January 6, 2025 • 47 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Arizona Daily Star's James Kelly recaped Tucson's two game series in Texas as the team heads to SoCal to face the San Diego Gulls and Coachella Valley Firebirds. They discuss Cameron Hebig's career weekend with his first ever hat trick and how big this trip is for the Roadrunners within the standings. They also hear from defenseman Peter DiLiberatore after Saturday's match and what he expects to see for the upcoming trip to SoCal
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome everybody to this week's special edition of the Two
Sun Roadrunners Insider Podcast. My name is Jonathan Schaeffer with
me Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We have a lot
to talk about a lot of things happening this past
weekend in Texas. We have an interview with Peter Dilvatory
as well. After Saturday's game. Roadrunners are continuing on their
(00:32):
stretch from home seven games, entering games four, five, and six.
Now we're part of three, four, five, and six. We're
back in Tucson for one day and then we're off
the road again tomorrow in a matchup versus the Coachella
Valley Firebirds. But James interesting series for the Roadrunners in Texas.
(00:53):
First game went very well, winning six to three. Cameron
hebig first career hat, Trig Josh jone three point game
for himself as well. We saw artam Duda and Kyler
Yamamoto also get on the score sheets as well as
a fantastic game for Tucson. And then Sunday not as much,
losing five to nothing. Bit of a more tougher matchup.
(01:15):
But you know, as we always say, well we'll take
the series split, we'll move on. Duson is seven and
seven on the road this season, overall record of seventeen twelve,
one and oh, which is best for six in the division,
and we have a huge game coming up against Coachella Valley.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, you said it.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Another really interesting series for the runners with they had
a really great night on Friday and then you know,
just go their way on Saturday. But I think honestly,
if you were going into the series looking and kind
of what you expect it, I think probably I m
a split was probably a realistic expectation because if you
look at going into the series, they were about the
same in terms of standing points. We talked about last
(01:57):
week of the podcast where they had the same points
as Tucson even though it's Apple and Orange is being
in different divisions, but it's still they play a lot
of the same teams being in the same conference, so
they're about the same they were going into the actual series.
They Texas was a couple of points up because they
played another game since the podcast, but so but you know,
(02:18):
that's another game that they hadn't hand that the Runners
had hand, So they're about the same, you know, in
terms of standing. So I think the road owners suit
will eventually get a little bit further away from five hundred,
get a little better record, but at this point in
the season that they're definitely about the same in terms
of Texas, in terms of standings and everything. So I
think that it's kind of what you expected.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, And you know, you can stay the same with baseball,
right because in baseball you're playing three to four game series,
sometimes two, but mainly three three to four game series
versus h the same opponent every week and now, and
of course baseball is a lot different. It's a it's
a what over one hundred game season, I think one
hundred and sixty around there.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
In total. You have seventy two games here for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
But I always say, if you're splitting series with the
good teams and then sweeping the bad teams, you're you're
gonna make playoffs. And you can say the same for baseball.
If you're around five hundred against the good teams but
beating up on the bad teams, you're going to make
the postseason as well. And that's what the Roadrunners have
been doing. And you know, Texas is a good team.
It was a pretty identical record to Tucson. You know,
(03:25):
you just wish that you got the sweep so you
can even up the season series.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Rovers lost the second game five to nothing after winning
the first game six to three. Their shutout, but it
was a fun atmosphere, two sold out crowd, so game one,
winning that one was felt good. But then game two
it was a very loud and packed barn. And you know, James,
it's fun playing these teams because you never know, hockey
is a weird sport. The Texas Stars and the Tucson
(03:52):
Roadrunners can be the two teams clashing in the Western
Conference finals. So for these two teams not to see
each other, munch and how these game games have gone, uh,
you know, good season series overall. You just wish the
Roadners got a bit more of the wins. But again,
we'll we'll swallow this past one up and we'll move on.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Other than that Saturday game, it's very it's very competitive series,
very very close free Dad. And you know, obviously in
two sounds there's a couple of close games and and
then there was that pretty closer for most of the
game until the Runners really pulled away in the third
period on Friday. So it was a very close series,
very ar intense series, a lot of action in terms
(04:32):
of hitting and and fights are almost fights, especially on Friday.
So it's a really tense series. And I said we
said again last week with Colorado, but again this week,
it feels like it could be a playoff series. It'll
be a playoff series down the line because the way
the playoffs works is you play through your play.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Through division and then you end up winning your division.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And they have they don't play the other teams in
the in the other division until the conference finals, so
it would be down the line. But definitely see either
of these teams that make it that far.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, the playoffs are weird in this league. You're only
playing your divisional rivals until the conference championship. So you know,
from what it looks like if the Roadrunners were to
make it all the way to the conference championship, you know,
they played teams like either the Grand Rapids Griffins, or
(05:23):
the Milwaukee Admirals or the Texas Stars, and even the
Chicago Wolves are a bit of a more of a
surprise team this year. Now that they have their affiliation
back with the Carolina Hurricanes, it's shown that they have
their prospects that they need to be successful as well.
But yeah, James, you mentioned the fights for the Roadrunners,
which is kind of funny. We only had one fight
(05:43):
in the month of December. That last fight before January
was December sixth in Calgary. We lost the game, but
Curtis Douglas scored a goal in that game as well,
his first goal of the season, his fourth fight of
the year, and then we did didn't get any more
in that month of December. There's a lot of moments
(06:04):
where guys try to fight but the reps wouldn't let
them and they don't count as a fight. Then you
fast forward to the first few games of the twenty
twenty five calendar, and all of a sudden, we have
two fights. Curtis Douglas once again getting into his scrap
while also scoring a goal, so he scored his second
goal of the season on Friday, his fifth fight of
the year. And then Hunter Drew got into a scrap
(06:24):
on Saturday for his third fight of the season. So,
oh no, we have twelve total fights nearing the nearing
the halfway point of the season. We had forty fights
last year, so I don't think we're gonna hit that mark.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
It was kind of going good at first.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
We had a lot of fights in the month of
November sixth total, but then December Sun none or sorry,
December just saw the one and then none after that,
so the average went way down. But still you like
to see Kurtz Douglas get to scrap two games on
the road this season, which he was one assist away
from a Gordy how Hatrick and then Hunter Drew getting
in one as well.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, you kind of you want to see fights because
you obviously for the obvious reasons. But in his case,
he scores old when he gets a fight. So he
talked about it on the broadcast and just right now.
But it's funny that he has that weird stat that
last time he scored, he scored a goal he got
and he was in a fight and he he completed
the two most difficult parts of the of the gordeoiatrics,
(07:23):
so kind of weird stat that you need to get him,
get him dropping the gloves more often.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, I know, it's well, I I feel like maybe
the fight parts the easiest because you just have to
pick a guy and say like, all right, we're going
at it, you know, and he fought with Kyle Loved,
which interesting story too. Loath wasn't even supposed to play
in Friday's game, but then Capo Bianco former Tucson Roadrunner
(07:53):
couldn't go, so Loath was substituted in like right after
our right before warm up. So when you just see
Capo Bianco out there for warm ups on Friday's game,
like where is he? He's not in, So then they
had loved who was warming up in for the game,
and then he ended up finding Curtis Douglas. So kind
of an interesting little story there as Luck wasn't even
supposed to play and then he gets in a fight
(08:14):
with Churis Douglas.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It's funny, but maybe you know it probably usually the
fight's usually one of the easier things to get into.
But then you know, lately, especially in the Colorado series,
but he seems like this year the league has been
kind of trying to not tamp down in the fight
but discours them a little bit. You know, they had
that new rule where you can't drop gloves right right
after a face off, and then they had the relative
(08:37):
new rule about the ten ten fights, so maybe it's
a little bit getting a little harder. So you gave
a good point, but maybe maybe my case may be
a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
But it's really.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
It was really an interesting fight that he was in
the Kurris Douglass and then you know he's always has
those with so much reach and so much size, but
and he's again with him Montana Travis. You know, guys
off the ice are so so friendly, so nice, so
it's really interesting to see them just throw down when
they when they are on the ice.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, well, every guy's just a different you know, just
demper mentality when they're on the ice. Even same for
you know, being a broadcaster, you put the headset on,
your whole personality changes because you know you have to
be dialed in for the next three hours. And I'm
sure for you as well, James, when you're you're writing
up your stories. Just whenever we're in our we're in
our elements, we're always maybe maybe acting a little different.
(09:31):
Obviously for them it's more violent because you're playing a
very violent sport of hockey. But yeah, it was it
was good to see, Uh, you know Kurs Douglass just uh,
you don't get the scraps of a bit more because
you know, as much as he's a great four too,
you know, when you have your big guy scrapping down
like that, it really juvenates the bench. And I think
that's what Hunter Drew is trying to do in the
(09:53):
second game and the five nothing loss, So respect him
for that. A couple of stick taps for hundred Drew
as well, because he was trying to kind of get
the team ramped up, and that's what sometimes guys do
when you're losing a game. They get into a fight
and all of a sudden it kind of wakes up
your team a bit.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It was one of those Saturdays when of those games
were just just just go right. It just wasn't the
Rudin's night.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
You talked about being a silo out and they it
seems that they gave out like Cedar Park hats because
they the they're they're located close to too close to
I say, that's close to Austin, Yeah, but they're in
the city of Cedar Park.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
So that's a place that you don't never heard of.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I mean, I have some friends that live in a
couple of friends that live in Austin, and I had
never heard of a Cedar Park other than they mentioned
that they went to a couple of starts they went
to Star Games, but they didn't say it's in Cedar
parker and like. So it's a good promotion for them
in terms of get getting the city's name out there.
And it's Cedar Park, but it's in the logo of
Jurassic Park, so they kind of look and it looked
like the Hunter on Jurassic Park Muldoon. I was trying
(10:55):
to think his first name, but I think it's first name,
but the Hunter guy on Jurassic Park. So the hats
look like that. And then the people at dinosaur costumes,
people at the Cartman costume. You know, it was a
pretty pretty well atmosphere. So it was just one of
those nights where everything kind of went in the favor
of the Stars. But you're the runners actively trying to
still fighting, still trying to trying to get that score,
(11:17):
still trying to get momentum heading into the next game.
