February 25, 2025 • 51 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Arizona Daily Star's James kelley recap Tucson's two-game sweep and season series victory over the Abbotsford Canucks. They hear from Head Coach Steve Potvin anf forward Cameron Hebig on the feisty two games and Andrew Agozzino's OT-Winner plus the aftermath. They discuss the recent transaction of Juuso Valimaki and what could be expected of his presence of the team and the conclusion of the Four-Nations Faceoff Tournament
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
When you want more road runners, We've got more road runners.
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the road Runners, Jonathan Shafer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's pretty odd and your new best friend, my best friend,
Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. The guys are already talking,
so let's join up right here on your twoson Roadrunners
Insider Podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
A sweep for the Roadrunners over the Baker's Field Condors.
Welcome everyone to this week's edition of the two Sun
Roadrunners Insider Podcast. Jonathan Schaeffer here with Arizona Daily Stars
James Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Is Tuesday morning.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
We are ripping it here on the podcasts, as we
always do, lots to uncover. A lot has happened since
the last time we spoke. A lot has happened just
yesterday as well. Blah blah, A lot of interviews with
Cameron Ebig and Steve pot Good sound bites after Saturdays.
(01:03):
Awesome for three overtime victory, James, good to have you
once again on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Good to see what a series that was for Tucson.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Against the Abbotsford Canucks might have been the most entertaining
series of the season, might have been one of the
most entertaining series we've had in the last two years.
I mean, just the way that it was played between
those two teams. It really felt like a playoff like atmosphere,
and we haven't really seen a lot of that lately
with you know, just to slide that Tucson went through
(01:36):
and you know, starting to find the wins again, and
we did. We did against the Abbotsford Canucks in two
games and now all of a sudden on the standings,
Tucson's just five points away from the Canucks and the
San Jose Barracuda getting three points ahead of the Bakers
wil Conders and the standings as well. There were two
(01:57):
really important games we also won this season. Series against Abbasford.
We saw tons of fighting, scrappiness, Andrew Agazino in his
second game back to the lineup, pretty much getting in
a fight right after scoring the ot winner.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It was a lot to uncover.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
It was an amazing series and I think the Roadrunners
are at an all time high for the first time
in really about a month and a half. As the
team is starting to find wins a game. It wins
again with a five three to zero to one record
in the last nine games.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Yeah, obviously had been you know a while since, also
said home game. I looked when I got the credential thing. Well,
when I got I did literally check to see if
there was dust on it. But it wasn't. But it
felt like it might have been. But been such a
long time since I had home game. But it was
well worth the wait in terms of it was a
great series, really exciting, you know, a lot of fun
on Saturday night with Dusty's birthday and the jerseys for
(02:52):
the kids, and then a good result for the Roadrunners
and then a really exciting game on Sunday. So it's
a really good game for the road Ounners. And not
only that, but if you look at the standings again
he mentioned it, it's a it's a good spot for
them to kind of solid find themselves a little bit
more in that seventh spot. After they did. They had
a close loss, of course to Coachella the other day,
(03:14):
but the two big wins against Abbotsford and it puts
them really three three points ahead uh Bakersfield, but they're
now seven games in the in the tiebreak and the
first tiebreaker the regulation wins, which was funny last week
I mentioned that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think it was because I remember last.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Year the first timereaker was regulation wins because I had
to kind of check where it was, but it's actually
on the bottom of the page. So it's that same
one page where the tiebreakers are.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
So oh gosh, I didn't even see that. You're right,
that might be smart to start looking at more.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah, so I know until until after the podcast last week.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
So there are seven games ahead of Bakersfield in that spot,
so they are three points head actually, but it's really
more like four points because it's gonna be hard to
make up seven regulation wins. And at this point in
the season, so they're still you know, on the Runners case,
they're still twenty two games left and Big Sual that
does have a couple of games in hand, but it's
still they're pretty far ahead till now. Tenant their opportunity
(04:13):
to kind of taste bigger taste San Jose at five,
I mean six, and Asca at five and and of
course Colorado at four that last spot with ames advantage.
So Runners are in a good spot with especially with
that sweep.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Yeah, and now Ontario's in first in the Pacific Division.
After the Calgary Wranglers have lost another game. They've still
been banking points with the overtime and shootout losses. But
for the second straight year in a row, James, We've
always said never, it's never guaranteed that you're gonna finish first.
No matter how long you have it, you have to
(04:49):
have it up until the very end of the season,
until the final game is done. And Calgary has lost
it for the second straight year after they had it
longer this year. Last season it was they lost it
right before the All Star Break and then that's when
they went all the way down to seventh. This year
took a little bit longer, but we're still pretty close
(05:10):
post All Star break. I mean, we're only nine games
since the All Star Break concluded a few weeks so
only maybe we would say three weeks later from last season.
That the second straight year the Wranglers have, you know,
fallen under. And it just shows that it doesn't matter
where you are halfway through the season.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It doesn't matter where you are.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
With twenty five games left to go in the season,
and at this point, Tucson at fifty games, so we're
at twenty two games left. It's it's not gonna matter
here either. We still have a shot for more higher seed.
You just never know what's to come. I mean, Tucson
can even lose the playoff spot that they're in, so
nothing is guaranteed. Even when there's gonna be five games left.
(05:51):
This division just continues to constantly change. San Jose has
been falling a bit. We just saw Abbotsford, you know,
just swept them in two games. They got a point
at the end, but they're injured, their goaltending struggling. Colorado's
on a good tear right now. Coachella Valley's coming back
to life. And then the Wranglers, as they just said,
(06:12):
are in another little collapse. Not as bad as last time,
but I mean they have lost it to the Ontario Rain.
And the Rain have been the best team in the
league arguably for pretty much the last two months. They've
been on top of the power rankings by Flow Sports.
They pretty much are over fifteen games over five hundred.
(06:34):
I mean, they have thirty one wins. They have the
most wins in the Pacific Division, the tied for the
second most regulation wins in the entire league. I mean,
and for the roadruns to be in some close games
with them is good too, But we haven't beaten up
this year yet and we play them next week, so
it's always going to be ever changing. Obviously, a bit
(06:54):
more tough looking for the home ie advantage for the
first round of the playoffs, but at this point you
just want to make it right. If it's the best
of two series, that helps. That's more of an advantage
for the lower seed in my opinion, because it puts
so much more pressure on the higher seed. So for Tucson,
just keep doing what you can do, control what you
(07:14):
can control, and just keep banking the wins as much
as possible.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Yeah, again, we keep saying it's such a wild division.
I mean you see up top where Calgary. I thought
they held onto the first first spot for longer than
I kind of expected because they had a lot of
terminal I mean, they had their It was funny with
the All Star break where they how the how the
the league does it is if you're leading a division
at the calendar year change on January first, then you
(07:39):
get to host, then you get to have that head
coaching spot at the All Star Game. And so they
had that, but but there but their head coach had
moved up to the Flames to be an assistant, interim
assistant over there, and so they had an interim coach
who was They're doing it, still doing well by the
time of the All Star Game, but then he actually
he had to have a procedure done over them, not convergency,
(08:01):
but it was got scheduled already, but he had a
procedure during the All Star back, so they had to
cut of their third street coach coming up. So that's
how much how many changes they've had so and if
you look at it, they've for the whole year, they've
had so many games ahead of they played so many
games that helped them in the points and help them
the standings. But now if you look at it, Ontario's
(08:21):
really has kind of a They're only one point had Calgary,
but they have a really big lead in terms of
they have a couple of games in hand on Ontario,
I mean on Calgary Ontario does then they have three
games in it and on Coachella, which is third place
also with sixty four points. So Ontario's were doing well,
but then he looked down at the bottom. S San
(08:42):
Diego ninth place, Henderson tenth place, and we saw them
a few weeks ago, and they didn't really look like
those two teams didn't really look like their bottom of
the bottom of the division. They played really well and
maybe Henderson had just matches up ball against Tucson, but
they to me, they just didn't look like they were
last place team. So the the division is so deep
and so hard to do stuff, and it's so hard
(09:04):
to move up and so so easy to fall if
you get on losing streaks. So like you said, it's
it's just a situation where things aren't just not said
and done. I mean, there's so many games left to
go and so many, so many apportunities that move up
and down in the rankings.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And then sentence.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Yeah, and it's funny that the Goals and the Silver
Knights are have some of the best records in the
past ten games of the division and two soon's in
a good spot. You know, as I said, five to
three one in the last nine games, you've wont to
be technical five to three to zero to two in
the last ten games because we lost in the shootout
right before the All Star break started.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So uh yeah. For Tucson to get.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Points in seven of the last ten games is solid
because at this point it's always the points that matters. James,
how about those games against habitsheard right, we'll talk about
the first matchup first.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It was what felt like an absolute blood bath.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Uh, you know, didn't see any blood on the ice,
but you know, just kind of felt like it, right,
you know, it was. It was a huge crowd, it
was the first game back in over two weeks. Tucson,
I would say, really came to life in that second period.
Even though they had a one nothing lead going to
that second period, nine total penalties in that frame, Hunter
(10:24):
drew gond a six fight of the season. He's now
leading the team in fights with Montana and Bucci and
Curtis Douglas at nine and even Max Zuber gone his
first fight of ever of his career in that period too.
That's how you know how much things really got ramped
up between these two teams. And really you can date
(10:45):
it back all the way to October when Montana and
Yobucci throw a really hard hit on a on an
Abbotsford player. I believe those chase waters and that one
that started up a lot of you know, just extra
extra fire under the flame for these two teams. And
you know, last time Apptsford played US, they swept US
at home back in January. It was part of the
(11:05):
eight game losing skids. So it was just a lot
of bad blood in the in these two games, especially
on Really you can say you can argue both games,
but we said we'll talk about what we saw on
Sunday too. But as for Saturday, yeah, just saw the fights,
all the penalties, everything just going on after plays. It
was quite an entertaining game. We had a three nothing lead.
(11:28):
Cameron he Big, Hunter Drew and Igor Sokolov scoring the
goals for US. He Big it's now to goals eighteen
and nineteen. He scored on Sunday too. He is now
the fourth all time most scoring roadrunner in team history,
just surpassing yan Yanique with a couple of points over
the weekend as well. Hunter Drew continues to stay hot.
(11:49):
He has three goals in his last four games prior
to that prior to Sunday, it was three goals in
his last two games as he scored another one with
a snipe and Igor Soklov nice for him to get
back on the scoreboard again. And James's more, we talked
about We were starting to see everybody put up the
points for us, and that was what we were missing
(12:09):
when we were losing games, especially with Andrew Ragazino coming
back into the mix as well. He didn't get a
point his first game, but then his second game scored
the ot winner and just the importance of him coming
back to this lineup. Sammy Walker had two assists on
the Sunday game. Uh. He was the primary cyst or
parton the secondary assist on the overtime goal. And it's
(12:32):
it's good to see that Tucson's seeing everybody starting to score.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
Yeah. I was covering on Saturday. I was covering the
women's game, helping out on filling in you a women's
fashtal game, And when I came on Sunday, You're like, oh,
he missed a great game on Saturday. I was like,
I kind of saw, but you know, I saw the
cat kind of tweets about it and the you know,
the score line and stuff like that. But then one
ones actually saw the game, I was like, well, it's
a great game. You know, you started off with that
(12:59):
Orse goal, which is which you thought was goal of
the season, but maybe maybe the the game, maybe the
overtime winner on Sunday's game goal the year maybe perhaps,
but that was start off with a great goal right there,
and lots of action, you know, obviously the so many,
(13:20):
so many penalties on such an aggressive game. You know,
it talked about it being a you know, atmosphere, but
there's a little bit more fighting than you're kind of
used to because because of badlove between those guys. It's
also one thing I don't think you did mention was
that to Sound swept them Avaur on the road in
his last two games before the Christmas breaks, So there
are probably a lot of bad blood due due to
(13:40):
that because you know, that was one of the games.
