January 19, 2025 • 50 mins
The voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Arizona Daily Star's James Kelly recap the first half of the season for Tucson and preview the upcoming six-game homestand as the team returns to the Tucson Arena.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more road Runners.
This is the twoson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners, 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 two Son
Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Welcome to this week's edition of the two Soon Roadrunners
Insider Podcast. Jonathan Shaeffer alongside the Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly.
We have a lot to talk about Roadrunners recent two
game series versus the Calgary Wranglers.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
This episode we're recording this on Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
It is Sunday right now if you're listening with this episode,
releasing one of the last episode to kind of breathe
a little bit since it's a little bit of a
quicker turnaround for us. Recorded the last episode before the
Calgary series because it was a MIDWEK two game series.
No games during the weekend slate for Tucson, so a
nice little weekend off for all of us here, especially
after the Fellas and myself coming back from a pretty
(01:10):
long road trip, had chasing Bennett with us as well
in San Diego. Overall solid road trip. I mean, you know,
you ended off three and four. You didn't get that
high note win to seal it off, you know, from
the seven game trip as a whole.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Do you want to call it the five game trip?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Two Roadrunners finished that one off two and three teams
a little bit on a scuffle right now, James, But
you know it's funny. We look back into the early
part of December and the last time the Roadrunners lost
two games versus the Wranglers, they went on to win
six in a row going into the holiday break to
(01:48):
get to their season high six games over five hundred.
The team is currently four games over five hundred at
nineteen at fifteen to one, and oh where one game
away from the halfway point. You can consider this episode
as the halfway special. Right now, Tuson's in sixth place
in the AHL Specific Division. Abbotsford's begun to heat up again.
(02:10):
They're one point behind Tucson Bakersfield's four points away, but
then the Roadrunners are still well with them places five
to four and three and even two also, So I mean, gosh,
when went up spot out of the playoffs and a
spot in the playoffs, it will really second in division
is is separated by just ten points. You know, that
(02:32):
might look a lot to the naked eye, but James,
as we always say, you just never know who you
know gets hot at the right time or even gets
cold at the wrong times too. And again this division,
there's just no margin for error, and the Roadrunners just
they just couldn't get it done. It was two really,
really tough games versus Calgary. First game, Roadrunners down three
(02:55):
to nothing after the first period, could have easily been
four nothing, ended up being four nothing. Eventually, Duson scored
two goals in the third period, got it, made it
a little bit interesting, but ended up losing at the
end of the match five to two, allowing an empty
net goal, and then lost the second game four to three,
(03:17):
in which the Rovers actually led in that game too,
scoring first as well. The first time the Roadrunners lost
on the road this season went scoring the first goal.
I have a lot to talk about still, regardless of
Ducson losing both of those games.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Yeah, it was an interesting trip because I mean they
dropped the last two, so you're like kind of didn't
do that well. But really if you look at it,
they went three and four, and then on the mini
kind of trip you talked about, they went, you know
in the California slash Calgary part of the trip. You
know that they also were just a game under five hundred.
(03:54):
So usually when they go on these trips. I looked
it up last year when they had the gym Shi
road trips, these like series like six games seven game
road trips. I looked up last year, and other than
last year, they were I think maybe one other time
they're over five hundred. But every year, even when they
won the division and stuff like that, they they were
(04:14):
under five hundred on the on these road trips because
it's just so far, you know, to go to Texas
and then to come back for a little pitstop, you know,
just kind of you day or two pack a Tucson
and then you go to Calgary. I mean, you go
to Coachella and then you go to San Diego and
you go up to Calgary. So it's a lot of
traveling and so it's a difficult situation in terms of
you're playing tough teams in Texas and Coachella and Calgary. Obviously,
(04:36):
and then even though San Diego was at the bottom
of standings when they played them, they were there at
that point where they had to start getting wins and
they didn't look like a second place, eighth place, ninth
place team or whatever they were at the time they
played them. So, yeah, it is a tough series, but
I mean tough, tough road trip, but they ended up
having a good effort on trying to come back on Tuesday,
(04:58):
and then the Wednesday game was a lot better for them.
Tuesday you talked about how they kind of had that
slow start where they fell fell behind three to zero
in the first period, and then they gave up another
goal in the fourth period, I mean the fourth period
in the second period, so they're down for to zero
and then they did not a good comeback in the
you know, in the third period, I'm getting a couple
of goals and Camba continues to just really roll and
(05:22):
just you know, a lot of guys, a different guys scoring,
and a lot of really feisty series. So it was
really interesting the talk about that Calgary series where they
did get swept, but it was a battle for both games.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, no matter what the scores are, James, this team,
they show fight the full sixty minutes and uh, you know,
I hate to always bring out the negatives, but the
issue for twoson has just been the start. It's it's
been slow starts for the road Runners, especially all in
that road trip, even before Tuson went back on the road,
(05:57):
in which the road Runers have been on the road
nine of the last eleven games, so six game homestand
is you know, I wouldn't say it's the make or
break point of the season for two soon, but you
just feel like it's much needed and you can just
tell the guys are you know, just just glad to
be done because we're home for two more weeks and
then we're back on the road again for two more
more two more weeks. Luckily no flying to Canada. We're
(06:18):
we're done with our Canadian series now, or at least
at in Canada. Abbotsford comes up next, Calgary will be
here soon again. But yeah, it's tough to win on
the road in this division, especially when you had to
go on the trip like the road Runners did where
we went to Texas for two games.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
We came back for one day.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, the one day was important, but then you
bust five hours to Coachella Valley. You bust the San
Diego the next day. We did get a day off.
The first game back from that day off, you know,
the game went how it went. We still got it
within one matth. Peo Bolalta made you know, forty two
saves in that match we talked about on the last podcast.
(06:58):
Won the next game with the good bounce back win.
And then then you have to fly all the way
to Calgary, and we got the practice day in Calgary too,
But again, you know, from what you know, a lot
of teams don't have to go all the way to
Texas and then back and then the Calgary right after,
you know, and especially not even being home. You know,
it's just so much different than being home than on
the road. You know, when you're home, you're you're more comfortable,
(07:20):
you're sleeping in your own bed for the vets, You're
you're with your kids, you know, and of course the
guys are always together living with one another too, but
you know, sometimes you always get the piece and quiet too,
and you know, you get a home cooked meal here
and there, and it's just so different. And the thing
the reason why I'm not totally panicking with our road
(07:40):
record of nine and ten is because a lot of.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
The teams in the Pacific Division are.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Not as good on the road. And we talked about
this a few weeks ago. But here's for example, Calgary
best team in the division eight seven to one and oh,
there were six and seven and since playing the road
Runners last talk to see popin about He's like, well,
they've been on the road a lot, and the Wranglers
are actually on a five game road a losing streak.
(08:06):
Coachella Valley's nine six one and oh a little better,
Colorado second place in the division. They're six seven to
one and oh on the road. Ontario is the best
team on the road at ten five oh to one.
San Jose eight seven one and one, got your road
Runners night and ten, Abbotsford seven and eight one and one.
Bakers has a winning record, but they just have a
(08:26):
lot of overtime losses. They're ninth, seven and three, and
then San Diego and Henderson obviously not as good records too.
But yeah, wins are just hard to come by in
the division on the road as a whole. And I'm
not just it's not just you know, it's not like
every team struggling on the road too. I mean Central
Division Grand Rapids is eleven six on the road, Texas
(08:49):
is thirteen and seven, and then all the a couple
of other teams have at least winning records. North Division
Rochester's fifteen to four and one on the road with
the ten and six, Cleveland eleven and six.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I mean, you know, all the other divisions can play
on the.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Road, but it's just harder for us, and I think
it's just because, you know, for for a lot of
these other teams, they could just it's just bus travel
because they're all so close to each other, and then
for us, it's just a lot more travel, especially for Tucson.