Of this sort of road trip I counted in the
newspaper as a road trip, but you're talking about it's
not being a road trip because they come back to
and because obviously if they've come back to Son, you
come back to Son, soa, but you get more monum
heading into Cotel Vella.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, you know, I it's it's probably just the stigma
for me, right Like I say, you can say seven
dame road trip, that's totally fine. But I've just been
calling it a seven game stretch away from the two
Sunario because we come back for a day, and you know,
the first road trip bends and then you go on
another and it's not gonna feel like we're home much
because we're just home for the one night. But but yeah,
(11:57):
but now you can say it's a five game road
trip and it's a pretty pretty big one coming up
for Tucson. I think the biggest or one of the
biggest games of the series will be the one on Wednesday,
coming up in two days versus the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Firebirds are barely up right now on the Roadrunners in
the Pacific Division standings. They have a couple more games
(12:21):
more play than Tucson as well, so that's kind of
like the big difference. But right now, Roadrunners are sixth place.
They are thirty five points. Coachella values at thirty nine.
They played thirty three games. The Roadruners have played thirty.
They are two behind the Colorado Eagles. The Roadrunners technically
at the tiebreaker over the Eagles at the moment, because
though the Eagles have more wins than us, we have
(12:44):
more regulation wins than them if we get back to
the tie of the points. So that's a big thing
for Tucson too. So if you can get this win
on Wednesday, you can get back to that fifth place spot.
Let me see what else is playing on Wednesday, to
see what because James, now, we're at that time of
year where we're starting to scoreboard watch, right, and I
think it's the best time of the year when you're
scoreboard watching because it gets you really focused onto other teams.
(13:07):
But for the road Runners, since it's a Wednesday, I
was just curious to see who else would be playing.
So the Eagles are not playing on Wednesday, So this
is an opportunity for Tucson to take back that fifth
place spot and to get well within fourth place of
the Firebirds, just two points away, still with a couple
of games in hand to play. So this upcoming one
(13:29):
is you know, also the biggest I'm just gonna say
it is the biggest because it's the loans game too, right,
you don't get a back to back. Whatever happens, whatever
team loses, they're not gonna have a chance to split
the series or get a much better game the next day.
This is the one and only time you're gonna get
this for quite a while. Runners won't be back in
(13:50):
Coachella Valley until February, and it's only the one of
two times that we played Africu Arena. So this is
honestly probably the biggest game of the road trip. And
it starts on Wednesday, so it's a very beginning game.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I mean, you look back at the Texas series, it's
a couple of games against a good team, but this
is against your coachel is really evolved into arrival for
for the girun arms, being so close and being playing
so many times they played in the playoffs against each
other a couple of years ago, and the game is
so mu much more meaningful because a you know their
(14:24):
division games, so it's kind of a double not not double,
but you know, almost double points in terms of if
you get points against them, if if you get two
points against them and against zero, then that's you know,
big because you get the points and you denye them
from getting points. So it's almost in a way, if
if the play goes a certain way, it's kind of
double points.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
So it's a big you know, it's a big series
in that regard.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
And it's also they're playing the Coachell less this year
because they're playing the Southwestern teams, the California and you
know Nevada teams a little bit less than they're play
they're playing in Northern teams, you know, like we've said
that a bunch of times a podcast, where they playing Colora.
I know, they're playing Cana teams little bit more, a
couple a little more, and the schedule this year, so
it's really and obviously they're really close in the standings.
(15:08):
I mean, we talked about the standings where San Jose's
in that second spot, which is the where the runners
were last year, and that top you know, the top
spot in the rankings, I mean in the standings where
you're in that first round you're hosting, and again Calgary
is still way ahead. There's still seven points ahead of
San Jose, but San Jose is forty and then Bakersfield
(15:28):
in in eighth place, kind of that last team that's
in that kind of thick contending teams right now, contending
teams for playoffs. They have thirty so they're only ten
points separates second from eighth. So if you have another weekend,
like you know, if if they haven't a week right
this week running to have a chance to get six points,
so this this week, can you know, Wednesday in this weekend,
So if they get six points again, really shoot up
(15:50):
the standings. And but conversitly, if they struggle again, they
can really fall in the standings. So it is just
a you know, we keep not talking about it's just
such a tight division.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Yeah, and you know, I think what's also interesting, James,
I mean, Calgary's stone first place, but they're they're five
and five in their last ten games. They're not playing
as dominant as what we're used to. They did have
a really good stretch. Part of that was when the
Roadrunners played in Calgary in the beginning of December.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Two's lost both of those games.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Calgary went on, you know, I believe it was like
a nine or ten game winning streak. But now they've
they've fallen back to earth just a little bit, and
they have four more games played than two on two.
I'm not saying the Rovers are gonna catch up to them,
but you gotta consider that too, especially for San Jose
who are two games back from the Wranglers in seven
games behind. So and San Jose has also been struggling
(16:44):
a little bit in their past ten games as well.
It's it's been the Roadrunners, Eagles, Fibers, and Rain who
have been the hottest teams in the division. Ontario has
been on a crazy run, probably one of the hottest
teams in the entire league, with an eight one tozero
to one stretch in their past ten. They were on
a ten game points streak as well right before their
recent loss. Uh So, with that being said, I mean again,
(17:05):
you know we always say if you fall behind, you're
gonna you're gonna collapse. In this division, it's just how
it is. You have to keep winning games. Look at
the Abbotsford Canucks. They have a losing record now they
are oh five want to know in their last six
games for a losing streak, four or five one to
know in their last ten, and the Condors have now
tied them in the standings, Bakersfield is six to three
(17:26):
to one to know in their last ten games, and
they are right there really looking into that seventh place spot,
and Abbotsford can definitely get kicked out of the playoff
picture in the halfway point of the year.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Yeah, like you said, their owners are playing still playing
well right now. I mean if you think about it
in the negative perspective there they've lost to last three,
but obviously O standings points in that last color of
the game. And but more importantly, if you look in
the last ten game, they're seven to two and one,
so they're still still playing well, especially on the road.
(17:59):
They had that on win streak on the road that
was you know, stapped on Saturday, but they still had
that one streak. So it's a you know, it's strange
extreme way you can look at the Runners that they
kind of have that negative having you know, having that
tough game on Saturday, but for the most part you
can I think the pessimist, you know, optimistile kind of
went out in that in that argument since they're still
(18:22):
in sixth place and still seven to and one and
in their last ten games, But which is best, which
is the second best? Last ten game streak in the
in the division other than the Ontario rain who have
been eight to one zero one, so in the last
ten games.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Yeah, and you know, part of my you know split
the split the series with the good teams sweet the
bad team's mentality. I also say to try to stay
you know, around the five hundred points, you know, as
long as possible in the first half of the season,
and then go on your run. And it's exactly what
the Roadrunners have done five and five in their first
(19:00):
games one through twenty one, sorry, one through ten, second
set of ten games eleven through twenty five and five,
and now games twenty one through thirty the team has
finished seven to one and no, as you just said,
resulting in Tucson having that seventeen to twelve, one to
oh record. So and I always say, you stay five
(19:20):
hundred and then you go on that run. And the
Roadrunners just did that. They just did that in their
last ten games. But now with this, you know, end
of this road trip, you know, I would say the
most favorable one is San Diego. The road runs are
four to one against San Diego this season, already two
and two against the Wranglers, which isn't bad for considering
how good the Wranglers have been. Rumers swept them back
(19:42):
in November, they swept us in December. Then you're one
and one against Coachella Valley. But also the Roadrunners went
three and one against or sorry, three to one in
Acrisu Arena last season. They had a lot of success
in that arena, considering that it's probably the most hostile
environment of the entire AHL Pacific Division, maybe besides the
(20:03):
Colorado Eagles rink as well.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
But with that being said, Rubbers did what they had
to do.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
And now that we're near the first half of the year, uh,
you know, and the first half will end by the
time this h the rest of this road trip bends too,
we're gonna start seeing like, all right, this is what
we did in the first half, but now what can
we do to have a better second half, because again,
the Rovers still had a slower start than what we
what we were accustomed to, with a lot of games
that should have been won. And now we are going
(20:31):
to start looking at what do we need to do
in the second half to get where we want to be.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Yeah, they're you know, their little records a little bit
less than we thought it'd be at this point, but
they're still grinding and still they they've gotten up, in
my mind, a little bit comfortably away from that at
that point. I remember there was a point early in
the season where they were five hundred and then they'd
split a series or they'd lose two games, and then
then they sweep the next series and they were still
(20:59):
holding it offiven.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
So they've gotten past that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So now the next step is to get a little
bit separation from the teams that are in the second
half of that playoffs playoff area where you want to
make sure you're in the position to host. That's a
really big big thing in that in that first round
to get that opportunity in the host because in in
that first round, both all the games are in that
in that in one city, so it's just a huge advantage.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And you you know, like.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I said, we saw it with the called football playoffs
where you know talking about that where the teams that
got the buy at a huge disadvantage. So I'm thinking
that maybe you know, Calgary, you know, obviously if you
win the division you get to put that on a
banner and everything. That's cool, But last year with the
Roader and just when they finished second, maybe it was
better than finishing first because in the sense that you
(21:45):
get those two home games and if your Calgary, you're
stingying at home waiting and you lose the momentum and everything.
So you know, positioning really matters a lot and really
really interesting in this league.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
Yeah, and it was an interesting story from last season.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
And again this is why, like, even though what the
standings they are right now, they can change at a
blink of nine, especially in this league when you have
call ups and and injuries and whatnot. But the Wrenglers
were in the xact this exact same spot last season.
It was near the All Star break, and we are
getting close to that point where we're gonna announce our
(22:20):
All Star players and our coaches as well very soon.
But Wranglers were first place when the All Star coaches
were announced, not by the All Star break, but when
the coaches were announced. Uh so, then that's why their
coach was given the opportunity to coach the All Star break,
uh coach the All Star Games for the HL specific Division.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
But then they just fell.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
They collapsed, and it's because they had a ton of
call ups and they lost a ton of players in
that stretch as well, and you know, you never know
if it can happen again. Obviously not wishing injuries on
anyone and any team, you know, we want to see
these teams play at their full capacity. But things can
always change. And even though the All Star Break is
(23:03):
about in a month, the Roadrunners had first place at
the All Star Break last year after beating the Coachella
Valley Firebirds, and then the Firebirds wanted the Vision because
they just couldn't stop winning games and the Roadrunners struggled
in the month of February, so things that can always change,
and you never know. When Tucson we had our six
game winning streak this past month, it was our best
hockey that we've seen this year from the twenty four
(23:24):
to twenty five team, but even still felt that this
team is it can do more, and we know they
can do more, and even players and coaches have said,
we're always hungry for more. And that Sixth Street six
game winning streak was great, but you still feel that
that ten game winning streak or that you know, maybe
ten game points streak is going to come for Tucson eventually.
(23:46):
And I think wherever the Roadrunners are at at that point,
is going to determine whether they can get within two
or third, second or third place of the division and
maybe get within first place with Calgary.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah, that's what they're kind of thinking about. And the
other thing you mentioned about that's funny about call ups.