I remember the one of the Avasur players he stared
at the bench after he scored, and then you saw
a lot of that action this weekend. But kind of
stuff like that, the kind of extracurricular activities this weekend.
But there's just been a lot of bad bud between
the two teams this whole year, and then it really
kind of produced a couple of really good, really exciting games,
(14:04):
starting with the game on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, that was the best part of the night.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Right on Sunday, Agazino scores, the ot winner goes right
to Carlson and pushes him down, and there's actually you
actually asked Steve Povin about that that pushed by Agazino
after it's going to ot winner, and we got that
clip too, Steve Poppin on just what the reasoning of
(14:30):
Andrew Gazino giving Carlson a nice little shove at the
end of the game to uh, you know, just ice
that great victory for Tucson.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Well, there's a little you know, there was a game
within the game. I think that, you know, the I
don't know if the fans got to see it, but
you know, one of their players was, you know, acting
a little inappropriate and warm up. You know, you shot
a puck at one of our guys. And then when
they scored late, they came by and looked at our
bench and Haggie said, well, listen, if I score and
(15:02):
he's out there against me, I'm gonna make sure he's aware.
And it was great to see him get rewarded with
the goal. But it's the old saying. You know, you
respect the game, the game will respect you back. And
I love that we were trying to do what we
could to respect the game and clearly there's uh, you know,
it was a little different with the opposition in certain situations,
(15:25):
and I love that we handled it.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
How awesome is that, James, That's like a that's like
a movie moment. If we score and he's on the
ice with me, I'm gonna I'm going after him. That
was Carlson because he scored the game time goal and
he went to our bench and stared our bench down.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's like, you don't do that.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
You're asking for trouble if you do that, especially for
this Roadrunners team, right And for him to score and
Carlson to just be right there was just absolutely perfect.
And yeah, that's a good point by pop n. I mean,
if you respect the game enough, you're you're gonna get rewarded.
And Agazino got rewarded for one of the probably the
(16:04):
most exciting moments of this Roadrunner season.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Yeah, just amazing, amazing secrets of events right there. Maybe
not the best goal in terms of you know, breakaway
like that isn't as pretty as an Egor goal, but
then you have that great that great sally after And
actually Alian was the one who asked about that because
I was gonna ask one of the players about because
I didn't know it was.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
So deep the reason behind what happened.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
And also shout out to the Runners fans because when
I was going down, when I was going down to
the reach after the game, I heard one of him
say like, yeah, that guy really deserved that hit.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You know.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
I was like, wow, I didn't realize. I was like,
what happened? To ask called people. They didn't know what happened,
and then Steve came back and explained it. So I
was like, well, that's a great, great reintroduction too. I
mean it was the second game back, but still kind
of second game back for Brander Agazino.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Great.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Great to see him back in the road Runners uniforms.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Yeah, it just shows how important a guy like Agazino
is to the lineup. You know, when he was heard
in San Diego back in January, we we went on
a nine one to nine run in claning the eight
game losing skid, and then we finally had gotten out
of it with the road trip, the Solid Gem Show trip,
(17:20):
and now you come back home and you win two
games in a row in the first two games that
he returned. So he's a huge asset to this team.
He's viable to the lineup. He's you know, he's a
leader on the ice, and for him to do what
he did on Sunday just gets everyone juiced up. Like
your your assistant captain is the one going out there
and doing that. It's like you want to follow him
(17:40):
into war, you know. So it's it's fantastic to have
him back out there, and it's you know, just don't
be surprised if the Roadrunners get a good, nice run here,
you know, to pretty much solidfy themselves in the playoffs.
Not saying Agazino is the entire team, but just having
him in the lineup. You know, when we say like
having Josh Stone in a locker room slash lineup, and
(18:00):
you know other players all over you know Ryan McGregor
in the mix too when he gets his play and
under Drew, like these guys bring a lot to the
table when they play, and it not only their skill
set but just who they are as a person. Helps
everybody to line up, you know, just stay up the speed,
stay up the tone, and are always wait ready, let's
(18:22):
get to our next sound bites. As you always ask
James what you think of the series, ask Steve Povin
dat to get the interviews started as well.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Listen, I'm proud of our guys, you know, especially coming
off a long road trip like that. Typically when you
come back home, you know, you let your guard down
a little bit and it's it's hard to manufacture some points.
And I'm proud that they didn't give themselves a pass.
I really like that they they stretched the line of
their discomfort and they were able to stay disciplined, and
(18:54):
they showed a lot of courage this weekend.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Yeah, James, there was a lot of courage in that.
That's a good point by Poppin. Didn't let the distractions
of coming home get to us. I think it helped
that it was such a quick turnaround, right. We got
home Thursday morning six am and then played a game
on Saturday, so we didn't really even have time like
for everyone else, so it was like, yeah, we're back,
you know, we're back playing. And then for everyone else
(19:19):
that was with the team on the road, it's like, no,
we've been doing this for the last two weeks. We're
just back in two so which is great, but at
the same time, you're still playing games, you're still working
the games, doing the prep everything, so I think it
helped the guys to not have much time to really
think about it.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
But it was a very hero series by our team.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, such a quick turnaround. I asked them about that.
I'm finally getting the chest to rest. I mean, obviously
they're having momentum, they're playing well, I'm playing all last
few games, so maybe they don't want that rest, but
it is good to get that rest because they had
so many games and quick any quick succession. I mean,
you go back to they paid that Henderson and a
(20:02):
couple on Saturday and Sunday series, and then they played
at Coachell on Wednesday, and then you mentioned the quick turnaround,
and not only that, but physically it was tough, but
also that loss on Wednesday had to be tough because
you look down at the final score line as five
to two, but it was three to one for much
of the game, and that was only three to one
because they had a couple of quick goals and quick
succession like.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
That Coachella did. And then.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Obviously you go back and let me see who check.
I forgot who scored that goal?
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Let me.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, oh yeah, Hunter Hunter had a great game.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
That Hunter two had a great game that and Coachella,
and he scored again over the weekend against Atmospherd, but
he scored the big goal to get within one goal.
But then what ended up happening at the end of
the Coachell game is the Firebirds scored a couple of
empty net goals, which I don't know if you saw that.
On that first one, it was a really weird play
where the nine men was passing the puck and hit
(21:00):
the hit it sticked on the ice and it came
back to him and so he's like, well, I'll just
take it, and so he shot it. And so I'm
assuming they had to kind of mess with the road
owners in terms of they weren't expecting the shoot right there.
So it's always obviously tough to defend when you have
an empty net. But that's kind of a situation where
it was kind of shocked and kind of almost Lucas
(21:20):
play where they scored that first empty night Bowl. So
it was kind of a shocking end that game, but
they were runners were able to come back and get
that real quick West and to come back and then
get the sweep against Abbitsford.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Here's also Steve Poppin on just our recent play too,
after the Sweeper versus Abbotsford again five to three, zero
to two in the last ten games. You know, points
in seven of the last ten games is pretty good.
I mean, just unfortunately those two shootout losses against the
Ontario Rain before the all start breaking, then Henderson during
the Gems Show trip. But it's a marathon, not a sprints.
(21:55):
It's it's slowly and maturely seeing the wins again. And
with Andrew Ragausino back in the lineup. Now Hunter Drew
is starting to get hot again. He bigs starting to
ramp it up. You know, had a couple of games
post All Star where he wasn't getting the points on
the board, but now he's starting to again, soa glove
on the board, and Yamamoto's continuing to be a point
(22:16):
per game player. It's all starting to finally come together.
Matthew Vilalta and Staber got us two good wins with
over thirty saves a piece. In the Abbotsford series. Abbotsford
completely outshot us and in both of the games as
well by big margins. So it was a whole team
effort against Abbotsford. And you're Steve Pavin on the team's
recent play as well.
Speaker 6 (22:36):
I like that they're playing for each other, and I
like that they're disciplined in the game and with our plan.
You know, I see that they're managing pucks at a
much higher rate. They're able to get pucks in and
apply pressure on the on the defense. I love that
our special teams is clicking at the right time. You
cannot have success in this league or any league if
(22:59):
your special teams aren't clicking.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
And you know, it.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Was great to see our power play get two goals
tonight and look at our I thought our our PK
did all that they could. They brought it to thirteen
seconds and you know, unfortunately we couldn't you know, kill
it completely off. But we appreciated the effort and we
recognize that the you know, the work that they put in.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah, that's that's a good point by Steve too. Everyone's
just playing for each other still, No, you know, despite
when we saw the losses piling up, the guys were
still playing for one another. There was never any locker
room drama or anything happening. You know, these guys stayed
with one another, They stuck with it, They kept working hard,
showing up to practice and eventually you do get rewarded,
(23:45):
you know, when you put in the hard work. So
kudos did Steve Pobbin and the coaching staff to you know,
still keep everyone fuse together, the captains for keeping everyone
fuse together and just a player is still playing for
one another. And now we're starting to see the results.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
And there they got through that period where they had
that kind of struggle obviously with the losing streak, and
they had a lot of guys moving up and down,
and they had guys injured and everything. But looks like
they're kind of settling in. They they got Connan and back,
they got Agazino back ops you mentioned, and they also
Utah Center for USA Valley Maka from you know, from
(24:24):
the NHL, he cleared waivers and came coming came to Tucson.
He's a guy who he played briefly with the Sockton
Heat and then he went up to which your Calgary,
Calgary's affiliate at the time, and then they moved obviously
the Calgary to you know, Calgary Flames affiliate and they
moved to Calgary to be the Calgary Rangers. And then
(24:45):
so he played some time there and then he joined
the Coyotes in twenty twenty two, and then he was
a regular, obviously playing really well for playing a lot
for the Coos, and then obviously played with Utah this year,
and then he sends them over so to boost over
the blue line.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Yeah, it's I was. I was, to be honest, I
was quite shocked. It's it's kind of like Yamamoto back
in the beginning of the season. You know, you see
these guys going waivers and you gotta wait the day.
You're like, Okay, let let's see if this happens. And
I have notifications turned on for the Utah Hockey Club PR,
so I'm always on, always seeing what's going on, and
(25:24):
wake up yesterday morning and get the notification that he
has passed waivers he will be assigned to the Roadrunners.