I mean, the closest team to us is five hours
away with a five hour bus ride to Coachella Valley.
(09:25):
We also bust to Henderson and San Diego. That's you know,
six six hour bus rides, it could be seven if
you hit traffic. And then flying to Calgary too so
and Abbotsford. So with that being said, you know, it's
just hard to win on the road for all these teams,
and that's why the the nine and ten record for
the roadrunners away from the Tucson arena is it's just
(09:45):
not something to panic. Obviously, we want to win on
the road, Yes, we do, because if you want to
do a Cup run, you're gonna have to win playoff
games on the road. But yeah, with that being said,
it's just the road trip didn't go fully the way
we wanted.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
We got some, we did get some a very good
wins in it.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But I think the six game homestand we're gonna see
the road Uns get out of this little funk.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Yeah, I think the honestly, I think the nine and
ten's solid on the road. I mean, you you want
to kind of obviously want to get the five hunter
on the road. Then to make a good playoff run,
you need to get to learn that. But at this
point the season, with all the call ups they've had,
the injuries and you know, kind of this long road
trip and stuff like that. So you know, and the
troubles they've had with the starts and stuff like that
(10:29):
and giving up a lot of shots, I think that's good.
You straighten those things out, You straight and you get
off the better starts, and you could you cut down
on how many shots are giving up, then that'll improve.
And so I think that it's a good starting point.
I'm not a starting point, but you know good they're
in a good position. That's it's not such a bad
start on the road. And your think about you talked
about the road trip. To me, I mean I haven't
(10:50):
when I've traveled for work. It was like I went
for a weekend series and then I came back or whatever,
you know, like like when I did in college. But
to me, when I'm thinking about it, when you of
like one one day off between the door trips like that,
it's not that big of rest because you're you're having
to catch up on stuff. You're having to tick out
see what you see, what food isn't well, you see
what food is spoiled and stuff like that. You know
(11:11):
if people aren't doing that. So it's kind of like
a working day too, so I have to relax as much.
Obviously it's a positive to see your families, see you pets,
stuff like that, but it's still really hectic. I mean
they were when I went to a practice on that
Tuesday when they it was a Tuesday or whatever day
it was when they're practicing.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
I think it was tay.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Yeah, all the bags are literally lined up and the
truck was ready to go, and we're like, oh, I
was like, oh, who can we talk to, you know,
because I was like, it.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Looks like they're about to go.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So it was just really rushed and so but but
you know, looking back, it's you know, tough to win
in this division, but it's also the home teams is
a really good this year. It seems like, i mean
there's a lot of games last year where you know,
when Tucson had the really good, really good road record,
where they go and they get a sweep or they
get a split or something, and this year they get
they would they would get a splitter, they would get swept.
(11:58):
But it's seems like the teams are a lot tougher
from at home this year. There's you know, you get
really good crowds in Coach Hella and San Diego and
stuff like that, and even we talked about maybe they
only have the biggest crowds in Calgary, but they it's
a tough trip. You know, it's the furthest north they
Tuson go, so you know, Abas starts up there obviously,
(12:18):
but Calgary is a little bit more north, so it's
it's a tough trip overall. And you're playing a really
good team when you go up there. So there were
no teams that we talked about last week that or
last last POT or I guess it was last week
now talked about last Pod where they're one of the
few teams that have two teams two guys on the
All Star team because it's just so hard to get
into the with ten teams in the division and only
twelve players on the All Star team, it's hard to
(12:40):
get multiple players, so they only have two, but they
have a coach. So it's kind of weird with the
coach thing because their coach got moved up to the
Calgary Flames, so they're head coach. So there they have
a coach slot for the All Star Game. But you
know they're because they're in first place at the at
the you know, at the end of the counter year.
So their team that kind of has three All Stars
really if you think about it, so they're you know,
(13:01):
they're really tough, obviously, really tough to win up there.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, and I think the and again knowing you know me,
like I'm I'm full optimists. I think the Roadrunners can
win every single game they play. And I think I
was a little blinded. You know. Again, when I looked
at the I looked at the last time we had
played them, and we were nine three one and oh
and Calgary was six and seven. And I'm like, and
I even told ce Pop and then I'm like, all right, man, like,
(13:27):
let's show them where the better team, you know, like
come on.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And obviously yeah, but then that's what he told me.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
He was like, well, they've been on the road a
lot too, and they've had call ups, but we can't
underestimate that. And you know, I think that was just
an overlooked by me, you know, just thinking like, yeah,
we're gonna we're gonna sweep these guys. We got this,
you know, and and and we we totally capable of
art because we we have swept the Wranglers before, even
when they were fully loaded with their with their talent
and their starting goaltender. You had to give credit to,
(13:54):
uh to Connor Murphy and uh well Terry Ignatcha, the
two backups for the both securing wins for Calgary in
that weekend series. And yeah, there's been no home victors
in this season series as well, so you never know,
maybe maybe the Roadrunners sweet the Wranglers back and then
tie up the season series four wins a piece because
(14:15):
we just we couldn't get any wins at the saddle Dome.
But yeah, home records are are much more different. Calgary's
seventeen and five, Coachella Valleys at eleven and six, Colorado's
fourteen three, one and two, Ontario's eleven and seven, San
Jose's twelve four to oh to one, we're ten five
to one, and oh Abbotsford's eleven and seven, and then
(14:35):
Bakersfield's five hundred at home. So the one team that's
fighting for the playoff picture with not a winning record
at home. So it's just much more different. But I
think that's just gonna be. It's gonna make it so
much more important to get that home disadvantage for the
first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Roadrunners currently not
in that picture right now as we enter the halfway
(14:58):
point of the season, the currently sixth place right now,
you need to get at least second, third or fourth spot.
And again, you know these this is not what's gonna
look like because it's constantly uh changing every game in
and uh in game out.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
But if the.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Playoffs were to start today, road winners would have a
two game series with the Colorado Eagles and uh, yeah
for two on four or five one and know in
the last ten games, uh, obviously coming off of that
O two series loss versus the Calgary Wranglers, uh three
and four overall on the seven game trip, and it's just,
(15:37):
you know, it's crazy that when you have a trip
like that, and again it's not like it was a
horrible trip. You got three out of you got three
wins out of seven. Obviously the a win in Calgary
would have been nice too, but uh, considering that Romers
are three and four and the last seven too, if
you want to put at that, uh, you know, it's
it's dropped him. I mean after that, after we got
that great win against Coachell Valley, Uh, I think we
(15:59):
were within fourth or third place. And it's tough because
every time you feel like two songs right there, and
especially in this series when we were saying we're early
eight points away from Calgary. If we win these two games,
we get within four first place and then the Roadrunners
don't win the games, and that I think that's happened
a lot this year where we start thinking about you know, Okay,
(16:20):
if two Song gets these two wins, we're gonna jump
to this spot and you know, maybe we split or
two Song loses both games, even in that series versus
the Carbroo Eagles where we only got one point, and
and again, I think sometimes we just have to uh not.
And again it's not like the players are saying this,
we say this, but you know sometimes I again, I
just get I love this team and I want these
(16:41):
guys to to win every game and then and game out.