Calgary even had their coach called up, so it was
different call ups. So if you look at the when
when they when the league was putting out the press
releases about the who's going to coach the teams in
the on the All Star Game in the All Star Games,
(24:20):
technically it's for Calgary. It's they're getting the coaching spot.
It's not like, oh oh their coach is getting spot
like last year Steve Popman almost got the coaching slot.
But for them, their coaches up with the Calgary Flames
up in the NHL. So right now you're kind of
looking at that their looking schedules, it's who's whoever as
a coach? Do they have that spot so that they
(24:42):
you know, they heard a little bit with that call ups.
And but interesting thing about the call ups for their
Runners just they've had a really interesting last few last
week in terms of call ups, in terms of waiver
wire and that kind of stuff with with Utah with them.
He started with Dakota Murmurs. We talked about him former
Owners captain and you we're talking about I'm kem hebig
Where he was in this in the all time list.
(25:04):
I was looking at that all time list and the
code is up there. I think he's like eighth or something.
But anyway, he was the original Roadrunner. We talked about
him being the last Roaders captain his last year and
last week Utah waved him with the attention of sending
him to Tucson and so at the time, it kind
of seemed like, no, Toronto's gonna pick him up because
(25:25):
he signed with Toronto during the off season last year,
during the off season last year, but during the during
the summer, and he got hurt early on and he
even playing, not playing a lot early on the season,
and when they waved him, there was talk that they
want to keep him up and send him to their
HL team than the Toronto Marleis. But ultimately what happened
(25:46):
was Utah came and picked him up when because they've
had a lot of injuries on their blue line and
so they Utah picked him up and he played with
Utah for about a month. But then what happened was
Utah decided that they want to try and send him
to Tucson. But so Toronto had the opportunity to pick
him up. And then once they picked him up, they
had they could send him back to the Marleys, to
(26:09):
Toronto Marley's. But what happened was until I think it
was Friday day until noon to call him up and
they didn't, and he claim on Thursday, but then claimed
on Friday. So it was like, oh, that's kind of weird,
kind of because it looked like on Friday in the morning,
you wake up and you're looking at the waiver wire
and they're like, oh, no, it looks like he's still
gonna stay. He's going to get to come back to Tucson.
(26:30):
But he ultimately gets you know, he ultimately gets claimed
by Toronto, so he goes back Toronto. And then you
look at the other thing that they happen is Utah
sent Connor Ingram, you know, which is you know, obviously
looks like he's obser getting better. They sent him to
Tucson on conditioning loan. So he comes to Tucson and
also Kevin Cantton he gets called up to Utah.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
For about a day and then he gets sent back
to Tucson.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
So it's has been a really, really weird week in
terms of the t acious for Tucson and Utah.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, and it's it's a lot different than last year, right,
Like we didn't see uh, you know, the only guy
you know getting claimed off waivers was Prosvatov last season
right when the season started, in a tent to send
him to Tucson, but then you know, got claimed by Colorado.
We saw the rest of that story.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
And then now this year we get Kyler Yamamoto through
the waivers and he actually doesn't get claimed, And now
we have one of the most skilled players in the
league right now, a guy who's played three hundred NHL games.
He was definitely an NHL player, just you know, just
in the spot right now, which is still I think
the road runs are the best spot for him right now,
just to he's showcasing his skills, right and you know
(27:43):
that in this offseason are going to be NHL teams
that are looking at him. Uh, you know, when I
don't know about trade deadline or anything, but regardless of that,
you know, wouldn't want to see Kyler Yamamoto get traded
to you know, any other team, because we love him
here in Tucson. But again, opportunities are opportunities or any team.
But with that being said, you know, the last waiver
(28:06):
was the goaltender proso top of course, as we saw
earlier last season. But now this year, we haven't seen
a lot of call ups. To be honest, we we
saw we've just seen call ups to our to our
blue line, you know, rather than last year where we
had the most call ups in the entire league. And
then you know, now you fast forward to this upcoming
(28:28):
season and what we're seeing now is, you know, Kevin
Cannati getting called up a few times. We saw Maverick
Lambrue get called up in the beginning stages of the year.
You know Max Zuber at one point as well. Uh,
but not a lot of the forts and it's shown,
you know that the Fords have just been down here
more because they're staying healthier in uh in Utah. But
then you know, as well as it is too you
(28:51):
got to get stick taps to guys like Peter Delvatory
and Land Moore who have stepped in into the big
roles for us, you know when we've been then at
defense and we even saw Hudson Wilson come on a
PTO at some point as well and play a game. So, uh,
you know, it was a great job by the management
for the road Wunners and John Ferguson to go out
and keep guys like Delvatory and Laden More on our
(29:14):
roster for this season. Now they played really big roles
with the team.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Yeah, they built a lot of depth from offices for U,
built a lot of depth for the Roadrunners. So that's
really that's worked out really well. And excuse me, sorry,
that's worked out really well obviously for for Tucson. But
not only that that they've worked out the depth. They
(29:39):
are lot depth, but they also have the right depth
in terms of like you saw last week where Cameron
Hebeck got the hat trick and usually he's a guy
who you're not expecting to get a tunnel goals and
then you know the juggern online twos to come up
big and so you still you still saw the familiar
guys like you know, Josh Jone had a couple really
(29:59):
nifty insists on Friday, but they had that depth where
you're having guys who maybe the first line guys aren't
scoring as many goals as they normally do, but they're
still Runners are still doing well because you're having a
lot of death, and you know, the coaching staff and
on the front office, they they've really found on the
right guys that fit in there, put in there.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
And you're seeing a lot of guys who are.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Not on the first line necessarily, but you know, not
on the first line, but still doing well, still still
scoring a lot. So I'm helping the team a lot.
They have a lot of good depth on the team.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, the death has been you know again, it's it's
what's been keeping the Roadrunners going as it has done
in years past. We saw all the death come in
for the team last year and now it's primarily been
last for the blue line to step into these big
roles and you know, just keep that blue line safe
for the roadmners. And again Deblatory and Lane Moore have
(30:52):
come into good spots for the team and have helped
the Roadrunners in this past ten games, which we've seen
the past ten games be the best for two despite
the series split against the Texas Stars. Let's listen to
our interview we have an interview for you guys with
me and Peter Delevatory speaking of I caught up with
them after Saturday's game to talk about the series as
(31:12):
a whole with the Texas Stars and what the road
runs can expect to see coming up in this huge
road trip. Peter, obviously, not the not the result we wanted,
but you know what can we take away from this
game and you know, maybe see what we need to
work on for the next because it's a quick turnaround
for us as this road trip continues on for us.
Speaker 5 (31:30):
Yeah, there's always positives to take away. Obviously we'd love
to sleep, especially on the road, but uh, you know,
obviously that's not the case. But like I said, pausitives,
I think I think we're good on the FORO check,
I think you know, we're hard, heavy and at the
end of the day, they're power play, you know, just
excelled and the capitalized on the chances. So there's just
a little tweaks we need to improve on. But that's
every game. And yeah, like I said, just positives to
(31:52):
take away. There's always some some few, so we just
gotta do that and look at the bright side.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
And if you've been getting some more playing time lately,
just with recent call ups to do Utah Hawk Club.
But what have you been working on in your game
as a reason and have you been seeing yourself improve
over these last few games.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Yeah, A lot of it is just keeping it simple, right,
just not doing making the big plays or the shining plays,
but just playing hard, heavy and predictable. So I'm just
trying to simplify my game, keep it simple and make
it easy on the other guys out on the ice.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
I know this was an out of division out matchup.
Now we have, you know, a five game stretch all
out way versus specific division teams. What's that going to
look like as this division continues to just be as
close as ever.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Yeah, like you said, is really tight. So these every
game matters and every shift matters, so you know we're
gonna bring that juice and we know how important they are.
So we just got to, you know, take this one
and take it on the chin and just get ready
for the next game.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Thanks Peter.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, so big rest of this road trip coming up.
First game against Coachella Valley two in San Diego, and
then two right after versus the Calgary Wranglers. James one
guy we got to talk about obviously getting the hat
trick number thirty nine, Am and he Big, and man,
what a season that he Big is having for the
(33:05):
Roadrunners right now. Points in fourteen of his last fifteen
games coming off of that hat trick as well, he
is in line to have one of his best seasons,
if not the best season yet statistically, if the Roadrunners
continue to play him every game, which obviously they should.
He's missed some games this year, but you know, if
he plays for the rest of the games for Tucson,
(33:27):
which would be around sixty seven, because he's missed five
games this season, whether it's just being scratched for the
night or just any other reason. But you know, nine goals,
eight assists for seventeen points. Right now, he's tied for
second on the team in goals with Hunter Drew, Andrew
Gazino and Kyler Yamamoto. And if he continues this pace
he's on right now, he is in line to get
(33:50):
twenty four goals and twenty one assists for forty five points,
which would all be the best of his career. And
even also this season, he's in line to break Roadrunners history.
He is I want to say, thirteen games away from
breaking the apart fourteen fourteen more games to break Michael
(34:10):
Bunteen's record of all time in second second all time
in games played, and then he needs thirty three to
break the all time record for most games played, which
belongs to Dyson Mayo, who has two hundred and seventy
nine right now. So Cameron he Big is making a
historic season for not only for the Roadrunners, but also
(34:32):
potentially for himself as well if he keeps up this pace.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah, he's the guy that you know, we talked about
the goals and this Cory streak and at scorin Ron
where he's been on. But he's also a guy that
we talked about last week how he's he's really active
in the community. He's really great representative of the Runners,
and he's also a guy who was great representati of
the Runners on the ice in terms of you know,
not just stats.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
But he's the guy who if.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
If you looked on Saturday and Friday, that he's a
guy who was getting in the middle of it, and
he's the guy who easily could have been into you know,
some of those fights too, So really getting really playing
that road on his way where you're playing really aggressive,
really tough, and you know, really impressive how he's been
able to just been on fire lately. And it's funny.