I was quite shocked. I think he's a you know,
he's a very experienced NHL defenceman. I mean he's played
forty three games with the Utah this season, sixty eight
games prior with the Arizona Coyotes, seventy eight games his
first full season with the Coyotes.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
Ya.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
As you mentioned, James started with the Calgary Flames and
the Stockting Heat as well. He has so much experience,
and I just don't know why, you know, a team
just didn't want to, but you know, it's just the
situation that the team is in, right, Like we just
black Colytonic get claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins a few
weeks back, and who knows, maybe if I was uh
Uso Valimachi, Penguins probably would have gone him, and maybe
(26:09):
we would have been with Colyachonic if it was reversed around.
So uh excited to have him. We'll welcome here and
him here in Tucson. I mean, obviously no no easy
situation being put placed on waivers like that. But from
what I've heard, he's a he's a great guy. Just
might be a little shocked, you know, just in the
hole everything that has changed. But I think, just like, yeah, mooto,
(26:31):
this is the best situation you can possibly be in.
Steve Popman knows you know how to make you a
star player. It will be a huge boaster for for
the blue line as well, and James, this team is
looking more and more talented as we continue down the line.
And uh yeah, well we're just we're excited to have
him and we'll see how this goes.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Yeah, the the the whole way waiverwared thing is so hectic,
you know, you know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
I guess sometimes, like like you said, I was surprise
that those guys said Declear waivers. But maybe sometimes you
know his situation where teams don't want to make room,
they don't want to resk move around their roster or
in the in the K case Coachell.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
The other day their goalie Grubauer.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Came came from Seattle and he, you know, he came
to he came to play for Cochel for the first
time and he's playing in the first for the in
NHL the first time in ten years since he played
three seasons with their Hershey Bears and now he's playing
with the Firebirds. So but that's another kind of feather
in the cat for a hunter Drew scoring a couple
of goals against the guy who played so many years
(27:36):
in the NHL as goalie.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
So it's just a wild The waiver war is just wild.
You know.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Here everyone's gonna happen. And I can't imagine what's what
it's like to be on the waiver wire because you
have no idea where you're gonna go. I mean, are
you going to go to are you gonna go to Tucson?
Are you going to go to Coachella? Or are you
going to go to somewhere else in one of the
thirty two cities in the NHL. So just it's just
a wild situation.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Yeah, And I think what's exciting too, is, you know,
just the we've had a lot of mid season like
guys come to the team, right, we'd even start with Yamamoto. Uh,
it was still very much in the beginning of the season,
but uh, you know, we we had already had our
first home stand by then, and then we're on our
uh our second road trip already by that point too.
(28:17):
And then we got Yabamoto from the waivers. Then we
acquired Sammy Walker at the All Star Games or part
of an All Star break, uh, and then we get used
of Valmaki for you know, we'll see how long. Don't
know what's gonna happen. Trade deadline is is coming up
soon too. That's not guaranteeing he's gonna be traded, but
you just never know. It's this is the you know,
(28:38):
this is the league where assets are moved sometimes too,
and in trades, especially at the HL trade deadline is
a week after the NHL trade deadline.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
But uh, you know, we'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
But I would say by post trade deadline, if he's
still here, then guaranteed a Roadrunner for the rest of
the season and he'll help this team U push for
the playoffs and potentially a called their Cup as well
once the uh, the playoffs start.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Yeah, you never know what's gonna go on with the
trade deadline usually, but especially now with the with the
hockey club, with Hockey Club and Tucson because they do
obviously have the same Utah and Tucson have the same
front office in terms of hockey operations, but they do
have a different ownership, so you know they might be
wanting to in that first season, Utah might want to
push more to the playoffs and when the last couple
(29:25):
of years they've been building up and building building the team,
So who knows about that, and it's just a it's
just a wild situation. Also with the with the trade deadline,
you don't know, you know, what's gonna happen with that.
They did pick up the road Runners specifically, they usually
don't do a lot of deals, but they did bring
in on Walker and then a couple of years ago
(29:48):
they brought in who's the captain.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
From Sorry, Stephen Camper, Steven.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Campers from captain from Michigan. Uh, it's run Stephen Camfor.
He gave them a big boost and they got to
the you know, they're able to get get pushed and
get back in the playoffs that year. So that that
was exciting, and you see see Walker he's already done
doing really well, especially with that start that he had
with four points in that first you know, four points
(30:14):
in that first game when he when they're able to
and that losing streaks. So he had a great debut
and he he's kind of so down a little bit
since then, but still doing really well with eight points
and and nine games clearly three goals. So he's a
guy that seems like he's.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Been a great addition.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
And when you bring in new guys like him like
a make it's a situation where if you have a
good culture, and I think the Runners do you have
a good culture, then you can bring guys and fit in,
fit them in and they fit in well. You know,
so it looks like the Runners do have a good, good,
good culture. They have the Tucson way, the runers way,
(30:51):
so it looks like they can fit in seamlessly.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah, especially that played by Walker in overtime too, right,
he tried the the wrap round. He was that close
to winning the game, and then Abbotsford came back the
other way with the two on one rush.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Dudah was caught behind, Agazina was caught behind.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
The last man left on that rush was Walker, and
Walker got all the way back, played defense, had to
turn around to play defense, and then he was able
to kick the pass attempt by Abbotsford on the two
on one got to Dudah and then Dudah sprung Agazino
opened for the goal. And to have you play in
the in just your second game, uh, in front of
(31:34):
the Tucson crowd as a roadrunner and contribute and two
assists and one of them on a power play in
another on the overtime, it was It was quite the
home series debut for Walker and he's just been a
huge trade acquisition by John Ferguson and co. Like big
shout out to them for going out and being aggressive
(31:55):
and getting a guy like Walker to you know, help
this help this team where it was that, you know,
with the struggles and you know, now Walker is going
to be one of those guys we're going to talk
about with you know, just what a guy we got
in the mid season trade at deadline to help us
push for the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Yeah, it's just a weird situation for him because he
was acquired on that when they're on the road and
so I think Kim was asking, like during the road trip,
I was like, he never went to Tucson wrong, He
just went straight to the airport, and he said that, Yeah,
I think he just he went straight to the airport
and he didn't even have a little stop in Tucson.
So for him coming back on the road trip there,
they're coming back and the guy's arresting, but he's kind
(32:33):
of settling into his new home at least for the
next few months. And it's a tough situation for him
probably when he comes over because you want to prove
yourself obviously when you're when you're with their new team
and show that the other organization is wrong for trading you.
But it's probably tough for him in terms of he's
a guy from Minnesota. He played for the Golden Gophers,
and then he gets drafted by the Wild and then
(32:53):
so he plays for the Iowa Wild for three seasons
and or three to two plus seasons, and then he
doesn't do as well this year, and it's kind of
numbers going down, but then once it gets Tucson, his
numbers get back up and he gets rejuvenated.
Speaker 4 (33:08):
Yeah, it really has speaking rejuvenated for Cameron Hebig as well,
you know, having his breakout season as we've been saying,
now fourth all time and in points as a Roadrunner,
surpassing yan Ya nik former Roadrunner. He was involved in
the trade to the Belleville Senators that got his Igor Sokoloff,
and he Big had a nice weekend with three points
(33:32):
in total, with another multiple goal game or sorry, multiple
point game with now nineteen goals on the season, with
two games in a row with a goal as well.
And what a job Cameron Hebig has done for the
Roadrunners this season. Post All Star becoming an All Star
for the first time of his career. He continues to
(33:52):
be the lethal goal scorer for Tucson. He's leading the
team in goals. Igor Sokolov is second with seventeen. He
has nineteen, and Man it's like it's just still awesome
to see, Like knowing that Cameron Hebig, you know, maybe
if you'd tell someone in the off seasons like Cameron
He's gonna be leading this team in total goals with
(34:13):
twenty two games left, we wouldn't call you crazy, but
I'd say, like, well, that would be that would be
a pleasant surprise. And here we are now with Cameron
Hebig leading the team and goals and still very much
could be in line to hit thirty on the season.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
Yeah, going to the season, you're kind of thinking that
maybe I guess you know who's that San Dieglan's scoring
Orhgrosocolf did really well with Senators over there would be
a leader. But kearn Hebek's just been pounding, pounding, way
keep going, And it was funny we're kind of thinking
that maybe going into this weekend he was kind of
down a little bit in terms of not getting as
(34:49):
many points, but as actually he still has there's three
point three games within that points, which is huge for him.
But he still in the last few games he still
has going in this weekend he still had a point
against Henderson and then of course this weekend he had
point in a goal on the first nighte and a
goal and an assist on the Sunday night, So our
(35:11):
Sunday afternoons last night.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
So it's a.
Speaker 5 (35:15):
You know, it's a great great story. Continues to be
Cameron Hebe, continues to do well and continues to inspire
and continues to just be that kind of mister Tucson
mayor of Tucson, you know, for the road Runners.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Let's see it from Cameron Hebig on this series as well,
three points over the two games with two goals and
one assists. One of the reasons for the Roadrunners to
win both of those games felt like team efforts overall,
but Cameron Hebig getting set up with some nice goals
as well, and this is him on the series.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
Huge weekend come back from the wrong long road trip.
We wanted to come out hard this weekend, a good
team coming in from Amitsford and division so tight and
these are huge points for us. So to get four
points this weekend's huge and hopefully can old off it
and keep stringing some wins together.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yeah, stringing some wins together and in quite the scrunch, James.
As we've said, two sons only five points away from
both the Atmosopher Canucks and San Jose Barracuda three points
away from the Bakersfield Condors for the seventh c as well.
Cameron Hebick also on the importance of looking at the
standings and these points. As he big just said, four
(36:24):
in the weekend was huge and this is again the
standings are starting to become more important and important down
the line we are.
Speaker 7 (36:32):
Yeah, it's scoreboard watching and every point matters for us.
Our goal is to make playoffs. So this is a
huge time for us, and we got to bear down
here and every game is important for us and important
two points. So that's what I focus on, is just
the next game and then take care of today's business.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
So James, another thing that concluded since the last time
we had talked was the Four Nations face off, so
and that that was a big part of the crowd
on on Saturday that you missed. There's a lot of
USA chants in the crowd after a lot of the fights.
It was also Salute the Service weekend, so we had
a lot of military vats and personnel in the building
(37:16):
as well, so it was a very juice building. Obviously,
you had a an American team and a Canadian team
matching up for the first games since the four Nations
face off, so I think there's just some also bad
but there as well, even though the Reverends have more
Canadian players than US.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
But what a tournament overall.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
I mean, I think the NHL has figured out what
to do it at All Star Games or an All
Star Break. Most likely won't see a four Nations tournament
next season because we have the Olympics. But this was
pretty much a preview for the Olympics. It was great
talent all around. Team USA tried their best, but they
were just down so many players, so many injuries. They're
(37:59):
trying the best to keep up with Canada until lose
an overtime just shows that they they still have a
very very good team and it just gets me much
more excited for the Olympics.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Yeah, such a great, great tournament, you know, not only
the two USA games, but to USA Canada games, but
on Finland and Sweden also.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
They showed that.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
I think kind of the approach to the media especially
was kind of like, oh, those are there's four teams,
we have to have two more teams, so they're just
kind of there. But they had good games and in
future tournaments if they had the same format, then I
wouldn't be surprised at all of Sweden or Finland makes
the final. But I mean, if you think about Finland's
a great swed has always been a great hockey country
and Finland has been too. But Finland's had a lot
(38:43):
of success lately in terms of they made last couple
World Juniors of Championship games, so they've been doing well
and it's just a great, great representative for the game.