I do think we can win every single matchup because
we have the talent to do it. We have the
goaltending to do it as well. But I think sometimes
I forget why these other teams are in this position
because they're they're just full of talent.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yeah, I mean they can win all those games. I
mean all those games they played. They obviously they swept Calgary,
so I mean, you look at that, but you look
at I don't think it's time to get really good concerned,
because like what happened was I I was I went
to another game on Tuesday, to a high school game
on Tuesday, so I didn't get to see that one.
So I was like a day off and watching the game,
So it's kind of weird. I was kind of like
(17:17):
a time traveler, you know, kind of looking at the game,
looking at the game because alread knew what happened, and
then so I knew what the score was. I was like, oh,
this is gonna be ugly. But then after, you know,
other than it wasn't ugly the first period on Tuesday,
and and you know, they gave another goal, so they
were down four to zero early on.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
I mean, they didn't second period.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
But it was really from watching the game versus just
looking at the score afterwards or looking at what I
was doing on Tuesday was I was going refreshing the
game Center app and kind of seeing checking out what's
going on.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
It's really.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
You know, you said you had the quote where where
you talked about where they they always go down punching,
and that that's you know, that that shows that they
have a they're really good. You know, they're they're a
tough team to beat. They're they're tough out even if
they do lose, even if you get the four goals,
they're still gonna battle and they're still gonna score a
couple of goals at the end, and you know, give
them an empty net goal, so you know, the score
(18:09):
looks a little uglier than that actually was. But if
you look at the standings there, they have thirty nine
points and they're so there are four games back Ontario
in fourth place, so they could you know, they have
a series coming up with Ontario at home, so if
they sweep that, then they would get you know, obviously
they have a couple of series in between. But if
they sweep that and then they come back and get
(18:30):
you know that, they move up and they get tied
with Ontario. So they're not in that bit bad petition really,
even though they got swept and you know, they you
had the puck winner a little different ways, certainly on Wednesday,
you know, have gotten split and they would have had
a winning record on the road and on this road trip,
so that would have been really impressive.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Yeah, and that's why this and again it's it's every
game is so important now, right because we're we're getting
down to the stretch where, uh, you know, maybe when
two songs done with this next road trip in two
weeks after this six game homestand especially at the All
Star I think we're really really gonna start talking about like, Okay,
(19:10):
we need to get these points against this team if
we want to be in this playoff positioning. And again, James,
do you know, look at Bakersfield. I mean they're they're
starting to ramp up points too. They're just one point
away from a playoff spot. Now they have two games
in hand on Tucson and both Abbotsford, and I think
for the first time in this division, we might see
a team with a winning record not make the playoffs
(19:32):
because now you have Barrakuda, the Sanjos A Barracuda who
have been playing great this year.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
So again it's gonna suck.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
But you know, and I'm not saying it's gonna be
the road Runners, but we might see either Abbotsford or
Bakersfield have a strong finish to the year and not
make the playoffs. So you know, it's it's also the
you know, you want to get as high as possible
in the division, but you don't want to drop so
much to where all of a sudden you're thinking, oh no,
like we can miss playoffs all of a sudden because
(20:03):
bakers Fields, you know, they have their they always have
their late season push. You know, I remember even last
year too, when we were thinking like who did we
want to play in the first round of the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Was it gonna be Bakersfield or Calgary?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
And Calgary fell enough to fall the seventh Biggers who
got the sixth spot? And we know what happened in
the first round of the playoffs. But you know, going
back to that, yes, we're gonna start really soon looking
at the stretch of you know what's gonna happen. Where
do you think the road Runners are gonna finish off at?
(20:36):
And yeah, nineteen fifteen one to oh if you do
the math, by the end of the season, Duson's record
could be around the forty thirty two and oh ish
and obviously ten games over five hundred, that's pretty good
playoff position to me, I don't see you not making
up the playoffs with that record. But again it's you know,
you get another seven game win streak and that's mixed too,
(20:58):
and you don't fall off after that, then the Roadruns
could definitely still finish with a very strong record. And
I think this specific division is much much better than
last year. We knew it was already going to be
much better than last year too, so for the Roadrunners
to be four games over five hundred near the halfway
point with you know everything they've also gone through, right,
(21:19):
we started five and seven to start up the year,
we're fourteen eight one and oh.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Since we've we've had Josh Doone get called up.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
We'd even start the year with Josh Stone already has
a goal with the Utah Hockey Club as well. Andre
Gazino is out for injury for a bid. We've lost
Miko Matik and Julian Lutz. We are back within the mix.
We've lost Jackson Stobber for almost two months. I mean,
of course, kudos to Matthew Vlalta to stepping into the mix.
So Tucson's been already through a lot of moves, and
(21:50):
it's not as many moves as last season, but I think,
you know, maybe more of just the on the injury
side of things, and still with the callp side of
things as well. This team has been going through a lot,
It's been going through a lot of progresses, and to be,
you know, at this spot right now, I think it's
still pretty admirable. And I think again it's still just
(22:12):
looking all from here because I still don't think we've
seen this team at its fullest potential yet.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Even though we've still been seeing great wins.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Yeah, that's the other thing about the We talked about
the road tip about being just a game of under
five hundred. There was a lot going on in terms
of you I talked to the travel and playing tough teams,
but you also have a lot of injuries, and you
have guys getting called up, and you have guys coming
in like I like Maverick and that's you know, I mean,
obviously he's he's a good player. And when con Ingram
came in, that was good. You know, he did really well.
(22:43):
But it just changes chemistry when you have guys coming in.
It's not like a fantasy you know, fantasy team or something.
It's a real team. So it's a living, breathing organism.
So when guys come in to changes chemistry team the stuff,
and usually they're good about that, you know. And maybe
I'm not saying that there was any issues with that one,
but it it just changed a lot of stuff. There's
a lot of movie in Pece is over on that
road trip, and but you do you did see a
lot of guys who did really well. I mean, we
(23:06):
talked about we keep talking about Pam. Hebig about how
great he's been, how Grady's been this year, and they're
looking at it, maybe he's a good candidate for, you know,
to put potentially replace Doan on the All Star team
because he's up to thirteen goals, team leading, thirteen goals,
up to twenty two points. I mean, he's they're starting
(23:26):
to kind of filter out and figure ou who's gonna
be an All Star team. I forget what team it was,
but they announced a couple of replace some players for
a couple guys that were hurt that were coming in.
I think it was like Chicago or something today they
announced that, So I don't really think about it. So this,
this upcoming series could be really big and deterterming. Who
could be an All Star if you know, and like
we said, if you missed the last episode where we
talked about the All Star Game and and how that works,
(23:49):
and they're not necessarily gonna you know, they don't have
there's not a rule like in major legue baseball where
every team has to have an All Star. We were
just having one All Star selection so far. But if
you know, they have to replace someone on the team
because they have actual teams obviously, so that they want
to replace someone if if they do, if they you know,
(24:10):
do do you know when they do that, they want
to They don't have to pick someone from the same team,
but they can refer and it makes sense you want
to have someone from each team. So if they do
go with someone like we talked about on the Igor
stock Bloff doing really well, Kylie Almotas are obscuring well
because Heino's hurt, so probably not. But then Cameron Heebi's
doing really well. He's twenty two points and just spin
on a tear lately.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, and I know we constantly keep talking about them,
but we have reasons to James. I mean, he scored
two goals in the first period on Wednesday's loss. Gosh,
I hope I haven't been saying the weekend because those
were mid week games. I apologize that I've been saying
Friday and Saturday because I tend to do that because
I'm so used to the Friday Saturday games.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
But I don't think I have yet. But if I dude,
I apologize.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
These games were Tuesday and Wednesday, So yeah, Wednesday night,
Cameron Yebis two goals in the first period. He ended
that road trip with seven goals and one assist for
eight points. Seven goals on the road trip, including that
hat trick to multiple goal games this season. Now for
he Big, thirteen goals, as you just said, tied for
the team lead with Igor Soklop James, we were talking
(25:16):
about if he keeps up this pace, right, he's going
to be a twenty goal scorer. He could be a
thirty goal scorer. I did more of this. I did
more of the math. It's on the by this time.