(35:17):
It was funny. I remember in the podcast on the
broadcast where he roader to score to empty that goals
at the end of the game, and the first one
you thought was was he big because he's just been
so active and he just like ended.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
I got so excited.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Yeah, so he's just been so active. It felt like
he was going to score that goal. But well he
didn't end up getting that hat trick on a third
on the second empty that goal. But that's just been
how he's been lately playing lately, just just been on
a tearror.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Really.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned that, James, because that's it's
actually a really funny story. So in case you guys
did miss the Cameron hebec hat trick. We had the
empty nets right in front of the you know, the
Stars had pulled their goldie. We had an empty net
going the other way and Josh Jone got it to
his right side for Aku Ratu who scored. And you
(36:10):
know it's all in the moment, right and he thirty
thirty nine is or thirty eight is right next to
thirty nine because Ratchu changed his number to thirty nine
this season, and you know, you just you want the
best for the situation. Obviously, I'm happy that Ratu got
a goal in the game, but yeah, I thought it
was Cameron Hebik for the first part, and I'm like, oh, that's.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
The hat trick.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
He got it, and then I then I fight happens,
and then I look again. I'm like, oh, my god,
that's Rottu and then I'm like, no, it's actually Aku Ratu.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
That's my mistake.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
But then he Big had the puck on his stick
again and then he scored the hat trick, so I'm
really glad he was able to do that.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
Again.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Congratulations to he Big on scoring the hat trick. But yeah,
kind of a funny instance there, and I do apologize
for fans out there initially also thought it was he
Big just from either listening to me or not, and
got excited in that moment. But still it was a
really fun night. Really happy to see he Big score
that hat trick for the Roadrunners. Josh Stone getting three
(37:08):
assists in a game as well, for the second time
in his career, getting three points in a night in
his first time getting a three assist night. Artam Dude
I had multiple points. Curtis Douglas for his second goal
this season. Kyler Yamamoto got his point streak to five
at the moment and three games in a row with
the goal as well. Those were both snapped on the shutout, obviously,
(37:29):
but he's still continuing to be a lethal player for
the Roadrunners. And you know, despite the split series, I
think Friday's night's game still told us a lot about
what this team can accomplish.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Yeah, it was. It was a really impressive game.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I don't really we think about it because it's it's
not the blowout that took his head on Saturday. But
it's a really promising game because it was back and
forth like they've been having those games against with against
the top teams. But then Drunners pulled away in the
third period, and really what happened was it looked like
the like the Stars were gonna retake their lead. It
(38:02):
was about eight nine minutes ago when they were really threatening.
Really they had a lot of chances and the defense
that Matt Velota really stood really stood up well and
got that stop and then they were went able, we were
able to score again and then pulled away with a
couple efty that goals. But it was really, it was
really impressive how they were able to win that game.
And I was looking at it on my phone, looking
(38:25):
at this, you know, looking at the games games Center
thing because I wasn't watching the game live, but I
was watching it and it's like score score, as Oh,
I have a sense of where this game is going.
But then I look at sixty three, I was like,
well what happened? So it was really it's a really
wild game, really really impressive win for the road Roaders.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Yeah, and these away games have been have all been
hard fun. I mean even in the Abbotsford series in
which the River has got a sweep in their first
sweep on the road this season. You know, they lost
or they were a part and they were trailing both
of those matt Is going into each third period. And
it was the same story at least in Texas, in
(39:06):
which the Roadrunners were trailing on the Friday night game
as well, and then they ended up tying things up.
You know, they're down to the one. They had a
three to two league going to the third period. Texas
tied it. And it's funny, Texas is the only team
that has defeated US in which we have a lead
after two periods, so you're thinking, like, oh my gosh,
here we go again. Here, here just comes Texas, even
(39:27):
though it's just a one goal game, and then we
ended up winning the matchup. But the away has actually
been a very tough for the Pacific Division throughout the
whole season. So we're seven and seven right now, which
is ranked eleventh best in the Western Conference and seventh
best in the HLS Pacific Division. All in all, the
division this year is seventy one sixty nine eight and
(39:50):
three on the road compared to eighty three fifty eight,
three and ten on the road. And I get it,
it's hard to get wins away from your home arena,
having your whole crowd behind you. But it's just interesting, James,
and I think that's gonna show how more important it
is for whole mis advantage in the first couple of
rounds of the hl's Pacific Division playoffs, at least, you know,
(40:13):
when you have just a two game series when you
don't even get to go home, rather than maybe the
five game series where we do get to go home
for a couple of the games at least. But yeah,
so you know, considering that Tucson seven and seven record
away from home is not terrible considering how much the
division has struggled getting wins on the road.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Yeah, it's really if you think about it's really interesting
that their five hundred record on the road. We talked
about they want to be away from five hundred overall,
but five hundred on the roads very respectable, especially going
in the series. When I was talking on to the
guys about their road record and it was kind of
mix of the pageons on it. A couple of guys,
(40:53):
the players that I talked to, they were like, oh,
you have to we're doing around the road with a
good record, and you know that was during during their
winster on the road. But Steve on the other hand,
was like, oh, well, we wouldn't improve that. We wen't
want to do better on that. So obviously the coaches
kind of always want to look better and you know,
do better. But it's a way that you can look
at from one perspective that it's a positive and that
they're they're able to reach seven a five hundred on
(41:15):
the road and on the other hand, it's like, oh,
they should be doing better, you know. So it's it's
it's kind of interesting. You can look at it either way.
For me, I think it's impressive, you know. I tend
to think it's it's a good one. In the last year,
they had that crazy road record where they're were for
a lot of the season, they were better on the
road than they were at home. So I don't think
you didn't replicate that, but you don't really necessarily need to.
(41:37):
But I think that this is kind of what a
normal team, a normal good team would have the kind
of results like this on the road. But it's also
interesting to note about the Pacific Division that we need
to bring it up that it's such a different beast
in terms of road games because you're you're you're flying
your take long bus ride instead of going from like,
you know, one part of Pennsylvania and other part of Pennsylvania,
(41:59):
or one part of Northeast to other card north east,
you know. So it's just a lot different than the
other visions. Even even the Western Conference. Texas is out
kind of on an island right there, but you have Chicago,
you have Rockford, you know, Milwaukee, all those teams right
close by, so it's just a very different situation. And
in the Pacific because the teams travel so much and
(42:20):
they play the two game series as opposed to the
usually playing the one game. I'm obviously the road owners
have this one game on this week when they play Hochello,
but most of those teams and then the Northeast they
play out, they must same schedule, playing in a one
game often instead of a series. So it's just just
a lot different division. So it's really you kind of
expect that because we talk about tough the division is,
(42:41):
but in terms of depth, in terms of talent, but
it's also it's just tough to get those wins on
the road, especially you're flying up to Calgary, you're flying
up to Mabtsford, or you're busting across California, busy across
the desert, you know.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
So it's just a tough situation.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Yeah, that's actually that's actually a really good point, James
could be because even in this in our own division,
I would say the best spots are for Ontario, San
Diego and Coachella Valley because they're all within you know,
maybe just an hour or two of a bus ride
within one another. But then you have San Jose who's
(43:18):
kind of up there having to at least have just
an hour flight, So even they're not that bad of
a spot. And maybe they're just a four hour bus
ride from Bakersfield and then Bakersfield having the bus around
at least it's just a four hour bus ride, which
still isn't that bad. Whereas our closest opponent is the
are the Firebirds, where we have to bus five hours
away and you know, and I think the hardest travel
(43:41):
would be for teams like Abbotsford and Calgary, which have
to have about a three hour flight to get where
they need to go, and that's not including getting to
the airports and getting off. It's a really long process
and it's tough sometimes when you are flying it somewhere
and you get to your city like you know, seven
eight pm and you have a game the next day.
(44:02):
That's why this trip is also a little bit more
beneficial for Tucson. Yes, we have the long bus ride tomorrow,
but we're not going to be getting in Coachell Valley
too late, especially with the time change as well. We're
leaving about after practice and then we have our game
on Wednesday, but then we get the bus to San
Diego right after that game, which is around two hour
bus ride, so we'll get the San Diego late on Wednesday,
(44:24):
but then it's just a practice same on Thursday, Friday,
Saturday games and then Sunday we fight at Calgary. Then
we have a Monday day in Calgary. So this trip
has also been a beneficial for Tucson. Yes, it's a
lot of traveling, but at least we're getting to our
destinations a day prior to give the guys a time
to just get acclimated and get the rest day you
need to play these big games coming up.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah, it's a good thing to get applicating acclimated, especially
you're going from Tucson or from Coachell Valley or southern
California up to Canada, where it's helps with a lot
different weather. They're there use to that weather change, but
it's still has to be a big shock and it's
also it's also you know, you have the seven game
series now and then you have the Gyms Roadchip coming up,
(45:06):
so it's also in a way it's a good preparation
for that Gyms a road ship because you have a
lot of guys like you know, Cameron he Big whatnot
who have played that played on that Gymster road trip.
But you have a lot of and then they have
a lot of Verdom players on the team, I like Circle
Off and and whatnot. But you have a lot of
guys who came in and aren't experienced with that Gymster
(45:28):
road trip for Tucson. So in a way, this is
kind of preview for that one, which the Gymster road
Trip is going back to being a kind of a
tougher one in the sense that last year and the
year before it was broken up by the All Star break.
So you have the they had like three games or something,
and then they have they break for the All Star Game.
You know, they go to their families, they go back
to Son whatever, and the guys playing the All Star Game,
they go to the All Star Game. Uh, the All
(45:49):
Star Games, so.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
I do that.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
But this year they don't have that because the All
Star Game, the All Star Break happens right after that
Rower his last home stand. So they go, they play,
and then they travel at that you know travel trawl
right for that, so they don't have that breakup. So
it's it's back to being that kind of tougher version
of the Zoomshore road trip. So it's nice for this
this road trip too, road trip Roadswing to prepare the
(46:14):
guys for the Gym chairoad trip on the next month.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
Yeah, it's definitely the time of year now for Tucson
in this twenty four to twenty five season that we
are really starting to see that the travel getting piled up.
And yeah, yeah, we have the home stand coming up
at the end of January, but we have a couple
of big matchups starting with Coachella Valley on Wednesday, two
games on versus San Diego on Friday and Saturday, and
(46:38):
then the following week a matchup with the Calgary Wranglers
on Tuesday and Wednesday before the road runs head back home,
and then we have a nice weekend off as well
right after that, right after or right before the next
home stand coming up for your two sound Rutterers.
Speaker 4 (46:52):
Well, James, great show.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
As always, Thanks for everyone tuning in on this week's
Insider podcast. If you're listening on this Monday night, Kim Coda,
Robas and I will be back on Tuesday night for
our usual Tuesday night get together for runners.