There's a lot of people I know who were like
who they maybe might go to runers game everyone's while
maybe you go to UBI gameryone's smile, or maybe they
might tweet about or talk about the Stanley Cup finals,
(39:05):
but they're not really there in the hockey.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
But they're really into that.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
You know, they're really into the tournament and it's a
tournament that it was, uh, you know, it was exciting
to see the best best tournament.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Like that for the first time in a while.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
And it's it's a situation where Canada I think probably
had to be favored in terms of you know, they
have more stars, they have more more players in the
NHL stuff like that, more big stars, but USA has
been doing really well lately, and you could make the
argument that going into the tournament, USA hockey surpassed Canada
because you know, they have more there's more Canadian airs,
(39:39):
there's more American players now than Canadian players overall. You know,
people would register from youth league, the very league there,
everything like that. And you see, obviously there's been it's
been a long time since Canadian team has won the
Stanley Cup. And then then of course the USA has
won the last couple World Juniors, which, by the way,
less time Canada won the World Juniors. I'm dealing Goumpro
scored the winning well, so that's kind of neat neat
(40:02):
note for US. But it's just been a great It
was just a great tournament and a great I don't
know how many leagues can do that because the unique
ravelry between US and Canada where there's obviously some bad
blood between the actual players and there's some aggressiveness between
the fans, but not not a really bad situation where.
Speaker 3 (40:20):
You have fights in the sound stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
But in the situation that it was, it was good
for the in Tucson where they didn't boo the national
anthems or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
So that was nice to see.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
And then it was a great great weekend in terms
of Miltair appreciation where it's not there wasn't a situation
where like, Okay, well we'll slap on camo jersey and
that's it or camel sweat or something. You know, but
and and we're and we'll say we're supports tubes like that.
But it was nice that the runners did so many
things for so many things to show that how much
(40:49):
they appreciate those who served and those who are currently serving.
So that was a great weekend. And coming back to
the Four Nations tournament, it's it's a turn it's a
format I hope they continue to do and hopefully they
get to they do get to fact up playing the
Olympics next year, and they're gonna bring out the World
Cup and add more teams. That's a that's a thing
(41:09):
that thought was kind of when you have a turnaout
that over the ALSTO, it's tough to bring in teams
like Germany or Czech Republic or Slovakia or something like
that because there's so many there's not enough teams, not
if guys to fill out that roster in the NHL.
But once you get to the Olympics and stuff like that,
in the World Cup of Hockey stuff like that, you
can have more depth and have more teams play.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
So that'll be exciting to see that.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
And a guy that stands out like that, James is uh,
you know, potentially Maximilian Zuber Julian Lutz maybe playing for
Team Germany. Zuber technically was born in Poland, but he's
eligible to play for Team Germany. He played for the
team in the i HF Worlds last season. Don't remember
if Let's played there too, I'd have to double check.
(41:53):
But those are two guys who are very much eligible
potentially to play for Team Germany and the Olympics next year.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
I mean easy for us.
Speaker 4 (42:00):
We wouldn't have those two for a few weeks, but
it would very much be worth it to go see
them chase the gold medals.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
So those are potentially guys.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
Uh before before uh, Patrick Kach and Milos Kellman were
representing Team Slovakia and the Olympics too, when the NHL
had polled players out of the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
So uh for Gary Bedman, uh.
Speaker 4 (42:21):
Yeah, it sucks that he pulled the players out of
international play for so long, but I think the fact
that it was so long made the Four Nations so
much more popular. And now that he's he's got that
grasp again, you have to let it all happen, right, Yeah,
Like bring the Four Nations back when there's no Olympics,
Bring the World Cup of Hockey in the summers.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Like it just it keeps hockey going.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
It keeps hockey the like the hockey was the main
talk of the entire sports world, you know, Like I
I had people who never even watched hockey talk to
me about like, what do you think of this this tournament.
I'm like, this is awesome, Like this is what this
is what hockey needs. This is this is the publicity
I mean. And again I'm not I'm not the biggest
basketball player, but now you have people saying that NHL
(43:04):
is better than the NBA because the NBA's All Star
Game has been a dud for for years to come.
The NFL All Star Game potentially aka the Pro Bowl,
has also, you know, been going downhill ever since they
stopped letting guys play the full games. Like you have
to let these guys play full games in some kind
of cool tournament fashion. Because you get the best on
(43:27):
best playing against one another. So all exciting, great Four
Nations tournament, great weekend for Tucson, and we're just excited
for the Olympics coming up next season.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Let's listen to our last SoundBite.
Speaker 4 (43:41):
You also asked Steve about the Four Nations just what
he thinks of it, what he thought it did to
the world of hockey. It was a great question asked
by you, Steve Povin after the results of the Four
Nations faceoff.
Speaker 6 (43:52):
You know what it was great? It was it was
exciting to watch the Foig Nations, you know, and you
watch how the goals were manufactured and how the team played.
It was a it was a direct derivative of what
we've been talking about. You know, we're in a in
a fight for our playoff lives, and we've got a
group in there that wants to obviously take that next step.
(44:12):
So it was it just cemented how we needed to play,
and you could see how, you know, in that last game,
teams were playing. You know, they were playing aggressive hockey,
but they're always above their check. They were playing simple
and then you know they were just kind of waiting
for their opportunity. You know, and you know, you could
(44:33):
see that type of game start to materialize for us anything,
it just cements the way we want to play. So
it was great to watch and it was great to see,
you know, how much passion each of the countries had
and in representing their countries it was.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
It was exciting hockey, exciting hockey all around. James. Great
for a nation's tournament.
Speaker 4 (44:55):
Great job by the Roadrunners getting a sweep over the
Abbotsford Canucks hang on to the seventh seed of the
hl's playoff picture, and you so. Vallamachi will be potentially
making his Roadrunners debut up against the Rockford Ice Hogs,
a team we have not seen James since the twenty
one to twenty two season. We have only played them
(45:16):
six times. Ever, we have a two to three one
to no record against them as well, so Duson will
look to get over the hump against them in the
In the all time matchups, we're one to three against
Central Division opponents this season.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
That was all against Texas.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
Rockford not as strong in that Central Division as well.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
There are twenty one, twenty four to five and one.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
I don't remember how many teams make the Calder Cup
playoffs in that division.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
I'm so focused on ours.
Speaker 4 (45:49):
I think Rodford is technically in the playoffs fry right now,
because I want to say.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
It's the first five teams in that division.
Speaker 4 (45:55):
Again, I could be wrong, but it's just another advance
for Tucson to to try to, you know, get some
points against a team that's struggling a little bit.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
Yeah, I can check the Oh I thought I could
check it, clicking the wrong thing.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Yeah, let me see.
Speaker 4 (46:14):
Oh it's top five. Okay, yeah, it's tough five. I
just looked at it too. Okay, so top top five.
So Rockford's technically a playoff team. They're ten points over
the Iowa Wild so you can pretty much bank them
as a playoff team. But that still doesn't mean they're
gonna not try like they're gonna try to get wins
for themselves, you know, try to climb up their own standings,
(46:37):
but they're they're potentially just kind of locked in on
that fifth seed spot. So again, that's why it's so
tough for our division. Right Like you have the Rockford
IceHogs with the losing record making the playoffs, Tucson has
to pretty much get a winning record. So it's two
teams in very much two different spots. It's two final
seeds of each playoff picture, and it's gonna be a
(46:59):
good seae. Is Gon a chance for the Roads to
get some more wins in his home stand.
Speaker 5 (47:03):
Yeah, it's gonna be another big weekend for for the
Rown owners. You have Saturday or Friday. Say that I'm
used to Saturday and Sunday again for some reason. Friday
you have the Universe serials on the night, and then
Saturday of the Hockey's for everyone night and they're obviously
they're playing Rockford. So there's a lot of Chicago people
(47:24):
from Chicago that moved here, a lot of Snowbirds from
Chicago that moved here. So you're gonna probably see a
lot of black Hawks fans at the game. And interesting
to note that there Ice Hogs are going to be
a little gonna be down man at least for the
first game.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
When our ardam left shutoff.
Speaker 5 (47:40):
He he got suspended for for the game for the
Runners game because of his across check you had against
Chicago the other day. So it's got to be a
weird kind of robbery with them, a big robbery with
them for because if you're if you're not really familiar
with the affiliations Rockford is. You can tell by their uniforms,
by the way they look like the black Hawks firms.
He just took off the black Hawk g logan. They
put a nice hog logo. But Rockford's affiliated with the Blackhawks,
(48:06):
and then Chicago Chicago Wolves are affiliated with Carolina for now.
They've had an on and off rough relationship with them,
but probably like a big rubbery between Chicago and Rockford.
Ruffords a city that's Illinois, pretty close to Chicago, and
obviously they're the hl A Philly to Chicago, so they
kind of had that rubbery going. So it should be
(48:26):
a good weekend with and then coming in to town
first time in a while. You know, there was I
remember when the Chicago Wolves get in town. There are
a bunch of people who had black Hawks jerseys. So
there's a lot of people from Chicago that are in
Illinois that that live in Tucson or or at least
our our at least Snowbirds in Tucson. So should be
a good game, should be a good atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (48:46):
Yeah, all excitement coming up final two games of this
short little four game home stand. Uh, before we go
back on the road against the Ontario Rain and Bakersfield Condors. James,
thanks as always joining us this great episode. Hearing from
Steve Pavin and Cameron he Big all throughout from the series.
Hearing from Steve Pavin from the Four Nations face Off
(49:08):
You so Val Macki now expected to join the Roadrunners
coming up this weekend. Also coming up tonight, if you're
listening on this Tuesday, we have the two soun Roadrunners
Happy our show with fan favorite Montana on Yabucci. In
case you are not able to watch it live, go
to Tucson rodbers dot com slash Happy Art listen to
the podcast version, or on Apple Podcast if you're listening
(49:31):
on that platform as well. We will throw things out
with lights to Tucson. We'll see you tonight at our
usual Tuesday night get together and this upcoming weekend, as
the Roadrunners take on the Rock third itcealks for the
first time since to twenty one twenty two AHL season.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
We will see you there.
Speaker 7 (49:52):
He gotta see the lights tu song, Gotta see the
lights of Tucson.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
You're coming back. Weez gotta.
Speaker 3 (50:16):
Just been my little.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Hooms there said a candle isn't mess with the kid,
But Tucson, my heart is a yearning like Bronson.
Speaker 3 (50:24):
My wheels are turning.
Speaker 5 (50:34):
Can't we be there with her in the Catalina's.
Speaker 7 (50:39):
The lights of too sun shining in her.
Speaker 1 (50:47):
Illover fee Alona, We neversona a it.
Speaker 5 (50:53):
Desn't reaching the sky.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
You gotta see the lions are tu song, I got
him back.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
Wet get a move on.