This episode airs on Sunday. A road Ahead will be out,
so go check that out at Tucson Rovers dot com
because it's gonna it really explains what this pace of
(25:37):
he Big is at.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
So, thirteen goals tied for the season high. He set
thirteen goals for his season high in the twenty one
to twenty two season in sixty eight games play. He's
at thirty games played right now, so that is less
than half of the games he's played. He's already tied
his career high in the third with thirteen goals with
thirty eight games less play, too, if you want to
(25:59):
put it at that, he's had a point per game
pace at point seven to three, which is also his
current best line right now, as he had point five
to two points per game at thirty two points last
season in sixty one games played. So doing all the
math again, if he Big continues his point seven to
three points per game line with his current thirteen goals
(26:22):
right now and nine assists, he could very much end
the season with around twenty nine to thirty goals twenty assists,
and it would be in sixty seven games played. And
I think what's also very interesting, James, And again this
is all hypothetical. This is all just based on statistics
(26:42):
and the math and the pace right now. Obviously we
don't know if Cameron he Big will fizzle out, you
know with the goal scoring, or we don't know if
he's gonna go absolutely bonkers crazy and score another like
seven goals in his next Homestand Michael Carconi had thirty
one goals in the twenty two twenty three season, the
most all time by a road runner. And we were
(27:04):
talking earlier about is Josh don't gonna break that? And
then Don't got called up and we said, okay, it's
not gonna happen, but it's okay because Jon's called up.
Cameron Hebig is on the HL contract, so you know,
all the contract talk wise and all this stuff that
I don't know as much about. You know, he would
have to sign a two way deal to be called
up to the Utah Hockey Club if they wanted to,
(27:24):
and obviously that would be unreal if Cameron Hebig got
a shot at the National Hockey League for the first time,
because every time you ask someone else about him, like,
you know, what, how do you what's how great is
it to see Cameron Hebig have his career year and
talking to Yamamoto too after the the Wednesday Night lost,
I mean, every guy is gonna say he is the
(27:45):
hardest working player ever.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
We know how hard he works.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
But again, if Cameron Hebig just continues to play like
he's playing right now, maybe he has a couple of
more multiple goal games.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
I don't know it. Again, we're halfway through the year.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Anything could still add and Cameron Hebek could very much
break the record and maybe even so go off too.
We keep forgetting how great Igor has been playing. He
has thirty one goals too. So again it's all hypothetical.
We're just doing the math on our end here. As
you know, as we've said before, too. Cameron hebig is
very or yeah, he's very close to breaking the all
(28:21):
time record as well for most games played. It's it's
just so fitting seeing a guy like him have the
year that he's having for the team. He works so
hard every day in and day out. He's a he's
a main staple guy here in Tucson. He signed another
contract to play in his fifth year with US, and
for him to have this current run right now is
(28:41):
quite phenomenal to see. And I'm just really excited to
see what Cameron Heebec can do for the second half.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Yeah, he's the guy that we only talked about a lot,
but he's the guy that he's just loved an organization.
I mean, last year he won that man of the
Year award or you know, he won the nomination for
the league, so basically he won it from the Roader
nurs He won a nomination for the Prayer of the
Year for a man of the Year for the league.
And then he also, you know, he won the Hardest
(29:09):
working Player award for the month. So it's if if
if that date, I'm my computer's right, it's generous seventeenth,
so it's not even close to being the it's pretty close,
I guess to a month being.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Over, but he's already decided. It's already clear he's won that.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
So but I mean, you look at we talked about
how they fought back in those those two games on
they had they had a fierce battle on Wednesday, and
then they fought back in Tuesday. He's the one who
started that in terms of he scored that first goal
that they had on Tuesday, and when I was writing
my notes from the game, I just put like determination
goal because it's just like he was Vina be denied.
He's just gonna put this in, you know. So that
(29:45):
was Tuesday and Wednesday he scores that first goal. I'm
kind of flipping the script where you know, they have
the Rudners have had the bad starts, or they gotten
a little bit better where they're not giving goals like
the first minute, but they still you know, kind of
not doing as well in the first period as they
do in the later periods. But he up the script.
He scored the first fifty seconds, and then he scored again,
you know later on in the you know, first period,
(30:08):
and then he also came close to getting that hat
trick on Wednesday, which would have been obviously when they're huge,
you know, in terms of they lose the game four
to three. But he got really close to getting the
hat tricks. So he's just been he was key to
that turnaround on and that that good showing that they had,
you know, better than better showing than they would have
expected them to have in Calgary.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, and James, uh, you just reminded me too, camer Rebiks.
Also on the three games goal scoring streak, the current
active highest Igor Sokolov had it beforehand until we played
the first game versus the Wranglers. But yeah, so now
he big joined Yamamoto, Hunter, Drew so Clob who's done
it twice, and now he made himself. So we have
(30:49):
four guys who have three game goals scoring streaks this season.
And yeah, he was so close to getting the hat
trick on that time goal. And I don't know what
it is, James. I don't know if it's just the
you know, just a playing style or not. But I
just feel like every time we play, like a backup
goaltender or goaltender who's struggling, they just have their their
career games against us. And Ignatchev looked really good and
(31:10):
Murphy looked well too, And I don't know why. Calgary's
just always finding ways to to acquire good goaltending, and
it's the reason why they've had so much success over
the years going to our goaltenders. I mean, obviously both
Matthew Bolalta and Jackson Stouber suffering losses. You know, tough
for Matthew Vlalta in that first game, you know, having
(31:30):
that one bounce off of rat to skate into the nets.
And honestly, thought of Volalta played outstanding in the second
and third periods. I mean, he only allowed one goal
for the rest of the game after that disastrous first period,
So again, kudos to him for stepping up, you know,
as much as he possibly could. Jackson Staubur in the
second game might have just you know, Stober, it wasn't
(31:51):
his fastball, you know, but he still did what he
had to do to try to keep us in that
matchup too.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
And just a couple.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Of weird jankie goals scored by Calgary, a lot of
them coming from the point, and uh again the just
the weird bounces, the the event where.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Travis Barron got high sticks.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
He was bleeding all over the place and we didn't
even weren't even given a power play. It was it
was just like it was just a series where you
feel like just everything was against us and we just
we just couldn't overcome it.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
And that's okay.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Again, that's just the sport of hockey sometimes and again
to come back home, I think is huge for the team,
and even going to the statistics and when we're as
we're recording right now, I'm working on this little project
thing which I'll finish by the time we're done recording
and then this episode goes out. But again, this is
all gonna be on our weekly blog to sun Rowers
(32:41):
Happy at twosun rows dot com. I'm currently looking up
right now the league average for goalies on goals against
average and say percentage not counting empty nettter. So that's
why I have to do the math, because I can't
find anything that just shows the goals against everything's including
the empty netter. So I have to like do the
math to take it out from each team, which isn't
too art, it's just time consuming because Matthew Volalta, you
(33:04):
know a two point eight nine goals against average and
nine oh six, say percentage. Obviously, that say percentage well
over league average considering the goals against and it's not
even a bad goals against average from Matthew Volalta. I
think people were just so used to those numbers being
lower for Maddy last year. People might be, you know,
from the outside, maybe thinking like, oh, he's having a
bad year. It's like, no, he's not. I mean, he's
(33:25):
he's kept us in so many games this year. And
obviously the record two of the ten and twelve is
is a little tough because wins are what matters the
most for goaltenders. And you know, Valta had a nice
five game winning street during that six game win streak
as well, with a couple of shutouts, and the shutouts
have helped that goals against average stay down as well.