Speaker 4 (47:06):
Happier with our strength and Performance coach.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Parker Poor, so we'll be having him on the show
as well. And do we even call him a strength
and performance coach. Yeah, they're coaches, right, everyone's a coach
when it comes to the hard working staff of our
Roadrunners team. But regardless of that, yeah, we'll have Parker
Poor on the show for our Tuesday night get together
or if you're listening on Tuesday, that show will be
happening tonight as well. Good night, folks, have a great
(47:33):
rest of your Monday evening. We'll see you on the
Tucson Roadbunds Happy our show. We'll see you later on
this week for a big matchup versus the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Have a great week, everybody,
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome everybody to this week's special edition of the Two
Sun Roadrunners Insider Podcast. My name is Jonathan Schaeffer with
me Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We have a lot
to talk about a lot of things happening this past
weekend in Texas. We have an interview with Peter Dilvatory
as well. After Saturday's game. Roadrunners are continuing on their
(00:32):
stretch from home seven games, entering games four, five, and six.
Now we're part of three, four, five, and six. We're
back in Tucson for one day and then we're off
the road again tomorrow in a matchup versus the Coachella
Valley Firebirds. But James interesting series for the Roadrunners in Texas.
(00:53):
First game went very well, winning six to three. Cameron
hebig first career hat, Trig Josh jone three point game
for himself as well. We saw artam Duda and Kyler
Yamamoto also get on the score sheets as well as
a fantastic game for Tucson. And then Sunday not as much,
losing five to nothing. Bit of a more tougher matchup.
(01:15):
But you know, as we always say, well we'll take
the series split, we'll move on. Duson is seven and
seven on the road this season, overall record of seventeen twelve,
one and oh, which is best for six in the division,
and we have a huge game coming up against Coachella Valley.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, you said it.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Another really interesting series for the runners with they had
a really great night on Friday and then you know,
just go their way on Saturday. But I think honestly,
if you were going into the series looking and kind
of what you expect it, I think probably I m
a split was probably a realistic expectation because if you
look at going into the series, they were about the
same in terms of standing points. We talked about last
(01:57):
week of the podcast where they had the same points
as Tucson even though it's Apple and Orange is being
in different divisions, but it's still they play a lot
of the same teams being in the same conference, so
they're about the same they were going into the actual series.
They Texas was a couple of points up because they
played another game since the podcast, but so but you know,
(02:18):
that's another game that they hadn't hand that the Runners
had hand, So they're about the same, you know, in
terms of standing. So I think the road owners suit
will eventually get a little bit further away from five hundred,
get a little better record, but at this point in
the season that they're definitely about the same in terms
of Texas, in terms of standings and everything. So I
think that it's kind of what you expected.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, And you know, you can stay the same with baseball,
right because in baseball you're playing three to four game series,
sometimes two, but mainly three three to four game series
versus h the same opponent every week and now, and
of course baseball is a lot different. It's a it's
a what over one hundred game season, I think one
hundred and sixty around there.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
In total. You have seventy two games here for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
But I always say, if you're splitting series with the
good teams and then sweeping the bad teams, you're you're
gonna make playoffs. And you can say the same for baseball.
If you're around five hundred against the good teams but
beating up on the bad teams, you're going to make
the postseason as well. And that's what the Roadrunners have
been doing. And you know, Texas is a good team.
It was a pretty identical record to Tucson. You know,
(03:25):
you just wish that you got the sweep so you
can even up the season series.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Rovers lost the second game five to nothing after winning
the first game six to three. Their shutout, but it
was a fun atmosphere, two sold out crowd, so game one,
winning that one was felt good. But then game two
it was a very loud and packed barn. And you know, James,
it's fun playing these teams because you never know, hockey
is a weird sport. The Texas Stars and the Tucson
(03:52):
Roadrunners can be the two teams clashing in the Western
Conference finals. So for these two teams not to see
each other, munch and how these game games have gone, uh,
you know, good season series overall. You just wish the
Roadners got a bit more of the wins. But again,
we'll we'll swallow this past one up and we'll move on.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Other than that Saturday game, it's very it's very competitive series,
very very close free Dad. And you know, obviously in
two sounds there's a couple of close games and and
then there was that pretty closer for most of the
game until the Runners really pulled away in the third
period on Friday. So it was a very close series,
very ar intense series, a lot of action in terms
(04:32):
of hitting and and fights are almost fights, especially on Friday.
So it's a really tense series. And I said we
said again last week with Colorado, but again this week,
it feels like it could be a playoff series. It'll
be a playoff series down the line because the way
the playoffs works is you play through your play.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Through division and then you end up winning your division.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And they have they don't play the other teams in
the in the other division until the conference finals, so
it would be down the line. But definitely see either
of these teams that make it that far.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, the playoffs are weird in this league. You're only
playing your divisional rivals until the conference championship. So you know,
from what it looks like if the Roadrunners were to
make it all the way to the conference championship, you know,
they played teams like either the Grand Rapids Griffins, or
(05:23):
the Milwaukee Admirals or the Texas Stars, and even the
Chicago Wolves are a bit of a more of a
surprise team this year. Now that they have their affiliation
back with the Carolina Hurricanes, it's shown that they have
their prospects that they need to be successful as well.
But yeah, James, you mentioned the fights for the Roadrunners,
which is kind of funny. We only had one fight
(05:43):
in the month of December. That last fight before January
was December sixth in Calgary. We lost the game, but
Curtis Douglas scored a goal in that game as well,
his first goal of the season, his fourth fight of
the year, and then we did didn't get any more
in that month of December. There's a lot of moments
(06:04):
where guys try to fight but the reps wouldn't let
them and they don't count as a fight. Then you
fast forward to the first few games of the twenty
twenty five calendar, and all of a sudden, we have
two fights. Curtis Douglas once again getting into his scrap
while also scoring a goal, so he scored his second
goal of the season on Friday, his fifth fight of
the year. And then Hunter Drew got into a scrap
(06:24):
on Saturday for his third fight of the season. So,
oh no, we have twelve total fights nearing the nearing
the halfway point of the season. We had forty fights
last year, so I don't think we're gonna hit that mark.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
It was kind of going good at first.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
We had a lot of fights in the month of
November sixth total, but then December Sun none or sorry,
December just saw the one and then none after that,
so the average went way down. But still you like
to see Kurtz Douglas get to scrap two games on
the road this season, which he was one assist away
from a Gordy how Hatrick and then Hunter Drew getting
in one as well.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, you kind of you want to see fights because
you obviously for the obvious reasons. But in his case,
he scores old when he gets a fight. So he
talked about it on the broadcast and just right now.
But it's funny that he has that weird stat that
last time he scored, he scored a goal he got
and he was in a fight and he he completed
the two most difficult parts of the of the gordeoiatrics,
(07:23):
so kind of weird stat that you need to get him,
get him dropping the gloves more often.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, I know, it's well, I I feel like maybe
the fight parts the easiest because you just have to
pick a guy and say like, all right, we're going
at it, you know, and he fought with Kyle Loved,
which interesting story too. Loath wasn't even supposed to play
in Friday's game, but then Capo Bianco former Tucson Roadrunner
(07:53):
couldn't go, so Loath was substituted in like right after
our right before warm up. So when you just see
Capo Bianco out there for warm ups on Friday's game,
like where is he? He's not in, So then they
had loved who was warming up in for the game,
and then he ended up finding Curtis Douglas. So kind
of an interesting little story there as Luck wasn't even
supposed to play and then he gets in a fight
(08:14):
with Churis Douglas.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It's funny, but maybe you know it probably usually the
fight's usually one of the easier things to get into.
But then you know, lately, especially in the Colorado series,
but he seems like this year the league has been
kind of trying to not tamp down in the fight
but discours them a little bit. You know, they had
that new rule where you can't drop gloves right right
after a face off, and then they had the relative
(08:37):
new rule about the ten ten fights, so maybe it's
a little bit getting a little harder. So you gave
a good point, but maybe maybe my case may be
a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
But it's really.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
It was really an interesting fight that he was in
the Kurris Douglass and then you know he's always has
those with so much reach and so much size, but
and he's again with him Montana Travis. You know, guys
off the ice are so so friendly, so nice, so
it's really interesting to see them just throw down when
they when they are on the ice.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, well, every guy's just a different you know, just
demper mentality when they're on the ice. Even same for
you know, being a broadcaster, you put the headset on,
your whole personality changes because you know you have to
be dialed in for the next three hours. And I'm
sure for you as well, James, when you're you're writing
up your stories. Just whenever we're in our we're in
our elements, we're always maybe maybe acting a little different.
(09:31):
Obviously for them it's more violent because you're playing a
very violent sport of hockey. But yeah, it was it
was good to see, Uh, you know Kurs Douglass just uh,
you don't get the scraps of a bit more because
you know, as much as he's a great four too,
you know, when you have your big guy scrapping down
like that, it really juvenates the bench. And I think
that's what Hunter Drew is trying to do in the
(09:53):
second game and the five nothing loss, So respect him
for that. A couple of stick taps for hundred Drew
as well, because he was trying to kind of get
the team ramped up, and that's what sometimes guys do
when you're losing a game. They get into a fight
and all of a sudden it kind of wakes up
your team a bit.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It was one of those Saturdays when of those games
were just just just go right. It just wasn't the
Rudin's night.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
You talked about being a silo out and they it
seems that they gave out like Cedar Park hats because
they the they're they're located close to too close to
I say, that's close to Austin, Yeah, but they're in
the city of Cedar Park.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
So that's a place that you don't never heard of.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I mean, I have some friends that live in a
couple of friends that live in Austin, and I had
never heard of a Cedar Park other than they mentioned
that they went to a couple of starts they went
to Star Games, but they didn't say it's in Cedar
parker and like. So it's a good promotion for them
in terms of get getting the city's name out there.
And it's Cedar Park, but it's in the logo of
Jurassic Park, so they kind of look and it looked
like the Hunter on Jurassic Park Muldoon. I was trying
(10:55):
to think his first name, but I think it's first name,
but the Hunter guy on Jurassic Park. So the hats
look like that. And then the people at dinosaur costumes,
people at the Cartman costume. You know, it was a
pretty pretty well atmosphere. So it was just one of
those nights where everything kind of went in the favor
of the Stars. But you're the runners actively trying to
still fighting, still trying to trying to get that score,
(11:17):
still trying to get momentum heading into the next game.
Of this sort of road trip I counted in the
newspaper as a road trip, but you're talking about it's
not being a road trip because they come back to
and because obviously if they've come back to Son, you
come back to Son, soa, but you get more monum
heading into Cotel Vella.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, you know, I it's it's probably just the stigma
for me, right Like I say, you can say seven
dame road trip, that's totally fine. But I've just been
calling it a seven game stretch away from the two
Sunario because we come back for a day, and you know,
the first road trip bends and then you go on
another and it's not gonna feel like we're home much
because we're just home for the one night. But but yeah,
(11:57):
but now you can say it's a five game road
trip and it's a pretty pretty big one coming up
for Tucson. I think the biggest or one of the
biggest games of the series will be the one on Wednesday,
coming up in two days versus the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Firebirds are barely up right now on the Roadrunners in
the Pacific Division standings. They have a couple more games
(12:21):
more play than Tucson as well, so that's kind of
like the big difference. But right now, Roadrunners are sixth place.