Speaker 7 (51:05):
You gotta see the lions are tuc song coming back.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
We get a move ball.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
You gotta see the lights are too so I got
it back. Won't get the moon? Gotta see the it's
too soon coming back.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
Will you get a ball
When you want more road runners, We've got more road runners.
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the road Runners, Jonathan Shafer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's pretty odd and your new best friend, my best friend,
Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. The guys are already talking,
so let's join up right here on your twoson Roadrunners
Insider Podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
A sweep for the Roadrunners over the Baker's Field Condors.
Welcome everyone to this week's edition of the two Sun
Roadrunners Insider Podcast. Jonathan Schaeffer here with Arizona Daily Stars
James Kelly.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Is Tuesday morning.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
We are ripping it here on the podcasts, as we
always do, lots to uncover. A lot has happened since
the last time we spoke. A lot has happened just
yesterday as well. Blah blah, A lot of interviews with
Cameron Ebig and Steve pot Good sound bites after Saturdays.
(01:03):
Awesome for three overtime victory, James, good to have you
once again on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Good to see what a series that was for Tucson.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Against the Abbotsford Canucks might have been the most entertaining
series of the season, might have been one of the
most entertaining series we've had in the last two years.
I mean, just the way that it was played between
those two teams. It really felt like a playoff like atmosphere,
and we haven't really seen a lot of that lately
with you know, just to slide that Tucson went through
(01:36):
and you know, starting to find the wins again, and
we did. We did against the Abbotsford Canucks in two
games and now all of a sudden on the standings,
Tucson's just five points away from the Canucks and the
San Jose Barracuda getting three points ahead of the Bakers
wil Conders and the standings as well. There were two
(01:57):
really important games we also won this season. Series against Abbasford.
We saw tons of fighting, scrappiness, Andrew Agazino in his
second game back to the lineup, pretty much getting in
a fight right after scoring the ot winner.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It was a lot to uncover.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
It was an amazing series and I think the Roadrunners
are at an all time high for the first time
in really about a month and a half. As the
team is starting to find wins a game. It wins
again with a five three to zero to one record
in the last nine games.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Yeah, obviously had been you know a while since, also
said home game. I looked when I got the credential thing. Well,
when I got I did literally check to see if
there was dust on it. But it wasn't. But it
felt like it might have been. But been such a
long time since I had home game. But it was
well worth the wait in terms of it was a
great series, really exciting, you know, a lot of fun
on Saturday night with Dusty's birthday and the jerseys for
(02:52):
the kids, and then a good result for the Roadrunners
and then a really exciting game on Sunday. So it's
a really good game for the road Ounners. And not
only that, but if you look at the standings again
he mentioned it, it's a it's a good spot for
them to kind of solid find themselves a little bit
more in that seventh spot. After they did. They had
a close loss, of course to Coachella the other day,
(03:14):
but the two big wins against Abbotsford and it puts
them really three three points ahead uh Bakersfield, but they're
now seven games in the in the tiebreak and the
first tiebreaker the regulation wins, which was funny last week
I mentioned that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think it was because I remember last.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Year the first timereaker was regulation wins because I had
to kind of check where it was, but it's actually
on the bottom of the page. So it's that same
one page where the tiebreakers are.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
So oh gosh, I didn't even see that. You're right,
that might be smart to start looking at more.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah, so I know until until after the podcast last week.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
So there are seven games ahead of Bakersfield in that spot,
so they are three points head actually, but it's really
more like four points because it's gonna be hard to
make up seven regulation wins. And at this point in
the season, so they're still you know, on the Runners case,
they're still twenty two games left and Big Sual that
does have a couple of games in hand, but it's
still they're pretty far ahead till now. Tenant their opportunity
(04:13):
to kind of taste bigger taste San Jose at five,
I mean six, and Asca at five and and of
course Colorado at four that last spot with ames advantage.
So Runners are in a good spot with especially with
that sweep.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Yeah, and now Ontario's in first in the Pacific Division.
After the Calgary Wranglers have lost another game. They've still
been banking points with the overtime and shootout losses. But
for the second straight year in a row, James, We've
always said never, it's never guaranteed that you're gonna finish first.
No matter how long you have it, you have to
(04:49):
have it up until the very end of the season,
until the final game is done. And Calgary has lost
it for the second straight year after they had it
longer this year. Last season it was they lost it
right before the All Star Break and then that's when
they went all the way down to seventh. This year
took a little bit longer, but we're still pretty close
(05:10):
post All Star break. I mean, we're only nine games
since the All Star Break concluded a few weeks so
only maybe we would say three weeks later from last season.
That the second straight year the Wranglers have, you know,
fallen under. And it just shows that it doesn't matter
where you are halfway through the season.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
It doesn't matter where you are.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
With twenty five games left to go in the season,
and at this point, Tucson at fifty games, so we're
at twenty two games left. It's it's not gonna matter
here either. We still have a shot for more higher seed.
You just never know what's to come. I mean, Tucson
can even lose the playoff spot that they're in, so
nothing is guaranteed. Even when there's gonna be five games left.
(05:51):
This division just continues to constantly change. San Jose has
been falling a bit. We just saw Abbotsford, you know,
just swept them in two games. They got a point
at the end, but they're injured, their goaltending struggling. Colorado's
on a good tear right now. Coachella Valley's coming back
to life. And then the Wranglers, as they just said,
(06:12):
are in another little collapse. Not as bad as last time,
but I mean they have lost it to the Ontario Rain.
And the Rain have been the best team in the
league arguably for pretty much the last two months. They've
been on top of the power rankings by Flow Sports.
They pretty much are over fifteen games over five hundred.
(06:34):
I mean, they have thirty one wins. They have the
most wins in the Pacific Division, the tied for the
second most regulation wins in the entire league. I mean,
and for the roadruns to be in some close games
with them is good too, But we haven't beaten up
this year yet and we play them next week, so
it's always going to be ever changing. Obviously, a bit
(06:54):
more tough looking for the home ie advantage for the
first round of the playoffs, but at this point you
just want to make it right. If it's the best
of two series, that helps. That's more of an advantage
for the lower seed in my opinion, because it puts
so much more pressure on the higher seed. So for Tucson,
just keep doing what you can do, control what you
(07:14):
can control, and just keep banking the wins as much
as possible.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Yeah, again, we keep saying it's such a wild division.
I mean you see up top where Calgary. I thought
they held onto the first first spot for longer than
I kind of expected because they had a lot of
terminal I mean, they had their It was funny with
the All Star break where they how the how the
the league does it is if you're leading a division
at the calendar year change on January first, then you
(07:39):
get to host, then you get to have that head
coaching spot at the All Star Game. And so they
had that, but but there but their head coach had
moved up to the Flames to be an assistant, interim
assistant over there, and so they had an interim coach
who was They're doing it, still doing well by the
time of the All Star Game, but then he actually
he had to have a procedure done over them, not convergency,
(08:01):
but it was got scheduled already, but he had a
procedure during the All Star back, so they had to
cut of their third street coach coming up. So that's
how much how many changes they've had so and if
you look at it, they've for the whole year, they've
had so many games ahead of they played so many
games that helped them in the points and help them
the standings. But now if you look at it, Ontario's
(08:21):
really has kind of a They're only one point had Calgary,
but they have a really big lead in terms of
they have a couple of games in hand on Ontario,
I mean on Calgary Ontario does then they have three
games in it and on Coachella, which is third place
also with sixty four points. So Ontario's were doing well,
but then he looked down at the bottom. S San
(08:42):
Diego ninth place, Henderson tenth place, and we saw them
a few weeks ago, and they didn't really look like
those two teams didn't really look like their bottom of
the bottom of the division. They played really well and
maybe Henderson had just matches up ball against Tucson, but
they to me, they just didn't look like they were
last place team. So the the division is so deep
and so hard to do stuff, and it's so hard
(09:04):
to move up and so so easy to fall if
you get on losing streaks. So like you said, it's
it's just a situation where things aren't just not said
and done. I mean, there's so many games left to
go and so many, so many apportunities that move up
and down in the rankings.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And then sentence.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Yeah, and it's funny that the Goals and the Silver
Knights are have some of the best records in the
past ten games of the division and two soon's in
a good spot. You know, as I said, five to
three one in the last nine games, you've wont to
be technical five to three to zero to two in
the last ten games because we lost in the shootout
right before the All Star break started.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So uh yeah. For Tucson to get.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Points in seven of the last ten games is solid
because at this point it's always the points that matters. James,
how about those games against habitsheard right, we'll talk about
the first matchup first.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It was what felt like an absolute blood bath.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Uh, you know, didn't see any blood on the ice,
but you know, just kind of felt like it, right,
you know, it was. It was a huge crowd, it
was the first game back in over two weeks. Tucson,
I would say, really came to life in that second period.
Even though they had a one nothing lead going to
that second period, nine total penalties in that frame, Hunter
(10:24):
drew gond a six fight of the season. He's now
leading the team in fights with Montana and Bucci and
Curtis Douglas at nine and even Max Zuber gone his
first fight of ever of his career in that period too.
That's how you know how much things really got ramped
up between these two teams. And really you can date
(10:45):
it back all the way to October when Montana and
Yobucci throw a really hard hit on a on an
Abbotsford player. I believe those chase waters and that one
that started up a lot of you know, just extra
extra fire under the flame for these two teams. And
you know, last time Apptsford played US, they swept US
at home back in January. It was part of the
(11:05):
eight game losing skids. So it was just a lot
of bad blood in the in these two games, especially
on Really you can say you can argue both games,
but we said we'll talk about what we saw on
Sunday too. But as for Saturday, yeah, just saw the fights,
all the penalties, everything just going on after plays. It
was quite an entertaining game. We had a three nothing lead.
(11:28):
Cameron he Big, Hunter Drew and Igor Sokolov scoring the
goals for US. He Big it's now to goals eighteen
and nineteen. He scored on Sunday too. He is now
the fourth all time most scoring roadrunner in team history,
just surpassing yan Yanique with a couple of points over
the weekend as well. Hunter Drew continues to stay hot.
(11:49):
He has three goals in his last four games prior
to that prior to Sunday, it was three goals in
his last two games as he scored another one with
a snipe and Igor Soklov nice for him to get
back on the scoreboard again. And James's more, we talked
about We were starting to see everybody put up the
points for us, and that was what we were missing
(12:09):
when we were losing games, especially with Andrew Ragazino coming
back into the mix as well. He didn't get a
point his first game, but then his second game scored
the ot winner and just the importance of him coming
back to this lineup. Sammy Walker had two assists on
the Sunday game. Uh. He was the primary cyst or
parton the secondary assist on the overtime goal. And it's
(12:32):
it's good to see that Tucson's seeing everybody starting to score.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
Yeah. I was covering on Saturday. I was covering the
women's game, helping out on filling in you a women's
fashtal game, And when I came on Sunday, You're like, oh,
he missed a great game on Saturday. I was like,
I kind of saw, but you know, I saw the
cat kind of tweets about it and the you know,
the score line and stuff like that. But then one
ones actually saw the game, I was like, well, it's
a great game. You know, you started off with that
(12:59):
Orse goal, which is which you thought was goal of
the season, but maybe maybe the the game, maybe the
overtime winner on Sunday's game goal the year maybe perhaps,
but that was start off with a great goal right there,
and lots of action, you know, obviously the so many,
(13:20):
so many penalties on such an aggressive game. You know,
it talked about it being a you know, atmosphere, but
there's a little bit more fighting than you're kind of
used to because because of badlove between those guys. It's
also one thing I don't think you did mention was
that to Sound swept them Avaur on the road in
his last two games before the Christmas breaks, So there
are probably a lot of bad blood due due to
(13:40):
that because you know, that was one of the games.