And he got bombarded that one game versus the Coachell
(33:47):
Valley Firebirds a few months back. But pretty much what
I'm saying is when I find that statistic and it's
on our blog, it's going to prove that Volalta is
still playing well above league average in his crease. And
you know it's sometimes stats don't matter for a goaltender
of how great they play. For any team, and the
(34:08):
same goes with Jackson Stauber as well, much more better
looking stats with the two point four or five goals
against everage and nine to twenty four save percentage. But
I think eventually we are going to see both volalt
and Stobber have a really good run at it, and
we just haven't seen it yet. Right like beginning of
the season, Maddy was struggling a little bit and it
(34:30):
was Jackson Stabber who was, you know, playing much better
statistically wise and getting us the victories. And then Jackson
Staber gets called up, Matthew Volalta takes over the crease
and plays phenomenal and gets us on a really really
you know, crucial six game winning street that kind of
changed the season around. And then Jackson Stauber comes back
(34:52):
and Volalta the first game played outstanding, made forty two
saves on forty five shots, couldn't get that victory. And
then the second game Calgary, we had that disastrous start.
We eventually picked it up, but it was too late.
And then Jackson stopper at least getting one win out
of the trip with the victory versus the San Diego
goals in which he made thirty two saves on thirty
(35:13):
four shots.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
So it's taking some time, you know.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Again optimistic here thinking once Jackson Stauber came back, it's like,
oh yeah, these two are gonna get us so many wins.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
And it just hasn't happened yet.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
But again, we have a whole other half of the season, James,
and I think that's what's what's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
To think about it.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
You know, I feel like we've we've seen a whole
season already and we just haven't seen the full potential
of this team.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And we have a whole other half to try.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
To fix what's what's been the issue for us on
these losses, and you know, try to help our goaltenders
out a bit more, try to finish our shots a
bit more too. And again, I'll say it once and
now I'll keep saying again, We're gonna see that run
come up for Tucson. It started to happen. We had
a nine to three to one to O run in
cleaning that six game win streak. It started to happen.
(35:57):
Kind of fizzled out when we started going back on
the road and I saw a couple of call ups happen.
But I do really really think we have yet to
see that crazy run where, you know, where Tucson goes
like gets us eight game win streak or points in
the last ten or just something where we have both goaltenders,
(36:18):
you know, having that one two punch and a guy
like Cameron Heebig or you your Sokolov and Yamamoto are
are gonna go on crazy run steel We're seeing that
right now for Cameron Hebig. So there's still a lot
on the table for Tucson. You know, first half is
pretty much over. Your four games, over five hundred. You
just finished a tough road trip. But now you're back home.
(36:39):
You don't have to go to Calgary anymore, thankfully as
a place we just happened to struggle this season. No
more Calgary trips and yeah, eventually it's gonna start really
looking like crunch time for us.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
Yeah, you have to kind of feel like that way.
I mean, you have to call yourself being the kind
of overly optimistic. But really I think that you have
to think that if the the management, the front office
when they signed Jackson, they thought they were gonna have
this really double headed monster in goal with him and Matthew.
I'm coming off his really breakout season last year, but
(37:12):
they haven't been synk in terms of early on, matt
wasn't doing as well in terms of stats, you know.
You know, we talked about that and Jackson was doing
really well. And then obviously Jackson was in the NHL
for so long and during that time, Matthew you know,
picked it up, and you know, we really got back
and really I was grew back, you know, even though
he's dropped tho last two games, but he's played well
(37:36):
and he played well the.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Who was it y?
Speaker 4 (37:42):
Yeah, played well in that game, and he recovered well
in that in that second in that first Calgary game
even you know, really settling down and coming back and
putting the keeping the runners back in the game. So
they're starting to getting sync, you know, starting to get
to the point where you have those two guys they're
firing on all cylinders. And once you do that, then
you have to think that, yeah, they can have in
(38:04):
terms of out of depth at the Ford slot. So
you would think that once of the goalies get and
sink and get both playing really well at the same time,
that the Ruiners can go on that run, you know.
And the other thing to think about is that right
now they have this big homestand coming up, and then
they have the big Gym Sai road trip.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
So but after that things settle down. They have more
of a regular schedule. You know. It's kind of not
really a fan of scheduled right now.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
In terms of they have that long road trip and
they have long home stand They have a long road
trip because it's nice to play a bunch of games
at home, but you have that pressure on there where
you have to get you have to get sweeps in
order to get back to where you were, you know,
after getting swept. So what I have after the Gym's
road trip, things settle down, and they do have more
home games and road games after that point. But you know,
(38:47):
at that point things will settle down, and I think
they they should be doing well if if they don't
you know, get get, you know, start that streak on
this homestand coming up.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
Yeah, and I could be wrong, but I believe that
the road Runners this current six game homestand that's coming
up is the longest homestand we have of the year,
and the only six game homestand that we have. I'm
I'm gonna double check the schedule, right now, but I'm
pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
This is the longest.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Homestand that we have so current one right now we
are what what.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Month are we in? January?
Speaker 3 (39:20):
So yeah, six game homestand let's see one two three
four one two three four. Yeah, so this is this
is the longest homestand we have at six games. After that,
we get a we get a four game home stand
at the end of February after the Gams Show trip,
we get a four game homestand in the middle of
March another four game homestand to start off April and
(39:42):
then our last two versus Colorado.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
So that's crazy to think, right.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
We get only one six game homestand and then we
get two seven game trips and we have a five
game road trip at the end of March. So it
doesn't get any easier for us when it comes to that.
So we just have to really take advantage of this
upcoming home trip. You have two against Henderson, who is
last place in the Pacific Division, really struggling this year. Abbotsford,
(40:09):
we're coming off of a two game sweep against them
in their own building, but they are starting to heat
up a little bit too. So that's all again another
big playoff like series. They're gonna want to get some
points against us back where we want to keep on
top of them.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
Then you up.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Ontario, which I think will feel like the most playoff
like series because and Kevin Connaughton had a really good
quote about it when we got them on their Happy
Our show last week. He says, every game with teams
above you and the standings are are going to feel
like a playoff game. And that's just what it's gonna
feel like, right when maybe when you're playing a team
like Abbotsford, it's not as obviously every game matters, but
(40:44):
it's not as I would say, playoff like atmosphere, because
you're just trying to keep them away. Like it's like
you're like, go away, stay away from us, whereas you know,
if you play Ontario, you're like, no, come here, we're
coming for you.
Speaker 2 (40:56):
You know, we're chasing after you right now.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
And I think it's just more like when you want
to get them, you're you're more excited, rather than you
push the guy away, You're like, okay, we kept him
off our backs, you know. So I think that uh,
the Ontario series, depending on how the Roadrunners play the
first four games of the home stand are going to
be most crucial. I also love home stands when we
have midweek games because you know it'll be a Monday,
(41:19):
and I know it's a holiday for most people but
not for us, but it's a Monday game Martin Luther
King Day. Kids will be getting in for free under
fourteen with a paying adult at the box office. First
a thousand kids into arena will get a Roadrunners Kids
workbook as well. So yeah, lots of promos if you
want to check them out at Twoston roadrunns dot com.
