It's funny too.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
So in this process of and we're we we plan
on interviewing all the players throughout the season, right, but
we kind of have to cycle to see like who's available,
especially on the game day, and we're like, okay, let's
let's ask the fins.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Let's see if they're available.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
And first we asked Miko, and I kind of asked
them a little later than I would I would have
liked and so, you know, especially on the game, do
we want to get this show done? So I was like, okay,
let's ask Aku. He replied really quick. So I was like, perfect,
all right, we got Aku ready. And then Miko texted
back right after saying like all right, that time works perfect,
and it's like, oh, we'll get Aku.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
We'll get you later on.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
But uh, I didn't even think that you guys probably
lived together, and you guys are probably saying like they
both just asked us to uh both do the show.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yeah, that was exactly what happened. I was in the
car and I should I have this thing today? And
He's like no, way was later I was like, I
thought it was like the things that he obviously I
don't mind doing no of course, of course whatever, but
I thought they like asked him and he said asked
(29:38):
him first, and he would have said that like all right,
like I have this thing and I know he has
done nothing, and he just said no, and then you
guys asked me. I was like, all right, I can't
say no, like let's go. Yeah, I know but yeah,
it's yeah, he said, he said yes to you guys,
but I was before him. I answered before him, So yeah,
it was all good. But I was like this guy, man, no,
(30:02):
I can't, I can't do it. I have this thing.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
We really appreciate you getting back to us quickly. And yeah,
we're gonna get Miko. Eventually, we get all guys and everyone.
Eventually we even get staff members too. But uh, yeah,
it's all about the cycle. And I just I don't
know why, you know, especially it's a game day and
we want to get our guests. I would send ready
to go, especially we know, we know how busy you
guys are.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
And I just didn't think.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Him in the back of my head that these guys
probably lived with each other and we're asking him both
to do a show in the same time, and uh,
you know, we we appreciate you coming on, and uh,
what if you liked to what if he liked from
Miko's play in his rookie season, you know, uh, you know,
coming on. Uh just kind of figuring it out. And
he felt that once he started finding his game, had
(30:45):
to have that injury. He was out for about a
month and then since he's come back. I think he's
excelled a bit more been it's snake been in a
lot as the as he's returned and now we got
rewarded with a point the other night. What have you
seen from his game this season so far?
Speaker 5 (30:59):
Yeah, agree, it's yeah, like I said, it's not this
is not an easy week. Like he he's still a
young kid, like first year pro like I like think
with me, like I played four years professionally back home,
and the game is almost a little different when you
jump from he was in college, or if you come
(31:20):
from juniors to pro level. So yeah, it took took
him a little bit time, but it's yeah, I agree,
like he's after that injury, he's been playing well and
before that too, he's just had like a couple of
really good games and then got injured. It sucks, but yeah,
I agree, he's Yeah, it's we've been talking like it
(31:40):
doesn't be easier for both of us, but it's a
good thing that we we have fun together after like
it's outside the rink, in the rink, like it's it's
super fun all the time. But we've been talking to
like what do you have to do to be able
to score points or be effective in this league, and
I think I have been able to help him a
(32:01):
little bit.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Yeah, I'm sorry, I was just going to add to that,
you know. I I think that's the fun part or
maybe that one of the best parts of you know,
this industry as a whole, or just working in sports
is there's always challenges, right, Like it's it's never going
to be easy. And you know if if without challenge,
you're not getting better every day. And I think that
(32:22):
comes a lot, especially in this league where you know
it's a development league. We you maybe you have to
struggle for a month to get better for the next month.
And uh and you know sometimes it's you feel like
you're playing well, you get snaked in a little bit.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
But uh, I think that's just the best part of sports.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Yeah, it's I agree, total agree. Yeah, it's yeah, it's
like the stuff that we've been talking with him, it's
just like just defining a role, like doing something because
he's used to scoring points. He's used to be a
skill guy. But all of a sudden, you come to
this league. There's you're playing against chrome man like guys
(32:59):
are fast or stronger, more skill than in in the league.
In college or in finished junior league. So you just
have to find a role play, bring something to the
table for the team, which I had to do too,
Like I'm playing different in here when I was playing
in when I was the guy in my hometown team.
(33:22):
It's that's how he usually goes in the pro hockey.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
As he tried at all to get you to wear
a beanie because I feel like he's a huge beanie guy. Right,
He's got that bright white beanie and then doesn't he
have like a really like hot pink one.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Yeah? Did he end up getting rid of it?