I remember the one of the Avasur players he stared
at the bench after he scored, and then you saw
a lot of that action this weekend. But kind of
stuff like that, the kind of extracurricular activities this weekend.
But there's just been a lot of bad bud between
the two teams this whole year, and then it really
kind of produced a couple of really good, really exciting games,
(14:04):
starting with the game on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, that was the best part of the night.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Right on Sunday, Agazino scores, the ot winner goes right
to Carlson and pushes him down, and there's actually you
actually asked Steve Povin about that that pushed by Agazino
after it's going to ot winner, and we got that
clip too, Steve Poppin on just what the reasoning of
(14:30):
Andrew Gazino giving Carlson a nice little shove at the
end of the game to uh, you know, just ice
that great victory for Tucson.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Well, there's a little you know, there was a game
within the game. I think that, you know, the I
don't know if the fans got to see it, but
you know, one of their players was, you know, acting
a little inappropriate and warm up. You know, you shot
a puck at one of our guys. And then when
they scored late, they came by and looked at our
bench and Haggie said, well, listen, if I score and
(15:02):
he's out there against me, I'm gonna make sure he's aware.
And it was great to see him get rewarded with
the goal. But it's the old saying. You know, you
respect the game, the game will respect you back. And
I love that we were trying to do what we
could to respect the game and clearly there's uh, you know,
it was a little different with the opposition in certain situations,
(15:25):
and I love that we handled it.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
How awesome is that, James, That's like a that's like
a movie moment. If we score and he's on the
ice with me, I'm gonna I'm going after him. That
was Carlson because he scored the game time goal and
he went to our bench and stared our bench down.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
It's like, you don't do that.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
You're asking for trouble if you do that, especially for
this Roadrunners team, right And for him to score and
Carlson to just be right there was just absolutely perfect.
And yeah, that's a good point by pop n. I mean,
if you respect the game enough, you're you're gonna get rewarded.
And Agazino got rewarded for one of the probably the
(16:04):
most exciting moments of this Roadrunner season.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Yeah, just amazing, amazing secrets of events right there. Maybe
not the best goal in terms of you know, breakaway
like that isn't as pretty as an Egor goal, but
then you have that great that great sally after And
actually Alian was the one who asked about that because
I was gonna ask one of the players about because
I didn't know it was.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
So deep the reason behind what happened.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
And also shout out to the Runners fans because when
I was going down, when I was going down to
the reach after the game, I heard one of him
say like, yeah, that guy really deserved that hit.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You know.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
I was like, wow, I didn't realize. I was like,
what happened? To ask called people. They didn't know what happened,
and then Steve came back and explained it. So I
was like, well, that's a great, great reintroduction too. I
mean it was the second game back, but still kind
of second game back for Brander Agazino.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Great.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Great to see him back in the road Runners uniforms.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Yeah, it just shows how important a guy like Agazino
is to the lineup. You know, when he was heard
in San Diego back in January, we we went on
a nine one to nine run in claning the eight
game losing skid, and then we finally had gotten out
of it with the road trip, the Solid Gem Show trip,
(17:20):
and now you come back home and you win two
games in a row in the first two games that
he returned. So he's a huge asset to this team.
He's viable to the lineup. He's you know, he's a
leader on the ice, and for him to do what
he did on Sunday just gets everyone juiced up. Like
your your assistant captain is the one going out there
and doing that. It's like you want to follow him
(17:40):
into war, you know. So it's it's fantastic to have
him back out there, and it's you know, just don't
be surprised if the Roadrunners get a good, nice run here,
you know, to pretty much solidfy themselves in the playoffs.
Not saying Agazino is the entire team, but just having
him in the lineup. You know, when we say like
having Josh Stone in a locker room slash lineup, and
(18:00):
you know other players all over you know Ryan McGregor
in the mix too when he gets his play and
under Drew, like these guys bring a lot to the
table when they play, and it not only their skill
set but just who they are as a person. Helps
everybody to line up, you know, just stay up the speed,
stay up the tone, and are always wait ready, let's
(18:22):
get to our next sound bites. As you always ask
James what you think of the series, ask Steve Povin
dat to get the interviews started as well.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Listen, I'm proud of our guys, you know, especially coming
off a long road trip like that. Typically when you
come back home, you know, you let your guard down
a little bit and it's it's hard to manufacture some points.
And I'm proud that they didn't give themselves a pass.
I really like that they they stretched the line of
their discomfort and they were able to stay disciplined, and
(18:54):
they showed a lot of courage this weekend.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
Yeah, James, there was a lot of courage in that.
That's a good point by Poppin. Didn't let the distractions
of coming home get to us. I think it helped
that it was such a quick turnaround, right. We got
home Thursday morning six am and then played a game
on Saturday, so we didn't really even have time like
for everyone else, so it was like, yeah, we're back,
you know, we're back playing. And then for everyone else
(19:19):
that was with the team on the road, it's like, no,
we've been doing this for the last two weeks. We're
just back in two so which is great, but at
the same time, you're still playing games, you're still working
the games, doing the prep everything, so I think it
helped the guys to not have much time to really
think about it.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
But it was a very hero series by our team.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, such a quick turnaround. I asked them about that.
I'm finally getting the chest to rest. I mean, obviously
they're having momentum, they're playing well, I'm playing all last
few games, so maybe they don't want that rest, but
it is good to get that rest because they had
so many games and quick any quick succession. I mean,
you go back to they paid that Henderson and a
(20:02):
couple on Saturday and Sunday series, and then they played
at Coachell on Wednesday, and then you mentioned the quick turnaround,
and not only that, but physically it was tough, but
also that loss on Wednesday had to be tough because
you look down at the final score line as five
to two, but it was three to one for much
of the game, and that was only three to one
because they had a couple of quick goals and quick
succession like.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
That Coachella did. And then.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Obviously you go back and let me see who check.
I forgot who scored that goal?
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Let me.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, oh yeah, Hunter Hunter had a great game.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
That Hunter two had a great game that and Coachella,
and he scored again over the weekend against Atmospherd, but
he scored the big goal to get within one goal.
But then what ended up happening at the end of
the Coachell game is the Firebirds scored a couple of
empty net goals, which I don't know if you saw that.
On that first one, it was a really weird play
where the nine men was passing the puck and hit
(21:00):
the hit it sticked on the ice and it came
back to him and so he's like, well, I'll just
take it, and so he shot it. And so I'm
assuming they had to kind of mess with the road
owners in terms of they weren't expecting the shoot right there.
So it's always obviously tough to defend when you have
an empty net. But that's kind of a situation where
it was kind of shocked and kind of almost Lucas
(21:20):
play where they scored that first empty night Bowl. So
it was kind of a shocking end that game, but
they were runners were able to come back and get
that real quick West and to come back and then
get the sweep against Abbitsford.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Here's also Steve Poppin on just our recent play too,
after the Sweeper versus Abbotsford again five to three, zero
to two in the last ten games. You know, points
in seven of the last ten games is pretty good.
I mean, just unfortunately those two shootout losses against the
Ontario Rain before the all start breaking, then Henderson during
the Gems Show trip. But it's a marathon, not a sprints.
(21:55):
It's it's slowly and maturely seeing the wins again. And
with Andrew Ragausino back in the lineup. Now Hunter Drew
is starting to get hot again. He bigs starting to
ramp it up. You know, had a couple of games
post All Star where he wasn't getting the points on
the board, but now he's starting to again, soa glove
on the board, and Yamamoto's continuing to be a point
(22:16):
per game player. It's all starting to finally come together.
Matthew Vilalta and Staber got us two good wins with
over thirty saves a piece. In the Abbotsford series. Abbotsford
completely outshot us and in both of the games as
well by big margins. So it was a whole team
effort against Abbotsford. And you're Steve Pavin on the team's
recent play as well.
Speaker 6 (22:36):
I like that they're playing for each other, and I
like that they're disciplined in the game and with our plan.
You know, I see that they're managing pucks at a
much higher rate. They're able to get pucks in and
apply pressure on the on the defense. I love that
our special teams is clicking at the right time. You
cannot have success in this league or any league if
(22:59):
your special teams aren't clicking.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
And you know, it.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Was great to see our power play get two goals
tonight and look at our I thought our our PK
did all that they could. They brought it to thirteen
seconds and you know, unfortunately we couldn't you know, kill
it completely off. But we appreciated the effort and we
recognize that the you know, the work that they put in.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah, that's that's a good point by Steve too. Everyone's
just playing for each other still, No, you know, despite
when we saw the losses piling up, the guys were
still playing for one another. There was never any locker
room drama or anything happening. You know, these guys stayed
with one another, They stuck with it, They kept working hard,
showing up to practice and eventually you do get rewarded,
(23:45):
you know, when you put in the hard work. So
kudos did Steve Pobbin and the coaching staff to you know,
still keep everyone fuse together, the captains for keeping everyone
fuse together and just a player is still playing for
one another. And now we're starting to see the results.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
And there they got through that period where they had
that kind of struggle obviously with the losing streak, and
they had a lot of guys moving up and down,
and they had guys injured and everything. But looks like
they're kind of settling in. They they got Connan and back,
they got Agazino back ops you mentioned, and they also
Utah Center for USA Valley Maka from you know, from
(24:24):
the NHL, he cleared waivers and came coming came to Tucson.
He's a guy who he played briefly with the Sockton
Heat and then he went up to which your Calgary,
Calgary's affiliate at the time, and then they moved obviously
the Calgary to you know, Calgary Flames affiliate and they
moved to Calgary to be the Calgary Rangers. And then
(24:45):
so he played some time there and then he joined
the Coyotes in twenty twenty two, and then he was
a regular, obviously playing really well for playing a lot
for the Coos, and then obviously played with Utah this year,
and then he sends them over so to boost over
the blue line.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Yeah, it's I was. I was, to be honest, I
was quite shocked. It's it's kind of like Yamamoto back
in the beginning of the season. You know, you see
these guys going waivers and you gotta wait the day.
You're like, Okay, let let's see if this happens. And
I have notifications turned on for the Utah Hockey Club PR,
so I'm always on, always seeing what's going on, and
(25:24):
wake up yesterday morning and get the notification that he
has passed waivers he will be assigned to the Roadrunners.
I was quite shocked. I think he's a you know,
he's a very experienced NHL defenceman. I mean he's played
forty three games with the Utah this season, sixty eight
games prior with the Arizona Coyotes, seventy eight games his
first full season with the Coyotes.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
Ya.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
As you mentioned, James started with the Calgary Flames and
the Stockting Heat as well. He has so much experience,
and I just don't know why, you know, a team
just didn't want to, but you know, it's just the
situation that the team is in, right, Like we just
black Colytonic get claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins a few
weeks back, and who knows, maybe if I was uh
Uso Valimachi, Penguins probably would have gone him, and maybe
(26:09):
we would have been with Colyachonic if it was reversed around.