They are thirty five points. Coachella values at thirty nine.
They played thirty three games. The Roadruners have played thirty.
They are two behind the Colorado Eagles. The Roadrunners technically
at the tiebreaker over the Eagles at the moment, because
though the Eagles have more wins than us, we have
(12:44):
more regulation wins than them if we get back to
the tie of the points. So that's a big thing
for Tucson too. So if you can get this win
on Wednesday, you can get back to that fifth place spot.
Let me see what else is playing on Wednesday, to
see what because James, now, we're at that time of
year where we're starting to scoreboard watch, right, and I
think it's the best time of the year when you're
scoreboard watching because it gets you really focused onto other teams.
(13:07):
But for the road Runners, since it's a Wednesday, I
was just curious to see who else would be playing.
So the Eagles are not playing on Wednesday, So this
is an opportunity for Tucson to take back that fifth
place spot and to get well within fourth place of
the Firebirds, just two points away, still with a couple
of games in hand to play. So this upcoming one
(13:29):
is you know, also the biggest I'm just gonna say
it is the biggest because it's the loans game too, right,
you don't get a back to back. Whatever happens, whatever
team loses, they're not gonna have a chance to split
the series or get a much better game the next day.
This is the one and only time you're gonna get
this for quite a while. Runners won't be back in
(13:50):
Coachella Valley until February, and it's only the one of
two times that we played Africu Arena. So this is
honestly probably the biggest game of the road trip. And
it starts on Wednesday, so it's a very beginning game.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I mean, you look back at the Texas series, it's
a couple of games against a good team, but this
is against your coachel is really evolved into arrival for
for the girun arms, being so close and being playing
so many times they played in the playoffs against each
other a couple of years ago, and the game is
so mu much more meaningful because a you know their
(14:24):
division games, so it's kind of a double not not double,
but you know, almost double points in terms of if
you get points against them, if if you get two
points against them and against zero, then that's you know,
big because you get the points and you denye them
from getting points. So it's almost in a way, if
if the play goes a certain way, it's kind of
double points.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
So it's a big you know, it's a big series
in that regard.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
And it's also they're playing the Coachell less this year
because they're playing the Southwestern teams, the California and you
know Nevada teams a little bit less than they're play
they're playing in Northern teams, you know, like we've said
that a bunch of times a podcast, where they playing Colora.
I know, they're playing Cana teams little bit more, a
couple a little more, and the schedule this year, so
it's really and obviously they're really close in the standings.
(15:08):
I mean, we talked about the standings where San Jose's
in that second spot, which is the where the runners
were last year, and that top you know, the top
spot in the rankings, I mean in the standings where
you're in that first round you're hosting, and again Calgary
is still way ahead. There's still seven points ahead of
San Jose, but San Jose is forty and then Bakersfield
(15:28):
in in eighth place, kind of that last team that's
in that kind of thick contending teams right now, contending
teams for playoffs. They have thirty so they're only ten
points separates second from eighth. So if you have another weekend,
like you know, if if they haven't a week right
this week running to have a chance to get six points,
so this this week, can you know, Wednesday in this weekend,
So if they get six points again, really shoot up
(15:50):
the standings. And but conversitly, if they struggle again, they
can really fall in the standings. So it is just
a you know, we keep not talking about it's just
such a tight division.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Yeah, and you know, I think what's also interesting, James,
I mean, Calgary's stone first place, but they're they're five
and five in their last ten games. They're not playing
as dominant as what we're used to. They did have
a really good stretch. Part of that was when the
Roadrunners played in Calgary in the beginning of December.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Two's lost both of those games.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Calgary went on, you know, I believe it was like
a nine or ten game winning streak. But now they've
they've fallen back to earth just a little bit, and
they have four more games played than two on two.
I'm not saying the Rovers are gonna catch up to them,
but you gotta consider that too, especially for San Jose
who are two games back from the Wranglers in seven
games behind. So and San Jose has also been struggling
(16:44):
a little bit in their past ten games as well.
It's it's been the Roadrunners, Eagles, Fibers, and Rain who
have been the hottest teams in the division. Ontario has
been on a crazy run, probably one of the hottest
teams in the entire league, with an eight one tozero
to one stretch in their past ten. They were on
a ten game points streak as well right before their
recent loss. Uh So, with that being said, I mean again,
(17:05):
you know we always say if you fall behind, you're
gonna you're gonna collapse. In this division, it's just how
it is. You have to keep winning games. Look at
the Abbotsford Canucks. They have a losing record now they
are oh five want to know in their last six
games for a losing streak, four or five one to
know in their last ten, and the Condors have now
tied them in the standings, Bakersfield is six to three
(17:26):
to one to know in their last ten games, and
they are right there really looking into that seventh place spot,
and Abbotsford can definitely get kicked out of the playoff
picture in the halfway point of the year.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Yeah, like you said, their owners are playing still playing
well right now. I mean if you think about it
in the negative perspective there they've lost to last three,
but obviously O standings points in that last color of
the game. And but more importantly, if you look in
the last ten game, they're seven to two and one,
so they're still still playing well, especially on the road.
(17:59):
They had that on win streak on the road that
was you know, stapped on Saturday, but they still had
that one streak. So it's a you know, it's strange
extreme way you can look at the Runners that they
kind of have that negative having you know, having that
tough game on Saturday, but for the most part you
can I think the pessimist, you know, optimistile kind of
went out in that in that argument since they're still
(18:22):
in sixth place and still seven to and one and
in their last ten games, But which is best, which
is the second best? Last ten game streak in the
in the division other than the Ontario rain who have
been eight to one zero one, so in the last
ten games.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Yeah, and you know, part of my you know split
the split the series with the good teams sweet the
bad team's mentality. I also say to try to stay
you know, around the five hundred points, you know, as
long as possible in the first half of the season,
and then go on your run. And it's exactly what
the Roadrunners have done five and five in their first
(19:00):
games one through twenty one, sorry, one through ten, second
set of ten games eleven through twenty five and five,
and now games twenty one through thirty the team has
finished seven to one and no, as you just said,
resulting in Tucson having that seventeen to twelve, one to
oh record. So and I always say, you stay five
(19:20):
hundred and then you go on that run. And the
Roadrunners just did that. They just did that in their
last ten games. But now with this, you know, end
of this road trip, you know, I would say the
most favorable one is San Diego. The road runs are
four to one against San Diego this season, already two
and two against the Wranglers, which isn't bad for considering
how good the Wranglers have been. Rumers swept them back
(19:42):
in November, they swept us in December. Then you're one
and one against Coachella Valley. But also the Roadrunners went
three and one against or sorry, three to one in
Acrisu Arena last season. They had a lot of success
in that arena, considering that it's probably the most hostile
environment of the entire AHL Pacific Division, maybe besides the
(20:03):
Colorado Eagles rink as well.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
But with that being said, Rubbers did what they had
to do.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
And now that we're near the first half of the year, uh,
you know, and the first half will end by the
time this h the rest of this road trip bends too,
we're gonna start seeing like, all right, this is what
we did in the first half, but now what can
we do to have a better second half, because again,
the Rovers still had a slower start than what we
what we were accustomed to, with a lot of games
that should have been won. And now we are going
(20:31):
to start looking at what do we need to do
in the second half to get where we want to be.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Yeah, they're you know, their little records a little bit
less than we thought it'd be at this point, but
they're still grinding and still they they've gotten up, in
my mind, a little bit comfortably away from that at
that point. I remember there was a point early in
the season where they were five hundred and then they'd
split a series or they'd lose two games, and then
then they sweep the next series and they were still
(20:59):
holding it offiven.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
So they've gotten past that.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So now the next step is to get a little
bit separation from the teams that are in the second
half of that playoffs playoff area where you want to
make sure you're in the position to host. That's a
really big big thing in that in that first round
to get that opportunity in the host because in in
that first round, both all the games are in that
in that in one city, so it's just a huge advantage.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And you you know, like.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I said, we saw it with the called football playoffs
where you know talking about that where the teams that
got the buy at a huge disadvantage. So I'm thinking
that maybe you know, Calgary, you know, obviously if you
win the division you get to put that on a
banner and everything. That's cool, But last year with the
Roader and just when they finished second, maybe it was
better than finishing first because in the sense that you
(21:45):
get those two home games and if your Calgary, you're
stingying at home waiting and you lose the momentum and everything.
So you know, positioning really matters a lot and really
really interesting in this league.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
Yeah, and it was an interesting story from last season.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
And again this is why, like, even though what the
standings they are right now, they can change at a
blink of nine, especially in this league when you have
call ups and and injuries and whatnot. But the Wrenglers
were in the xact this exact same spot last season.
It was near the All Star break, and we are
getting close to that point where we're gonna announce our
(22:20):
All Star players and our coaches as well very soon.
But Wranglers were first place when the All Star coaches
were announced, not by the All Star break, but when
the coaches were announced. Uh so, then that's why their
coach was given the opportunity to coach the All Star break,
uh coach the All Star Games for the HL specific Division.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
But then they just fell.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
They collapsed, and it's because they had a ton of
call ups and they lost a ton of players in
that stretch as well, and you know, you never know
if it can happen again. Obviously not wishing injuries on
anyone and any team, you know, we want to see
these teams play at their full capacity. But things can
always change. And even though the All Star Break is
(23:03):
about in a month, the Roadrunners had first place at
the All Star Break last year after beating the Coachella
Valley Firebirds, and then the Firebirds wanted the Vision because
they just couldn't stop winning games and the Roadrunners struggled
in the month of February, so things that can always change,
and you never know. When Tucson we had our six
game winning streak this past month, it was our best
hockey that we've seen this year from the twenty four
(23:24):
to twenty five team, but even still felt that this
team is it can do more, and we know they
can do more, and even players and coaches have said,
we're always hungry for more. And that Sixth Street six
game winning streak was great, but you still feel that
that ten game winning streak or that you know, maybe
ten game points streak is going to come for Tucson eventually.
(23:46):
And I think wherever the Roadrunners are at at that point,
is going to determine whether they can get within two
or third, second or third place of the division and
maybe get within first place with Calgary.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah, that's what they're kind of thinking about. And the
other thing you mentioned about that's funny about call ups.