Speaker 5 (33:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Yeah, go ahead, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
I think it was. Yeah, it was when when there's
a where juniors going under twenties, I think Finland. Yeah,
Finland was playing against TVSA in the finals, and here
was I did. I had a bet with with Parker,
our strength coach, like I'm at the winner and then
(34:08):
he had a Cheeks had a bet with trust done
and if if it was for money and if you
say wins, teas can never wear that paint again. But
if Finland wins with a couple of goals, donor has
to wear that for the whole road.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
So did he get rid of it?
Speaker 5 (34:31):
Did he get rid of the he can he can
probably wear in Finland. I don't. I don't. I think
he should be able to get away with that. But
to the rink he hasn't wear it. And same with
the other shoes. He has those like Golden Goose Helsinki
white sneakers, So it's a I get fined five dollars
every time he wears the Yeah that was part that
(34:54):
was park.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Well, Yeah, I winnessed that first hand.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
It happened at the airport and I like saw that
all unfold and I was wondering if it's if it
actually happened or not.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
Yeah, I don't think he I don't think he has
I think tis I think I want to say he
were those sneakers today, But I think it's if he
if he comes to the road drip of those. I
think that's the that's the best. But yeah, it's it's
fun to do with a couple of those, like especially Virtue.
I had a bed with with the Germans when where
(35:29):
Finland was playing as Germany. We had a bad with Lois.
I think it's all fun.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
I had to google. I had to google the Golden
Goose sneakers and they are really interesting there.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
They are customs too, like they're wise.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
Of course they are of course custom goal seekers.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Yeah, it's like it looks like he like he like
rolled with the marker like Helsinki and like like that.
Like I remember coming with their good and they were like,
did you actually like there's an expensive shoes like you
actually yeah? Yeah, customs?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Oh wow, Yeah, I need to see these. I don't
know if I've ever seen these. If somebody's listening and
it hasn't, you need to google the Golden Goose sneakers.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Looking this up too.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
They're so crazy looking. I can hardly wait to.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
See they're not too crazy looking, Like I don't want
I don't want to mess up this tree, but I
go to alright, I've got a Google after but yeah, water,
Yeah those are I like them. But Parker is not
the Parker is not the biggest fan of.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
Parker is not a fan of anything.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Oh yeah, that's no. Well it's funny too, I think.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
I think one time at the airport we were checking
in and Parker asked he He's like, do you have
any other shoes to wear? And then he goes like no,
and he's like okay, Like but then when when Parker's
asking you that question, it's obvious. I'm like, hey, you
need to wear different shoes when you're at the airport.
But he just wears those Golden good sneakers.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
Yeah. No, nobody likes that guy, Parker.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
I know know, the worst kept secret.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
That's kidding. We love you, Parker. If you're listening, we
appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Wait, so, Aku, So last year your roommates were Maxie
and then you had alternating roommates at points during the season. Right,
and then, but you guys were living next door to Montana?
Is that right? Am I making that up? No?
Speaker 5 (37:33):
I listened, Yeah, moo was.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
He was.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
He hung out in our place with him, but he
had a he lived ten minutes from our place. Oh okay,
so he wasn't here, Yeah, but he was. He was
there a lot of time.
Speaker 4 (37:46):
Okay. And then so this season, are you who's your roommate?
Speaker 5 (37:50):
No, I'm I'm actually alone right now. But yeah, we
got Miko is like, and the building right there at
fifty meters from out my place. Ruby's here, Benny not
Mavis here. Maverick is here too. You know that he's
back from b Yeah, Booch is here too. Oh my gosh, yeah,
(38:13):
gotcha here.
Speaker 4 (38:15):
And then I know, last time we talked to you're
just like a kind of big all around sports guy
for those for those anybody else that's on the radio
can't see this, but but Aku is wearing a Diamondbacks
T shirt right now. And last time we talked you
talked about basketball and how much you enjoy basketball. Is
there a basketball court where you are where you are at?
(38:37):
And then is there any way that you can talk
the whole Super Bowl situation into becoming like a basketball situation.
I feel like that would be a much safer prospect
than what's happening right now with Super Bowl, which is
just chaos.
Speaker 5 (38:52):
Yeah, we got to talk about when.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
When came, Yeah, let's talk about it. Keep going, keep going.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
So we talked about this story like for the past
few guests, because everyone remembers it, but we asked about
them from their point of view.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
What was your point of view of that story?