But I think what's most exciting is that it will
(41:40):
be a Monday and a Tuesday, and you know, we'll
have hockey at the arena and we'll be back for
the first time in three weeks. So I think that'll
be the most exciting part, just to be back for
the first time in quite a while.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Yeah, it could be, you know, a big crowd, you know,
and something that the Runners have that tough road trip
and you come back home you have some yeah, you
have some time to rest, and you have some time
to get some practice days in and you come back
and you have what you know, it really could be
a good, good crowd in terms of you know, the kids,
the kids Day, and also I'm sure there's a lot
of hockey fans who are chomping at the bit to
(42:14):
take out some more runners after like a month between
home games, So it could.
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Be a you know, big, big crowd.
Speaker 4 (42:20):
And you know it's usually for Monday games, you don't,
you know, midweek games, you don't really get to get
that many fans. But with with you know, with with
the with it being a holiday, and with being a
earlier start time and being you know being kids Day
and all that, it shouldhould you should be a good
crowd and should be very interesting to see how the
guys come out after, you know, after having a tough,
(42:43):
you know, tough series Encowngary.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
One more thing I want to point out before we
before we head off is, uh, you know just how
important the depth has been for Tucson in this stretch,
right with with Josh Jones being called up, you just
lost a Draguzino for a bit with that lower body injury,
you know, assist captain for the team. You guys, I
just want to give a shout out to guys like
like Ryan McGregor, right, and Peter Delvatory and and laden
(43:07):
More too, who have stepped up into big roles for
the Roadrunners. Even with Maverick Lamberuo expected to play more games,
he had a scheduled day off on Wednesday, which is
why he wasn't in.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
He didn't reaggravate anything. That was the plan.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
But and now Maverick I expect to just keep playing
games for Tucson for the time being. But Ryan McGregor
two points of his last three games was actually big
for us on that road trip, got a the go
ahead goal for Tucson at the time on that Wednesday
game when we took a three to two lead. Peter
Delberatory and lay Moore have filled in well for when
Kevin Kanaan has been called up. Ardam Duda couldn't go
(43:41):
for Game two of the the two game series. He's
kind of tweaked part of his lower body a bit,
but he's expected to, you know, be back for this
upcoming home stand as well. But with that being said,
you know, it's it's been the depth that's been keeping
the Roadrunners afloat. But you know, and then when you
look at guys like Akuatu, who had a fantastic year
last season, you know, Ben McCartney who began the year
(44:05):
on a nice tear. Hunter Drew, who we talked about earlier,
nine goals this season, Sam Lipkin rookie season nine goals
as well. You know, there's just still so much on
the table for a lot of these guys, and I
do think the second half of the season is is
huge and upcoming for the road Runners, not only winning wise,
but to see what these guys can do. You know,
how do we just get over the hump right now
(44:26):
where when we feel like we're starting to get things rolling,
then we lose a couple of games that we're back
to I wouldn't say square one, but we're just back
to where right where we're at, and I think a
lot of the you know, the messages will for these
guys will be like we've seen it before. We've had
a six game winning streak going into the holidays. After that,
we we've kind of scuffled a little bit, got some wins,
(44:47):
but still overall, you know, just not as good as
what we were at and that's why we dropped back
to where we are in the standings. How do we
start seeing the wins consistently where we win six in
a row, lose wa and then win the next four,
you know, And I think that's what's uh, what's been
kind of trouble with the team in the early part
of the season. But again, to have a nineteen fifteen
(45:09):
one to zero record pretty much halfway through the year
is still very great considering all the changes. But I'm
really excited to see what guys like Ryan McGregor can
do the step up Ben McCartney, Austin mcganski has had
a great year as a first year captain for Tucson.
Ardam Duda in his rookie season as well, with fourteen
assists on a year as a defenseman with fifteen points overall,
(45:31):
leading all rookies in the scoring. Aku Ratu, who you know,
having less points than where he was last year, but
we know what he can do considering the end of
the year that he had. I mean, he was a
highest scoring player for us in the month of March.
And yeah, just with that being said, you can say
that for every single guy on this team.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
So we'll see how it all shakes up.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
Migo Mitika and Julian LUTs healthy, and you know, Julian
LUTs will be playing with the road runs against Sue
Mikats looked great in this few games back. There's just
so much still on the table for the second half
of the season and I'm I'm excited to see it all.
Speaker 4 (46:09):
Yeah, there's so many guys on the roads that are
that are like that, like Ben McCartney, who didn't he
didn't get a lot of points on the during the
road tip, but he was he played really well. He
was always in the thick of things. He was I mean,
he was really one of those guys who just played
that kind of road under brand of hockey. And we
did talk about Ryan McGregor. I thought that when I
(46:31):
was looking at the thet thing, look at the stat
stat Center thing or the game center thing, he said
it was his first goal. It's like, Wow, it doesn't
seem like that because he's just always kind of you know,
he always puts up big has big plays, so for that,
so what was kind of surprized that was his first point,
I mean, his first goal. But yeah, there's so many
guys like that in the team that you kind of
think that, yeah, they would there, they will be able
(46:52):
to straighten things out, straighten things are a little bit more,
you know, they're not really in the scuffle. I mean
they've lost you know, two games thrown tech three or
last four, but they're still really, you know, they're still
a good span of standings and they've done that with
all that kind of turnover and all that kind of
troubles and you know kind of you know that the
road trip and everything so should be you know, interesting,
(47:15):
interesting homestand you know, the guys are gonna come out.
I know, I know how they play. I know they
come out and they play. They're gonna come out and
play hard, and they're gonna they're gonna want to improve
and show that they're not a team that loses, that
get swept that often, that that's not there too, that's
not their true self.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Yeah, well, we'll be ready for it.
Speaker 3 (47:33):
It's a big six game homestand coming up for Tucson,
and we're incredibly excited to see you back all at
the Tucson Arena starting tomorrow. If you're listening on this
Sunday broadcast recording from Friday, I appreciate you listening as well,
considering that we have divisional football all weekend too, so
lots of exciting things coming up in the sports world.
(47:54):
Also with the National or College Football National Championship on
Monday too, So if you're able to make it out
to the game, we do appreciate you choosing the Roadrunners
over that, but we also don't blame you because it
is the football college football National Championship and yeah, really
big week up coming for all of sports. Thanks again
for listening on the show. James, Thanks for joining me.
(48:15):
This has been the Tucson Rivers Insider Podcast. We'll throw
things out with lights to Tucson six game home stand
coming up for Tucson at the halfway point of your
twenty four to twenty five season. See you at the
Tucson Arena.
Speaker 2 (48:34):
Gotta see the lines of Tucson.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Gotta pack, gotta see the lights of two soon coming back?
Speaker 5 (48:42):
Please get it.
Speaker 1 (48:55):
Just been a little city, Candiedy, listen to kid the Tucson.
My heart is a yearning like bronching. My wheels are garning.
Speaker 4 (49:13):
Can't we be there with her in the catalinas.
Speaker 1 (49:18):
A license to sun shining in her? Ill never be aloner?
Speaker 5 (49:29):
We neversona A.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
It isn't reaching the sky. You gotta see the lions
of Tucson.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
I got it back.
Speaker 5 (49:43):
You get a new mom.
Speaker 2 (49:44):
Gotta see the lions of Tucson coming back. We don't
get a new bomb.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
You gotta see the lights of so got back the moon.
Get the moon. Gussie doesn't know it's too soon coming back.
Will you gotta the moon.
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more road Runners.
This is the twoson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners, 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 two Son
Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Welcome to this week's edition of the two Soon Roadrunners
Insider Podcast. Jonathan Shaeffer alongside the Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly.