Calgary even had their coach called up, so it was
different call ups. So if you look at the when
when they when the league was putting out the press
releases about the who's going to coach the teams in
the on the All Star Game in the All Star Games,
(24:20):
technically it's for Calgary. It's they're getting the coaching spot.
It's not like, oh oh their coach is getting spot
like last year Steve Popman almost got the coaching slot.
But for them, their coaches up with the Calgary Flames
up in the NHL. So right now you're kind of
looking at that their looking schedules, it's who's whoever as
a coach? Do they have that spot so that they
(24:42):
you know, they heard a little bit with that call ups.
And but interesting thing about the call ups for their
Runners just they've had a really interesting last few last
week in terms of call ups, in terms of waiver
wire and that kind of stuff with with Utah with them.
He started with Dakota Murmurs. We talked about him former
Owners captain and you we're talking about I'm kem hebig
Where he was in this in the all time list.
(25:04):
I was looking at that all time list and the
code is up there. I think he's like eighth or something.
But anyway, he was the original Roadrunner. We talked about
him being the last Roaders captain his last year and
last week Utah waved him with the attention of sending
him to Tucson and so at the time, it kind
of seemed like, no, Toronto's gonna pick him up because
(25:25):
he signed with Toronto during the off season last year,
during the off season last year, but during the during
the summer, and he got hurt early on and he
even playing, not playing a lot early on the season,
and when they waved him, there was talk that they
want to keep him up and send him to their
HL team than the Toronto Marleis. But ultimately what happened
(25:46):
was Utah came and picked him up when because they've
had a lot of injuries on their blue line and
so they Utah picked him up and he played with
Utah for about a month. But then what happened was
Utah decided that they want to try and send him
to Tucson. But so Toronto had the opportunity to pick
him up. And then once they picked him up, they
had they could send him back to the Marleys, to
(26:09):
Toronto Marley's. But what happened was until I think it
was Friday day until noon to call him up and
they didn't, and he claim on Thursday, but then claimed
on Friday. So it was like, oh, that's kind of weird,
kind of because it looked like on Friday in the morning,
you wake up and you're looking at the waiver wire
and they're like, oh, no, it looks like he's still
gonna stay. He's going to get to come back to Tucson.
(26:30):
But he ultimately gets you know, he ultimately gets claimed
by Toronto, so he goes back Toronto. And then you
look at the other thing that they happen is Utah
sent Connor Ingram, you know, which is you know, obviously
looks like he's obser getting better. They sent him to
Tucson on conditioning loan. So he comes to Tucson and
also Kevin Cantton he gets called up to Utah.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
For about a day and then he gets sent back
to Tucson.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
So it's has been a really, really weird week in
terms of the t acious for Tucson and Utah.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, and it's it's a lot different than last year, right,
Like we didn't see uh, you know, the only guy
you know getting claimed off waivers was Prosvatov last season
right when the season started, in a tent to send
him to Tucson, but then you know, got claimed by Colorado.
We saw the rest of that story.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
And then now this year we get Kyler Yamamoto through
the waivers and he actually doesn't get claimed, And now
we have one of the most skilled players in the
league right now, a guy who's played three hundred NHL games.
He was definitely an NHL player, just you know, just
in the spot right now, which is still I think
the road runs are the best spot for him right now,
just to he's showcasing his skills, right and you know
(27:43):
that in this offseason are going to be NHL teams
that are looking at him. Uh, you know, when I
don't know about trade deadline or anything, but regardless of that,
you know, wouldn't want to see Kyler Yamamoto get traded
to you know, any other team, because we love him
here in Tucson. But again, opportunities are opportunities or any team.
But with that being said, you know, the last waiver
(28:06):
was the goaltender proso top of course, as we saw
earlier last season. But now this year, we haven't seen
a lot of call ups. To be honest, we we
saw we've just seen call ups to our to our
blue line, you know, rather than last year where we
had the most call ups in the entire league. And
then you know, now you fast forward to this upcoming
(28:28):
season and what we're seeing now is, you know, Kevin
Cannati getting called up a few times. We saw Maverick
Lambrue get called up in the beginning stages of the year.
You know Max Zuber at one point as well. Uh,
but not a lot of the forts and it's shown,
you know that the Fords have just been down here
more because they're staying healthier in uh in Utah. But
then you know, as well as it is too you
(28:51):
got to get stick taps to guys like Peter Delvatory
and Land Moore who have stepped in into the big
roles for us, you know when we've been then at
defense and we even saw Hudson Wilson come on a
PTO at some point as well and play a game. So, uh,
you know, it was a great job by the management
for the road Wunners and John Ferguson to go out
and keep guys like Delvatory and Laden More on our
(29:14):
roster for this season. Now they played really big roles
with the team.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Yeah, they built a lot of depth from offices for U,
built a lot of depth for the Roadrunners. So that's
really that's worked out really well. And excuse me, sorry,
that's worked out really well obviously for for Tucson. But
not only that that they've worked out the depth. They
(29:39):
are lot depth, but they also have the right depth
in terms of like you saw last week where Cameron
Hebeck got the hat trick and usually he's a guy
who you're not expecting to get a tunnel goals and
then you know the juggern online twos to come up
big and so you still you still saw the familiar
guys like you know, Josh Jone had a couple really
(29:59):
nifty insists on Friday, but they had that depth where
you're having guys who maybe the first line guys aren't
scoring as many goals as they normally do, but they're
still Runners are still doing well because you're having a
lot of death, and you know, the coaching staff and
on the front office, they they've really found on the
right guys that fit in there, put in there.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
And you're seeing a lot of guys who are.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Not on the first line necessarily, but you know, not
on the first line, but still doing well, still still
scoring a lot. So I'm helping the team a lot.
They have a lot of good depth on the team.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, the death has been you know again, it's it's
what's been keeping the Roadrunners going as it has done
in years past. We saw all the death come in
for the team last year and now it's primarily been
last for the blue line to step into these big
roles and you know, just keep that blue line safe
for the roadmners. And again Deblatory and Lane Moore have
(30:52):
come into good spots for the team and have helped
the Roadrunners in this past ten games, which we've seen
the past ten games be the best for two despite
the series split against the Texas Stars. Let's listen to
our interview we have an interview for you guys with
me and Peter Delevatory speaking of I caught up with
them after Saturday's game to talk about the series as
(31:12):
a whole with the Texas Stars and what the road
runs can expect to see coming up in this huge
road trip. Peter, obviously, not the not the result we wanted,
but you know what can we take away from this
game and you know, maybe see what we need to
work on for the next because it's a quick turnaround
for us as this road trip continues on for us.
Speaker 5 (31:30):
Yeah, there's always positives to take away. Obviously we'd love
to sleep, especially on the road, but uh, you know,
obviously that's not the case. But like I said, pausitives,
I think I think we're good on the FORO check,
I think you know, we're hard, heavy and at the
end of the day, they're power play, you know, just
excelled and the capitalized on the chances. So there's just
a little tweaks we need to improve on. But that's
every game. And yeah, like I said, just positives to
(31:52):
take away. There's always some some few, so we just
gotta do that and look at the bright side.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
And if you've been getting some more playing time lately,
just with recent call ups to do Utah Hawk Club.
But what have you been working on in your game
as a reason and have you been seeing yourself improve
over these last few games.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Yeah, A lot of it is just keeping it simple, right,
just not doing making the big plays or the shining plays,
but just playing hard, heavy and predictable. So I'm just
trying to simplify my game, keep it simple and make
it easy on the other guys out on the ice.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
I know this was an out of division out matchup.
Now we have, you know, a five game stretch all
out way versus specific division teams. What's that going to
look like as this division continues to just be as
close as ever.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Yeah, like you said, is really tight. So these every
game matters and every shift matters, so you know we're
gonna bring that juice and we know how important they are.
So we just got to, you know, take this one
and take it on the chin and just get ready
for the next game.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Thanks Peter.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, so big rest of this road trip coming up.
First game against Coachella Valley two in San Diego, and
then two right after versus the Calgary Wranglers. James one
guy we got to talk about obviously getting the hat
trick number thirty nine, Am and he Big, and man,
what a season that he Big is having for the
(33:05):
Roadrunners right now. Points in fourteen of his last fifteen
games coming off of that hat trick as well, he
is in line to have one of his best seasons,
if not the best season yet statistically, if the Roadrunners
continue to play him every game, which obviously they should.
He's missed some games this year, but you know, if
he plays for the rest of the games for Tucson,
(33:27):
which would be around sixty seven, because he's missed five
games this season, whether it's just being scratched for the
night or just any other reason. But you know, nine goals,
eight assists for seventeen points. Right now, he's tied for
second on the team in goals with Hunter Drew, Andrew
Gazino and Kyler Yamamoto. And if he continues this pace
he's on right now, he is in line to get
(33:50):
twenty four goals and twenty one assists for forty five points,
which would all be the best of his career. And
even also this season, he's in line to break Roadrunners history.
He is I want to say, thirteen games away from
breaking the apart fourteen fourteen more games to break Michael
(34:10):
Bunteen's record of all time in second second all time
in games played, and then he needs thirty three to
break the all time record for most games played, which
belongs to Dyson Mayo, who has two hundred and seventy
nine right now. So Cameron he Big is making a
historic season for not only for the Roadrunners, but also
(34:32):
potentially for himself as well if he keeps up this pace.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah, he's the guy that you know, we talked about
the goals and this Cory streak and at scorin Ron
where he's been on. But he's also a guy that
we talked about last week how he's he's really active
in the community. He's really great representative of the Runners,
and he's also a guy who was great representati of
the Runners on the ice in terms of you know,
not just stats.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
But he's the guy who if.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
If you looked on Saturday and Friday, that he's a
guy who was getting in the middle of it, and
he's the guy who easily could have been into you know,
some of those fights too, So really getting really playing
that road on his way where you're playing really aggressive,
really tough, and you know, really impressive how he's been
able to just been on fire lately. And it's funny.