So uh excited to have him. We'll welcome here and
him here in Tucson. I mean, obviously no no easy
situation being put placed on waivers like that. But from
what I've heard, he's a he's a great guy. Just
might be a little shocked, you know, just in the
hole everything that has changed. But I think, just like, yeah, mooto,
(26:31):
this is the best situation you can possibly be in.
Steve Popman knows you know how to make you a
star player. It will be a huge boaster for for
the blue line as well, and James, this team is
looking more and more talented as we continue down the line.
And uh yeah, well we're just we're excited to have
him and we'll see how this goes.
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Yeah, the the the whole way waiverwared thing is so hectic,
you know, you know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
I guess sometimes, like like you said, I was surprise
that those guys said Declear waivers. But maybe sometimes you
know his situation where teams don't want to make room,
they don't want to resk move around their roster or
in the in the K case Coachell.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
The other day their goalie Grubauer.
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Came came from Seattle and he, you know, he came
to he came to play for Cochel for the first
time and he's playing in the first for the in
NHL the first time in ten years since he played
three seasons with their Hershey Bears and now he's playing
with the Firebirds. So but that's another kind of feather
in the cat for a hunter Drew scoring a couple
of goals against the guy who played so many years
(27:36):
in the NHL as goalie.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
So it's just a wild The waiver war is just wild.
You know.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Here everyone's gonna happen. And I can't imagine what's what
it's like to be on the waiver wire because you
have no idea where you're gonna go. I mean, are
you going to go to are you gonna go to Tucson?
Are you going to go to Coachella? Or are you
going to go to somewhere else in one of the
thirty two cities in the NHL. So just it's just
a wild situation.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Yeah, And I think what's exciting too, is, you know,
just the we've had a lot of mid season like
guys come to the team, right, we'd even start with Yamamoto. Uh,
it was still very much in the beginning of the season,
but uh, you know, we we had already had our
first home stand by then, and then we're on our
uh our second road trip already by that point too.
(28:17):
And then we got Yabamoto from the waivers. Then we
acquired Sammy Walker at the All Star Games or part
of an All Star break, uh, and then we get used
of Valmaki for you know, we'll see how long. Don't
know what's gonna happen. Trade deadline is is coming up
soon too. That's not guaranteeing he's gonna be traded, but
you just never know. It's this is the you know,
(28:38):
this is the league where assets are moved sometimes too,
and in trades, especially at the HL trade deadline is
a week after the NHL trade deadline.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
But uh, you know, we'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
But I would say by post trade deadline, if he's
still here, then guaranteed a Roadrunner for the rest of
the season and he'll help this team U push for
the playoffs and potentially a called their Cup as well
once the uh, the playoffs start.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Yeah, you never know what's gonna go on with the
trade deadline usually, but especially now with the with the
hockey club, with Hockey Club and Tucson because they do
obviously have the same Utah and Tucson have the same
front office in terms of hockey operations, but they do
have a different ownership, so you know they might be
wanting to in that first season, Utah might want to
push more to the playoffs and when the last couple
(29:25):
of years they've been building up and building building the team,
So who knows about that, and it's just a it's
just a wild situation. Also with the with the trade deadline,
you don't know, you know, what's gonna happen with that.
They did pick up the road Runners specifically, they usually
don't do a lot of deals, but they did bring
in on Walker and then a couple of years ago
(29:48):
they brought in who's the captain.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
From Sorry, Stephen Camper, Steven.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Campers from captain from Michigan. Uh, it's run Stephen Camfor.
He gave them a big boost and they got to
the you know, they're able to get get pushed and
get back in the playoffs that year. So that that
was exciting, and you see see Walker he's already done
doing really well, especially with that start that he had
with four points in that first you know, four points
(30:14):
in that first game when he when they're able to
and that losing streaks. So he had a great debut
and he he's kind of so down a little bit
since then, but still doing really well with eight points
and and nine games clearly three goals. So he's a
guy that seems like he's.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Been a great addition.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
And when you bring in new guys like him like
a make it's a situation where if you have a
good culture, and I think the Runners do you have
a good culture, then you can bring guys and fit in,
fit them in and they fit in well. You know,
so it looks like the Runners do have a good, good,
good culture. They have the Tucson way, the runers way,
(30:51):
so it looks like they can fit in seamlessly.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah, especially that played by Walker in overtime too, right,
he tried the the wrap round. He was that close
to winning the game, and then Abbotsford came back the
other way with the two on one rush.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Dudah was caught behind, Agazina was caught behind.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
The last man left on that rush was Walker, and
Walker got all the way back, played defense, had to
turn around to play defense, and then he was able
to kick the pass attempt by Abbotsford on the two
on one got to Dudah and then Dudah sprung Agazino
opened for the goal. And to have you play in
the in just your second game, uh, in front of
(31:34):
the Tucson crowd as a roadrunner and contribute and two
assists and one of them on a power play in
another on the overtime, it was It was quite the
home series debut for Walker and he's just been a
huge trade acquisition by John Ferguson and co. Like big
shout out to them for going out and being aggressive
(31:55):
and getting a guy like Walker to you know, help
this help this team where it was that, you know,
with the struggles and you know, now Walker is going
to be one of those guys we're going to talk
about with you know, just what a guy we got
in the mid season trade at deadline to help us
push for the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Yeah, it's just a weird situation for him because he
was acquired on that when they're on the road and
so I think Kim was asking, like during the road trip,
I was like, he never went to Tucson wrong, He
just went straight to the airport, and he said that, Yeah,
I think he just he went straight to the airport
and he didn't even have a little stop in Tucson.
So for him coming back on the road trip there,
they're coming back and the guy's arresting, but he's kind
(32:33):
of settling into his new home at least for the
next few months. And it's a tough situation for him
probably when he comes over because you want to prove
yourself obviously when you're when you're with their new team
and show that the other organization is wrong for trading you.
But it's probably tough for him in terms of he's
a guy from Minnesota. He played for the Golden Gophers,
and then he gets drafted by the Wild and then
(32:53):
so he plays for the Iowa Wild for three seasons
and or three to two plus seasons, and then he
doesn't do as well this year, and it's kind of
numbers going down, but then once it gets Tucson, his
numbers get back up and he gets rejuvenated.
Speaker 4 (33:08):
Yeah, it really has speaking rejuvenated for Cameron Hebig as well,
you know, having his breakout season as we've been saying,
now fourth all time and in points as a Roadrunner,
surpassing yan Ya nik former Roadrunner. He was involved in
the trade to the Belleville Senators that got his Igor Sokoloff,
and he Big had a nice weekend with three points
(33:32):
in total, with another multiple goal game or sorry, multiple
point game with now nineteen goals on the season, with
two games in a row with a goal as well.
And what a job Cameron Hebig has done for the
Roadrunners this season. Post All Star becoming an All Star
for the first time of his career. He continues to
(33:52):
be the lethal goal scorer for Tucson. He's leading the
team in goals. Igor Sokolov is second with seventeen. He
has nineteen, and Man it's like it's just still awesome
to see, Like knowing that Cameron Hebig, you know, maybe
if you'd tell someone in the off seasons like Cameron
He's gonna be leading this team in total goals with
(34:13):
twenty two games left, we wouldn't call you crazy, but
I'd say, like, well, that would be that would be
a pleasant surprise. And here we are now with Cameron
Hebig leading the team and goals and still very much
could be in line to hit thirty on the season.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
Yeah, going to the season, you're kind of thinking that
maybe I guess you know who's that San Dieglan's scoring
Orhgrosocolf did really well with Senators over there would be
a leader. But kearn Hebek's just been pounding, pounding, way
keep going, And it was funny we're kind of thinking
that maybe going into this weekend he was kind of
down a little bit in terms of not getting as
(34:49):
many points, but as actually he still has there's three
point three games within that points, which is huge for him.
But he still in the last few games he still
has going in this weekend he still had a point
against Henderson and then of course this weekend he had
point in a goal on the first nighte and a
goal and an assist on the Sunday night, So our
(35:11):
Sunday afternoons last night.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
So it's a.
Speaker 5 (35:15):
You know, it's a great great story. Continues to be
Cameron Hebe, continues to do well and continues to inspire
and continues to just be that kind of mister Tucson
mayor of Tucson, you know, for the road Runners.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Let's see it from Cameron Hebig on this series as well,
three points over the two games with two goals and
one assists. One of the reasons for the Roadrunners to
win both of those games felt like team efforts overall,
but Cameron Hebig getting set up with some nice goals
as well, and this is him on the series.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
Huge weekend come back from the wrong long road trip.
We wanted to come out hard this weekend, a good
team coming in from Amitsford and division so tight and
these are huge points for us. So to get four
points this weekend's huge and hopefully can old off it
and keep stringing some wins together.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yeah, stringing some wins together and in quite the scrunch, James.
As we've said, two sons only five points away from
both the Atmosopher Canucks and San Jose Barracuda three points
away from the Bakersfield Condors for the seventh c as well.
Cameron Hebick also on the importance of looking at the
standings and these points. As he big just said, four
(36:24):
in the weekend was huge and this is again the
standings are starting to become more important and important down
the line we are.
Speaker 7 (36:32):
Yeah, it's scoreboard watching and every point matters for us.
Our goal is to make playoffs. So this is a
huge time for us, and we got to bear down
here and every game is important for us and important
two points. So that's what I focus on, is just
the next game and then take care of today's business.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
So James, another thing that concluded since the last time
we had talked was the Four Nations face off, so
and that that was a big part of the crowd
on on Saturday that you missed. There's a lot of
USA chants in the crowd after a lot of the fights.
It was also Salute the Service weekend, so we had
a lot of military vats and personnel in the building
(37:16):
as well, so it was a very juice building. Obviously,
you had a an American team and a Canadian team
matching up for the first games since the four Nations
face off, so I think there's just some also bad
but there as well, even though the Reverends have more
Canadian players than US.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
But what a tournament overall.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
I mean, I think the NHL has figured out what
to do it at All Star Games or an All
Star Break. Most likely won't see a four Nations tournament
next season because we have the Olympics. But this was
pretty much a preview for the Olympics. It was great
talent all around. Team USA tried their best, but they
were just down so many players, so many injuries. They're
(37:59):
trying the best to keep up with Canada until lose
an overtime just shows that they they still have a
very very good team and it just gets me much
more excited for the Olympics.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Yeah, such a great, great tournament, you know, not only
the two USA games, but to USA Canada games, but
on Finland and Sweden also.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
They showed that.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
I think kind of the approach to the media especially
was kind of like, oh, those are there's four teams,
we have to have two more teams, so they're just
kind of there. But they had good games and in
future tournaments if they had the same format, then I
wouldn't be surprised at all of Sweden or Finland makes
the final. But I mean, if you think about Finland's
a great swed has always been a great hockey country
and Finland has been too. But Finland's had a lot
(38:43):
of success lately in terms of they made last couple
World Juniors of Championship games, so they've been doing well
and it's just a great, great representative for the game.