Speaker 5 (39:10):
You were actually close to You were next to me there,
I was. I thought, I thought that was easy ball
to use your head. You could have you could have
used your head, and then I don't know what happened,
and then I should I saw you.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
You hadn't.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
I mean, that's not the story I heard aku, So
this is really really interesting that Johnny could have.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Everyone has a different point of this, could have had it.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I think I thought it was easy. It's easy.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
No, but it's funny you say that I have thought
about it. I'm like, I should have. I should have
headbutted that, you know. And I think that the funniest
part of that story is after I completely ate it,
hugged the floor, got up, I didn't know that I
was technically out, and you kind of just said like, Johnny,
you're out.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
After I just heard my yeah, You're like you're like
you're you're actually looking.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
I think it was Curtis who was like, I hate
to be that guy, but Johnny are out, and you
kind of just like single to me, like you're you're
out of the circle.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
I was like, okay, good, I'm leaving. I just took
a fall for whatever.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
And then Doan was the one who later told me
that when you add someone new is because it resets
the game. So I was pretty much someone to be added.
So I pretty much took a fall for a game
to be started again.
Speaker 5 (40:24):
So yeah, that game is getting out of hand, right,
now we're getting Yeah, we're freaking you, we're freaking freaking
uhs reset the game.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
Yeah, you guys, you guys kicked the ball into the
catering area yesterday too, and you uh.
Speaker 5 (40:40):
Yeah, it was like the ball like stops and doesn't
touch the ground. It's that reasons the game well like too,
So it's oh my godeah we have we have So
that's so much fun. Like that's all right outside of
playing and like just playing hockey like that's that's the
most fun time that we have in the rink.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
When we talked to Parker about sewer ball last week
or whatever it was that we talked to, he called
you guys mini horses playing that game. That you guys
are just like out of control and and very focused
on the game. But just these powerful little bodies moving
through a kind of a tight space. And it's it's insanity.
(41:23):
It's it's insanity the amount of times that civilians are
almost The woman who does security for the back door,
I don't know if you've seen her. She's got her
little short, dark haircut. Her name is Jenny. She sits
there and make sure that nobody comes in that back door.
That's not supposed to, except when you guys are playing
sewer ball. Then she stands up against the wall with
her back to the wall to make sure that she
(41:44):
doesn't get hurt, because that's how insane it is. So
shout out to Jenny like she's doing the real work out.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
I agree. Yeah, yeah, it's good. But you have like
we have personal we have like rivalries, we have personality
therater sites. Oh that's yeah. It's just like every game
day for good twenty minutes. It's like it's all war.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
That's fantastic. Okay, wait, ok, before we let you go,
I have one last thing that I want you to do.
If you can. It's not a question, but I'm hoping
that you can do this for me. I was hoping
take a deep breath, that you could give me your
best welcome to the ice, your chuice on.
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Roadrunners right now?
Speaker 4 (42:31):
Yeah, I mean yeah, just take a deep breath.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Oh and just try Pogo?
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Did it?
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Pogo? Did it?
Speaker 5 (42:40):
Like you want me to like?
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yell?
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (42:42):
Well yeah, do it?
Speaker 5 (42:43):
Do it?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
What do we want Miko to hear you next door?
Speaker 5 (42:51):
Is it you that you do every game? Right?
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (42:56):
I do it?
Speaker 4 (42:58):
Wait does it sound?
Speaker 2 (42:58):
Wait?
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Does it sound good. Does it sound okay? Because I.
Speaker 5 (43:02):
Hope let's see if you switch it today, like all right, wait,
don't tell me. Welcome to ice Tu Roadrunners. And then
the goalie Matthew.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah, that's that's good. That's good.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Come all right, well, Aku, thanks so much for joining. Yes,
we really appreciate it. Good luck the nap real one
for doing that, and we'll see you later.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Don't click that please.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
No, alright, man, just having Aku rat on the show.
We're gonna close things out really quickly here, Kim. Just
a big game tonight for the road Runners. And again
we we talked about how tough that game was last
night and just talking to what a great mood he
was in, you know, just excited to have another game tonight.
And I think that's again the coaching staff just mentally
(43:55):
preparing our guys, you know, and even said Steve said
that it was it was a good game. We just
lost it at the end there, and I think that's
the positivity going into tonight.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
We had a good game. Let's do it again and
let's get a win.
Speaker 4 (44:07):
One hundred percent. Like we were talking about it, it's
about the vibes, it's about making hockey fun so that
you get those points and you can just let it
roll off your back and the head to the next game.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
We will be ready for the next game, starting with
road Runners warm up happening very surely Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am, our usual Tuesday night get together. We will
see you for game action here at the Tucson Arena.
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