We have a lot to talk about Roadrunners recent two
game series versus the Calgary Wranglers.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
This episode we're recording this on Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
It is Sunday right now if you're listening with this episode,
releasing one of the last episode to kind of breathe
a little bit since it's a little bit of a
quicker turnaround for us. Recorded the last episode before the
Calgary series because it was a MIDWEK two game series.
No games during the weekend slate for Tucson, so a
nice little weekend off for all of us here, especially
after the Fellas and myself coming back from a pretty
(01:10):
long road trip, had chasing Bennett with us as well
in San Diego. Overall solid road trip. I mean, you know,
you ended off three and four. You didn't get that
high note win to seal it off, you know, from
the seven game trip as a whole.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Do you want to call it the five game trip?
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Two Roadrunners finished that one off two and three teams
a little bit on a scuffle right now, James, But
you know it's funny. We look back into the early
part of December and the last time the Roadrunners lost
two games versus the Wranglers, they went on to win
six in a row going into the holiday break to
(01:48):
get to their season high six games over five hundred.
The team is currently four games over five hundred at
nineteen at fifteen to one, and oh where one game
away from the halfway point. You can consider this episode
as the halfway special. Right now, Tuson's in sixth place
in the AHL Specific Division. Abbotsford's begun to heat up again.
(02:10):
They're one point behind Tucson Bakersfield's four points away, but
then the Roadrunners are still well with them places five
to four and three and even two also, So I mean, gosh,
when went up spot out of the playoffs and a
spot in the playoffs, it will really second in division
is is separated by just ten points. You know, that
(02:32):
might look a lot to the naked eye, but James,
as we always say, you just never know who you
know gets hot at the right time or even gets
cold at the wrong times too. And again this division,
there's just no margin for error, and the Roadrunners just
they just couldn't get it done. It was two really,
really tough games versus Calgary. First game, Roadrunners down three
(02:55):
to nothing after the first period, could have easily been
four nothing, ended up being four nothing. Eventually, Duson scored
two goals in the third period, got it, made it
a little bit interesting, but ended up losing at the
end of the match five to two, allowing an empty
net goal, and then lost the second game four to three,
(03:17):
in which the Rovers actually led in that game too,
scoring first as well. The first time the Roadrunners lost
on the road this season went scoring the first goal.
I have a lot to talk about still, regardless of
Ducson losing both of those games.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Yeah, it was an interesting trip because I mean they
dropped the last two, so you're like kind of didn't
do that well. But really if you look at it,
they went three and four, and then on the mini
kind of trip you talked about, they went, you know
in the California slash Calgary part of the trip. You
know that they also were just a game under five hundred.
(03:54):
So usually when they go on these trips. I looked
it up last year when they had the gym Shi
road trips, these like series like six games seven game
road trips. I looked up last year, and other than
last year, they were I think maybe one other time
they're over five hundred. But every year, even when they
won the division and stuff like that, they they were
(04:14):
under five hundred on the on these road trips because
it's just so far, you know, to go to Texas
and then to come back for a little pitstop, you know,
just kind of you day or two pack a Tucson
and then you go to Calgary. I mean, you go
to Coachella and then you go to San Diego and
you go up to Calgary. So it's a lot of
traveling and so it's a difficult situation in terms of
you're playing tough teams in Texas and Coachella and Calgary. Obviously,
(04:36):
and then even though San Diego was at the bottom
of standings when they played them, they were there at
that point where they had to start getting wins and
they didn't look like a second place, eighth place, ninth
place team or whatever they were at the time they
played them. So, yeah, it is a tough series, but
I mean tough, tough road trip, but they ended up
having a good effort on trying to come back on Tuesday,
(04:58):
and then the Wednesday game was a lot better for them.
Tuesday you talked about how they kind of had that
slow start where they fell fell behind three to zero
in the first period, and then they gave up another
goal in the fourth period, I mean the fourth period
in the second period, so they're down for to zero
and then they did not a good comeback in the
you know, in the third period, I'm getting a couple
of goals and Camba continues to just really roll and
(05:22):
just you know, a lot of guys, a different guys scoring,
and a lot of really feisty series. So it was
really interesting the talk about that Calgary series where they
did get swept, but it was a battle for both games.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, no matter what the scores are, James, this team,
they show fight the full sixty minutes and uh, you know,
I hate to always bring out the negatives, but the
issue for twoson has just been the start. It's it's
been slow starts for the road Runners, especially all in
that road trip, even before Tuson went back on the road,
(05:57):
in which the road Runers have been on the road
nine of the last eleven games, so six game homestand
is you know, I wouldn't say it's the make or
break point of the season for two soon, but you
just feel like it's much needed and you can just
tell the guys are you know, just just glad to
be done because we're home for two more weeks and
then we're back on the road again for two more
more two more weeks. Luckily no flying to Canada. We're
(06:18):
we're done with our Canadian series now, or at least
at in Canada. Abbotsford comes up next, Calgary will be
here soon again. But yeah, it's tough to win on
the road in this division, especially when you had to
go on the trip like the road Runners did where
we went to Texas for two games.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
We came back for one day.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, the one day was important, but then you
bust five hours to Coachella Valley. You bust the San
Diego the next day. We did get a day off.
The first game back from that day off, you know,
the game went how it went. We still got it
within one matth. Peo Bolalta made you know, forty two
saves in that match we talked about on the last podcast.
(06:58):
Won the next game with the good bounce back win.
And then then you have to fly all the way
to Calgary, and we got the practice day in Calgary too,
But again, you know, from what you know, a lot
of teams don't have to go all the way to
Texas and then back and then the Calgary right after,
you know, and especially not even being home. You know,
it's just so much different than being home than on
the road. You know, when you're home, you're you're more comfortable,
(07:20):
you're sleeping in your own bed for the vets, You're
you're with your kids, you know, and of course the
guys are always together living with one another too, but
you know, sometimes you always get the piece and quiet too,
and you know, you get a home cooked meal here
and there, and it's just so different. And the thing
the reason why I'm not totally panicking with our road
(07:40):
record of nine and ten is because a lot of.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
The teams in the Pacific Division are.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Not as good on the road. And we talked about
this a few weeks ago. But here's for example, Calgary
best team in the division eight seven to one and oh,
there were six and seven and since playing the road
Runners last talk to see popin about He's like, well,
they've been on the road a lot, and the Wranglers
are actually on a five game road a losing streak.
(08:06):
Coachella Valley's nine six one and oh a little better,
Colorado second place in the division. They're six seven to
one and oh on the road. Ontario is the best
team on the road at ten five oh to one.
San Jose eight seven one and one, got your road
Runners night and ten, Abbotsford seven and eight one and one.
Bakers has a winning record, but they just have a
(08:26):
lot of overtime losses. They're ninth, seven and three, and
then San Diego and Henderson obviously not as good records too.
But yeah, wins are just hard to come by in
the division on the road as a whole. And I'm
not just it's not just you know, it's not like
every team struggling on the road too. I mean Central
Division Grand Rapids is eleven six on the road, Texas
(08:49):
is thirteen and seven, and then all the a couple
of other teams have at least winning records. North Division
Rochester's fifteen to four and one on the road with
the ten and six, Cleveland eleven and six.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I mean, you know, all the other divisions can play
on the.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Road, but it's just harder for us, and I think
it's just because, you know, for for a lot of
these other teams, they could just it's just bus travel
because they're all so close to each other, and then
for us, it's just a lot more travel, especially for Tucson.
I mean, the closest team to us is five hours
away with a five hour bus ride to Coachella Valley.