There's a lot of people I know who were like
who they maybe might go to runers game everyone's while
maybe you go to UBI gameryone's smile, or maybe they
might tweet about or talk about the Stanley Cup finals,
(39:05):
but they're not really there in the hockey.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
But they're really into that.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
You know, they're really into the tournament and it's a
tournament that it was, uh, you know, it was exciting
to see the best best tournament.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Like that for the first time in a while.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
And it's it's a situation where Canada I think probably
had to be favored in terms of you know, they
have more stars, they have more more players in the
NHL stuff like that, more big stars, but USA has
been doing really well lately, and you could make the
argument that going into the tournament, USA hockey surpassed Canada
because you know, they have more there's more Canadian airs,
(39:39):
there's more American players now than Canadian players overall. You know,
people would register from youth league, the very league there,
everything like that. And you see, obviously there's been it's
been a long time since Canadian team has won the
Stanley Cup. And then then of course the USA has
won the last couple World Juniors, which, by the way,
less time Canada won the World Juniors. I'm dealing Goumpro
scored the winning well, so that's kind of neat neat
(40:02):
note for US. But it's just been a great It
was just a great tournament and a great I don't
know how many leagues can do that because the unique
ravelry between US and Canada where there's obviously some bad
blood between the actual players and there's some aggressiveness between
the fans, but not not a really bad situation where.
Speaker 3 (40:20):
You have fights in the sound stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
But in the situation that it was, it was good
for the in Tucson where they didn't boo the national
anthems or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
So that was nice to see.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
And then it was a great great weekend in terms
of Miltair appreciation where it's not there wasn't a situation
where like, Okay, well we'll slap on camo jersey and
that's it or camel sweat or something. You know, but
and and we're and we'll say we're supports tubes like that.
But it was nice that the runners did so many
things for so many things to show that how much
(40:49):
they appreciate those who served and those who are currently serving.
So that was a great weekend. And coming back to
the Four Nations tournament, it's it's a turn it's a
format I hope they continue to do and hopefully they
get to they do get to fact up playing the
Olympics next year, and they're gonna bring out the World
Cup and add more teams. That's a that's a thing
(41:09):
that thought was kind of when you have a turnaout
that over the ALSTO, it's tough to bring in teams
like Germany or Czech Republic or Slovakia or something like
that because there's so many there's not enough teams, not
if guys to fill out that roster in the NHL.
But once you get to the Olympics and stuff like that,
in the World Cup of Hockey stuff like that, you
can have more depth and have more teams play.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
So that'll be exciting to see that.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
And a guy that stands out like that, James is uh,
you know, potentially Maximilian Zuber Julian Lutz maybe playing for
Team Germany. Zuber technically was born in Poland, but he's
eligible to play for Team Germany. He played for the
team in the i HF Worlds last season. Don't remember
if Let's played there too, I'd have to double check.
(41:53):
But those are two guys who are very much eligible
potentially to play for Team Germany and the Olympics next year.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
I mean easy for us.
Speaker 4 (42:00):
We wouldn't have those two for a few weeks, but
it would very much be worth it to go see
them chase the gold medals.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
So those are potentially guys.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
Uh before before uh, Patrick Kach and Milos Kellman were
representing Team Slovakia and the Olympics too, when the NHL
had polled players out of the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
So uh for Gary Bedman, uh.
Speaker 4 (42:21):
Yeah, it sucks that he pulled the players out of
international play for so long, but I think the fact
that it was so long made the Four Nations so
much more popular. And now that he's he's got that
grasp again, you have to let it all happen, right, Yeah,
Like bring the Four Nations back when there's no Olympics,
Bring the World Cup of Hockey in the summers.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Like it just it keeps hockey going.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
It keeps hockey the like the hockey was the main
talk of the entire sports world, you know, Like I
I had people who never even watched hockey talk to
me about like, what do you think of this this tournament.
I'm like, this is awesome, Like this is what this
is what hockey needs. This is this is the publicity
I mean. And again I'm not I'm not the biggest
basketball player, but now you have people saying that NHL
(43:04):
is better than the NBA because the NBA's All Star
Game has been a dud for for years to come.
The NFL All Star Game potentially aka the Pro Bowl,
has also, you know, been going downhill ever since they
stopped letting guys play the full games. Like you have
to let these guys play full games in some kind
of cool tournament fashion. Because you get the best on
(43:27):
best playing against one another. So all exciting, great Four
Nations tournament, great weekend for Tucson, and we're just excited
for the Olympics coming up next season.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Let's listen to our last SoundBite.
Speaker 4 (43:41):
You also asked Steve about the Four Nations just what
he thinks of it, what he thought it did to
the world of hockey. It was a great question asked
by you, Steve Povin after the results of the Four
Nations faceoff.
Speaker 6 (43:52):
You know what it was great? It was it was
exciting to watch the Foig Nations, you know, and you
watch how the goals were manufactured and how the team played.
It was a it was a direct derivative of what
we've been talking about. You know, we're in a in
a fight for our playoff lives, and we've got a
group in there that wants to obviously take that next step.
(44:12):
So it was it just cemented how we needed to play,
and you could see how, you know, in that last game,
teams were playing. You know, they were playing aggressive hockey,
but they're always above their check. They were playing simple
and then you know they were just kind of waiting
for their opportunity. You know, and you know, you could
(44:33):
see that type of game start to materialize for us anything,
it just cements the way we want to play. So
it was great to watch and it was great to see,
you know, how much passion each of the countries had
and in representing their countries it was.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
It was exciting hockey, exciting hockey all around. James. Great
for a nation's tournament.
Speaker 4 (44:55):
Great job by the Roadrunners getting a sweep over the
Abbotsford Canucks hang on to the seventh seed of the
hl's playoff picture, and you so. Vallamachi will be potentially
making his Roadrunners debut up against the Rockford Ice Hogs,
a team we have not seen James since the twenty
one to twenty two season. We have only played them
(45:16):
six times. Ever, we have a two to three one
to no record against them as well, so Duson will
look to get over the hump against them in the
In the all time matchups, we're one to three against
Central Division opponents this season.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
That was all against Texas.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
Rockford not as strong in that Central Division as well.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
There are twenty one, twenty four to five and one.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
I don't remember how many teams make the Calder Cup
playoffs in that division.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
I'm so focused on ours.
Speaker 4 (45:49):
I think Rodford is technically in the playoffs fry right now,
because I want to say.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
It's the first five teams in that division.
Speaker 4 (45:55):
Again, I could be wrong, but it's just another advance
for Tucson to to try to, you know, get some
points against a team that's struggling a little bit.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
Yeah, I can check the Oh I thought I could
check it, clicking the wrong thing.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Yeah, let me see.
Speaker 4 (46:14):
Oh it's top five. Okay, yeah, it's tough five. I
just looked at it too. Okay, so top top five.
So Rockford's technically a playoff team. They're ten points over
the Iowa Wild so you can pretty much bank them
as a playoff team. But that still doesn't mean they're
gonna not try like they're gonna try to get wins
for themselves, you know, try to climb up their own standings,
(46:37):
but they're they're potentially just kind of locked in on
that fifth seed spot. So again, that's why it's so
tough for our division. Right Like you have the Rockford
IceHogs with the losing record making the playoffs, Tucson has
to pretty much get a winning record. So it's two
teams in very much two different spots. It's two final
seeds of each playoff picture, and it's gonna be a
(46:59):
good seae. Is Gon a chance for the Roads to
get some more wins in his home stand.
Speaker 5 (47:03):
Yeah, it's gonna be another big weekend for for the
Rown owners. You have Saturday or Friday. Say that I'm
used to Saturday and Sunday again for some reason. Friday
you have the Universe serials on the night, and then
Saturday of the Hockey's for everyone night and they're obviously
they're playing Rockford. So there's a lot of Chicago people
(47:24):
from Chicago that moved here, a lot of Snowbirds from
Chicago that moved here. So you're gonna probably see a
lot of black Hawks fans at the game. And interesting
to note that there Ice Hogs are going to be
a little gonna be down man at least for the
first game.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
When our ardam left shutoff.
Speaker 5 (47:40):
He he got suspended for for the game for the
Runners game because of his across check you had against
Chicago the other day. So it's got to be a
weird kind of robbery with them, a big robbery with
them for because if you're if you're not really familiar
with the affiliations Rockford is. You can tell by their uniforms,
by the way they look like the black Hawks firms.
He just took off the black Hawk g logan. They
put a nice hog logo. But Rockford's affiliated with the Blackhawks,
(48:06):
and then Chicago Chicago Wolves are affiliated with Carolina for now.
They've had an on and off rough relationship with them,
but probably like a big rubbery between Chicago and Rockford.
Ruffords a city that's Illinois, pretty close to Chicago, and
obviously they're the hl A Philly to Chicago, so they
kind of had that rubbery going. So it should be
(48:26):
a good weekend with and then coming in to town
first time in a while. You know, there was I
remember when the Chicago Wolves get in town. There are
a bunch of people who had black Hawks jerseys. So
there's a lot of people from Chicago that are in
Illinois that that live in Tucson or or at least
our our at least Snowbirds in Tucson. So should be
a good game, should be a good atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (48:46):
Yeah, all excitement coming up final two games of this
short little four game home stand. Uh, before we go
back on the road against the Ontario Rain and Bakersfield Condors. James,
thanks as always joining us this great episode. Hearing from
Steve Pavin and Cameron he Big all throughout from the series.
Hearing from Steve Pavin from the Four Nations face Off
(49:08):
You so Val Macki now expected to join the Roadrunners
coming up this weekend. Also coming up tonight, if you're
listening on this Tuesday, we have the two soun Roadrunners
Happy our show with fan favorite Montana on Yabucci. In
case you are not able to watch it live, go
to Tucson rodbers dot com slash Happy Art listen to
the podcast version, or on Apple Podcast if you're listening
(49:31):
on that platform as well. We will throw things out
with lights to Tucson. We'll see you tonight at our
usual Tuesday night get together and this upcoming weekend, as
the Roadrunners take on the Rock third itcealks for the
first time since to twenty one twenty two AHL season.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
We will see you there.
Speaker 7 (49:52):
He gotta see the lights tu song, Gotta see the
lights of Tucson.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
You're coming back. Weez gotta.
Speaker 3 (50:16):
Just been my little.
Speaker 1 (50:17):
Hooms there said a candle isn't mess with the kid,
But Tucson, my heart is a yearning like Bronson.
Speaker 3 (50:24):
My wheels are turning.
Speaker 5 (50:34):
Can't we be there with her in the Catalina's.
Speaker 7 (50:39):
The lights of too sun shining in her.
Speaker 1 (50:47):
Illover fee Alona, We neversona a it.
Speaker 5 (50:53):
Desn't reaching the sky.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
You gotta see the lions are tu song, I got
him back.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
Wet get a move on.
Speaker 7 (51:05):
You gotta see the lions are tuc song coming back.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
We get a move ball.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
You gotta see the lights are too so I got
it back. Won't get the moon? Gotta see the it's
too soon coming back.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
Will you get a ball
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!