(35:17):
It was funny. I remember in the podcast on the
broadcast where he roader to score to empty that goals
at the end of the game, and the first one
you thought was was he big because he's just been
so active and he just like ended.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
I got so excited.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Yeah, so he's just been so active. It felt like
he was going to score that goal. But well he
didn't end up getting that hat trick on a third
on the second empty that goal. But that's just been
how he's been lately playing lately, just just been on
a tearror.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Really.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned that, James, because that's it's
actually a really funny story. So in case you guys
did miss the Cameron hebec hat trick. We had the
empty nets right in front of the you know, the
Stars had pulled their goldie. We had an empty net
going the other way and Josh Jone got it to
his right side for Aku Ratu who scored. And you
(36:10):
know it's all in the moment, right and he thirty
thirty nine is or thirty eight is right next to
thirty nine because Ratchu changed his number to thirty nine
this season, and you know, you just you want the
best for the situation. Obviously, I'm happy that Ratu got
a goal in the game, but yeah, I thought it
was Cameron Hebik for the first part, and I'm like, oh, that's.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
The hat trick.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
He got it, and then I then I fight happens,
and then I look again. I'm like, oh, my god,
that's Rottu and then I'm like, no, it's actually Aku Ratu.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
That's my mistake.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
But then he Big had the puck on his stick
again and then he scored the hat trick, so I'm
really glad he was able to do that.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
Again.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Congratulations to he Big on scoring the hat trick. But yeah,
kind of a funny instance there, and I do apologize
for fans out there initially also thought it was he
Big just from either listening to me or not, and
got excited in that moment. But still it was a
really fun night. Really happy to see he Big score
that hat trick for the Roadrunners. Josh Stone getting three
(37:08):
assists in a game as well, for the second time
in his career, getting three points in a night in
his first time getting a three assist night. Artam Dude
I had multiple points. Curtis Douglas for his second goal
this season. Kyler Yamamoto got his point streak to five
at the moment and three games in a row with
the goal as well. Those were both snapped on the shutout, obviously,
(37:29):
but he's still continuing to be a lethal player for
the Roadrunners. And you know, despite the split series, I
think Friday's night's game still told us a lot about
what this team can accomplish.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Yeah, it was. It was a really impressive game.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I don't really we think about it because it's it's
not the blowout that took his head on Saturday. But
it's a really promising game because it was back and
forth like they've been having those games against with against
the top teams. But then Drunners pulled away in the
third period, and really what happened was it looked like
the like the Stars were gonna retake their lead. It
(38:02):
was about eight nine minutes ago when they were really threatening.
Really they had a lot of chances and the defense
that Matt Velota really stood really stood up well and
got that stop and then they were went able, we were
able to score again and then pulled away with a
couple efty that goals. But it was really, it was
really impressive how they were able to win that game.
And I was looking at it on my phone, looking
(38:25):
at this, you know, looking at the games games Center
thing because I wasn't watching the game live, but I
was watching it and it's like score score, as Oh,
I have a sense of where this game is going.
But then I look at sixty three, I was like,
well what happened? So it was really it's a really
wild game, really really impressive win for the road Roaders.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Yeah, and these away games have been have all been
hard fun. I mean even in the Abbotsford series in
which the River has got a sweep in their first
sweep on the road this season. You know, they lost
or they were a part and they were trailing both
of those matt Is going into each third period. And
it was the same story at least in Texas, in
(39:06):
which the Roadrunners were trailing on the Friday night game
as well, and then they ended up tying things up.
You know, they're down to the one. They had a
three to two league going to the third period. Texas
tied it. And it's funny, Texas is the only team
that has defeated US in which we have a lead
after two periods, so you're thinking, like, oh my gosh,
here we go again. Here, here just comes Texas, even
(39:27):
though it's just a one goal game, and then we
ended up winning the matchup. But the away has actually
been a very tough for the Pacific Division throughout the
whole season. So we're seven and seven right now, which
is ranked eleventh best in the Western Conference and seventh
best in the HLS Pacific Division. All in all, the
division this year is seventy one sixty nine eight and
(39:50):
three on the road compared to eighty three fifty eight,
three and ten on the road. And I get it,
it's hard to get wins away from your home arena,
having your whole crowd behind you. But it's just interesting, James,
and I think that's gonna show how more important it
is for whole mis advantage in the first couple of
rounds of the hl's Pacific Division playoffs, at least, you know,
(40:13):
when you have just a two game series when you
don't even get to go home, rather than maybe the
five game series where we do get to go home
for a couple of the games at least. But yeah,
so you know, considering that Tucson seven and seven record
away from home is not terrible considering how much the
division has struggled getting wins on the road.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Yeah, it's really if you think about it's really interesting
that their five hundred record on the road. We talked
about they want to be away from five hundred overall,
but five hundred on the roads very respectable, especially going
in the series. When I was talking on to the
guys about their road record and it was kind of
mix of the pageons on it. A couple of guys,
(40:53):
the players that I talked to, they were like, oh,
you have to we're doing around the road with a
good record, and you know that was during during their
winster on the road. But Steve on the other hand,
was like, oh, well, we wouldn't improve that. We wen't
want to do better on that. So obviously the coaches
kind of always want to look better and you know,
do better. But it's a way that you can look
at from one perspective that it's a positive and that
they're they're able to reach seven a five hundred on
(41:15):
the road and on the other hand, it's like, oh,
they should be doing better, you know. So it's it's
it's kind of interesting. You can look at it either way.
For me, I think it's impressive, you know. I tend
to think it's it's a good one. In the last year,
they had that crazy road record where they're were for
a lot of the season, they were better on the
road than they were at home. So I don't think
you didn't replicate that, but you don't really necessarily need to.
(41:37):
But I think that this is kind of what a
normal team, a normal good team would have the kind
of results like this on the road. But it's also
interesting to note about the Pacific Division that we need
to bring it up that it's such a different beast
in terms of road games because you're you're you're flying
your take long bus ride instead of going from like,
you know, one part of Pennsylvania and other part of Pennsylvania,
(41:59):
or one part of Northeast to other card north east,
you know. So it's just a lot different than the
other visions. Even even the Western Conference. Texas is out
kind of on an island right there, but you have Chicago,
you have Rockford, you know, Milwaukee, all those teams right
close by, so it's just a very different situation. And
in the Pacific because the teams travel so much and
(42:20):
they play the two game series as opposed to the
usually playing the one game. I'm obviously the road owners
have this one game on this week when they play Hochello,
but most of those teams and then the Northeast they
play out, they must same schedule, playing in a one
game often instead of a series. So it's just just
a lot different division. So it's really you kind of
expect that because we talk about tough the division is,
(42:41):
but in terms of depth, in terms of talent, but
it's also it's just tough to get those wins on
the road, especially you're flying up to Calgary, you're flying
up to Mabtsford, or you're busting across California, busy across
the desert, you know.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
So it's just a tough situation.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Yeah, that's actually that's actually a really good point, James
could be because even in this in our own division,
I would say the best spots are for Ontario, San
Diego and Coachella Valley because they're all within you know,
maybe just an hour or two of a bus ride
within one another. But then you have San Jose who's
(43:18):
kind of up there having to at least have just
an hour flight, So even they're not that bad of
a spot. And maybe they're just a four hour bus
ride from Bakersfield and then Bakersfield having the bus around
at least it's just a four hour bus ride, which
still isn't that bad. Whereas our closest opponent is the
are the Firebirds, where we have to bus five hours
away and you know, and I think the hardest travel
(43:41):
would be for teams like Abbotsford and Calgary, which have
to have about a three hour flight to get where
they need to go, and that's not including getting to
the airports and getting off. It's a really long process
and it's tough sometimes when you are flying it somewhere
and you get to your city like you know, seven
eight pm and you have a game the next day.
(44:02):
That's why this trip is also a little bit more
beneficial for Tucson. Yes, we have the long bus ride tomorrow,
but we're not going to be getting in Coachell Valley
too late, especially with the time change as well. We're
leaving about after practice and then we have our game
on Wednesday, but then we get the bus to San
Diego right after that game, which is around two hour
bus ride, so we'll get the San Diego late on Wednesday,
(44:24):
but then it's just a practice same on Thursday, Friday,
Saturday games and then Sunday we fight at Calgary. Then
we have a Monday day in Calgary. So this trip
has also been a beneficial for Tucson. Yes, it's a
lot of traveling, but at least we're getting to our
destinations a day prior to give the guys a time
to just get acclimated and get the rest day you
need to play these big games coming up.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah, it's a good thing to get applicating acclimated, especially
you're going from Tucson or from Coachell Valley or southern
California up to Canada, where it's helps with a lot
different weather. They're there use to that weather change, but
it's still has to be a big shock and it's
also it's also you know, you have the seven game
series now and then you have the Gyms Roadchip coming up,
(45:06):
so it's also in a way it's a good preparation
for that Gyms a road ship because you have a
lot of guys like you know, Cameron he Big whatnot
who have played that played on that Gymster road trip.
But you have a lot of and then they have
a lot of Verdom players on the team, I like Circle
Off and and whatnot. But you have a lot of
guys who came in and aren't experienced with that Gymster
(45:28):
road trip for Tucson. So in a way, this is
kind of preview for that one, which the Gymster road
Trip is going back to being a kind of a
tougher one in the sense that last year and the
year before it was broken up by the All Star break.
So you have the they had like three games or something,
and then they have they break for the All Star Game.
You know, they go to their families, they go back
to Son whatever, and the guys playing the All Star Game,
they go to the All Star Game. Uh, the All
(45:49):
Star Games, so.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
I do that.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
But this year they don't have that because the All
Star Game, the All Star Break happens right after that
Rower his last home stand. So they go, they play,
and then they travel at that you know travel trawl
right for that, so they don't have that breakup. So
it's it's back to being that kind of tougher version
of the Zoomshore road trip. So it's nice for this
this road trip too, road trip Roadswing to prepare the
(46:14):
guys for the Gym chairoad trip on the next month.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
Yeah, it's definitely the time of year now for Tucson
in this twenty four to twenty five season that we
are really starting to see that the travel getting piled up.
And yeah, yeah, we have the home stand coming up
at the end of January, but we have a couple
of big matchups starting with Coachella Valley on Wednesday, two
games on versus San Diego on Friday and Saturday, and
(46:38):
then the following week a matchup with the Calgary Wranglers
on Tuesday and Wednesday before the road runs head back home,
and then we have a nice weekend off as well
right after that, right after or right before the next
home stand coming up for your two sound Rutterers.
Speaker 4 (46:52):
Well, James, great show.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
As always, Thanks for everyone tuning in on this week's
Insider podcast. If you're listening on this Monday night, Kim Coda,
Robas and I will be back on Tuesday night for
our usual Tuesday night get together for runners.
Speaker 4 (47:06):
Happier with our strength and Performance coach.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Parker Poor, so we'll be having him on the show
as well. And do we even call him a strength
and performance coach. Yeah, they're coaches, right, everyone's a coach
when it comes to the hard working staff of our
Roadrunners team. But regardless of that, yeah, we'll have Parker
Poor on the show for our Tuesday night get together
or if you're listening on Tuesday, that show will be
happening tonight as well. Good night, folks, have a great
(47:33):
rest of your Monday evening. We'll see you on the
Tucson Roadbunds Happy our show. We'll see you later on
this week for a big matchup versus the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Have a great week, everybody,
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