(09:25):
We also bust to Henderson and San Diego. That's you know,
six six hour bus rides, it could be seven if
you hit traffic. And then flying to Calgary too so
and Abbotsford. So with that being said, you know, it's
just hard to win on the road for all these teams,
and that's why the the nine and ten record for
the roadrunners away from the Tucson arena is it's just
(09:45):
not something to panic. Obviously, we want to win on
the road, Yes, we do, because if you want to
do a Cup run, you're gonna have to win playoff
games on the road. But yeah, with that being said,
it's just the road trip didn't go fully the way
we wanted.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
We got some, we did get some a very good
wins in it.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But I think the six game homestand we're gonna see
the road Uns get out of this little funk.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Yeah, I think the honestly, I think the nine and
ten's solid on the road. I mean, you you want
to kind of obviously want to get the five hunter
on the road. Then to make a good playoff run,
you need to get to learn that. But at this
point the season, with all the call ups they've had,
the injuries and you know, kind of this long road
trip and stuff like that. So you know, and the
troubles they've had with the starts and stuff like that
(10:29):
and giving up a lot of shots, I think that's good.
You straighten those things out, You straight and you get
off the better starts, and you could you cut down
on how many shots are giving up, then that'll improve.
And so I think that it's a good starting point.
I'm not a starting point, but you know good they're
in a good position. That's it's not such a bad
start on the road. And your think about you talked
about the road trip. To me, I mean I haven't
(10:50):
when I've traveled for work. It was like I went
for a weekend series and then I came back or whatever,
you know, like like when I did in college. But
to me, when I'm thinking about it, when you of
like one one day off between the door trips like that,
it's not that big of rest because you're you're having
to catch up on stuff. You're having to tick out
see what you see, what food isn't well, you see
what food is spoiled and stuff like that. You know
(11:11):
if people aren't doing that. So it's kind of like
a working day too, so I have to relax as much.
Obviously it's a positive to see your families, see you pets,
stuff like that, but it's still really hectic. I mean
they were when I went to a practice on that
Tuesday when they it was a Tuesday or whatever day
it was when they're practicing.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
I think it was tay.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Yeah, all the bags are literally lined up and the
truck was ready to go, and we're like, oh, I
was like, oh, who can we talk to, you know,
because I was like, it.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Looks like they're about to go.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So it was just really rushed and so but but
you know, looking back, it's you know, tough to win
in this division, but it's also the home teams is
a really good this year. It seems like, i mean
there's a lot of games last year where you know,
when Tucson had the really good, really good road record,
where they go and they get a sweep or they
get a split or something, and this year they get
they would they would get a splitter, they would get swept.
(11:58):
But it's seems like the teams are a lot tougher
from at home this year. There's you know, you get
really good crowds in Coach Hella and San Diego and
stuff like that, and even we talked about maybe they
only have the biggest crowds in Calgary, but they it's
a tough trip. You know, it's the furthest north they
Tuson go, so you know, Abas starts up there obviously,
(12:18):
but Calgary is a little bit more north, so it's
it's a tough trip overall. And you're playing a really
good team when you go up there. So there were
no teams that we talked about last week that or
last last POT or I guess it was last week
now talked about last Pod where they're one of the
few teams that have two teams two guys on the
All Star team because it's just so hard to get
into the with ten teams in the division and only
twelve players on the All Star team, it's hard to
(12:40):
get multiple players, so they only have two, but they
have a coach. So it's kind of weird with the
coach thing because their coach got moved up to the
Calgary Flames, so they're head coach. So there they have
a coach slot for the All Star Game. But you
know they're because they're in first place at the at
the you know, at the end of the counter year.
So their team that kind of has three All Stars
really if you think about it, so they're you know,
(13:01):
they're really tough, obviously, really tough to win up there.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, and I think the and again knowing you know me,
like I'm I'm full optimists. I think the Roadrunners can
win every single game they play. And I think I
was a little blinded. You know. Again, when I looked
at the I looked at the last time we had
played them, and we were nine three one and oh
and Calgary was six and seven. And I'm like, and
I even told ce Pop and then I'm like, all right, man, like,
(13:27):
let's show them where the better team, you know, like
come on.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And obviously yeah, but then that's what he told me.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
He was like, well, they've been on the road a
lot too, and they've had call ups, but we can't
underestimate that. And you know, I think that was just
an overlooked by me, you know, just thinking like, yeah,
we're gonna we're gonna sweep these guys. We got this,
you know, and and and we we totally capable of
art because we we have swept the Wranglers before, even
when they were fully loaded with their with their talent
and their starting goaltender. You had to give credit to,
(13:54):
uh to Connor Murphy and uh well Terry Ignatcha, the
two backups for the both securing wins for Calgary in
that weekend series. And yeah, there's been no home victors
in this season series as well, so you never know,
maybe maybe the Roadrunners sweet the Wranglers back and then
tie up the season series four wins a piece because
(14:15):
we just we couldn't get any wins at the saddle Dome.
But yeah, home records are are much more different. Calgary's
seventeen and five, Coachella Valleys at eleven and six, Colorado's
fourteen three, one and two, Ontario's eleven and seven, San
Jose's twelve four to oh to one, we're ten five
to one, and oh Abbotsford's eleven and seven, and then
(14:35):
Bakersfield's five hundred at home. So the one team that's
fighting for the playoff picture with not a winning record
at home. So it's just much more different. But I
think that's just gonna be. It's gonna make it so
much more important to get that home disadvantage for the
first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Roadrunners currently not
in that picture right now as we enter the halfway
(14:58):
point of the season, the currently sixth place right now,
you need to get at least second, third or fourth spot.
And again, you know these this is not what's gonna
look like because it's constantly uh changing every game in
and uh in game out.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
But if the.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Playoffs were to start today, road winners would have a
two game series with the Colorado Eagles and uh, yeah
for two on four or five one and know in
the last ten games, uh, obviously coming off of that
O two series loss versus the Calgary Wranglers, uh three
and four overall on the seven game trip, and it's just,
(15:37):
you know, it's crazy that when you have a trip
like that, and again it's not like it was a
horrible trip. You got three out of you got three
wins out of seven. Obviously the a win in Calgary
would have been nice too, but uh, considering that Romers
are three and four and the last seven too, if
you want to put at that, uh, you know, it's
it's dropped him. I mean after that, after we got
that great win against Coachell Valley, Uh, I think we
(15:59):
were within fourth or third place. And it's tough because
every time you feel like two songs right there, and
especially in this series when we were saying we're early
eight points away from Calgary. If we win these two games,
we get within four first place and then the Roadrunners
don't win the games, and that I think that's happened
a lot this year where we start thinking about you know, Okay,
(16:20):
if two Song gets these two wins, we're gonna jump
to this spot and you know, maybe we split or
two Song loses both games, even in that series versus
the Carbroo Eagles where we only got one point, and
and again, I think sometimes we just have to uh not.
And again it's not like the players are saying this,
we say this, but you know sometimes I again, I
just get I love this team and I want these
(16:41):
guys to to win every game and then and game out.
I do think we can win every single matchup because
we have the talent to do it. We have the
goaltending to do it as well. But I think sometimes
I forget why these other teams are in this position
because they're they're just full of talent.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yeah, I mean they can win all those games. I
mean all those games they played. They obviously they swept Calgary,
so I mean, you look at that, but you look
at I don't think it's time to get really good concerned,
because like what happened was I I was I went
to another game on Tuesday, to a high school game
on Tuesday, so I didn't get to see that one.
So I was like a day off and watching the game,
So it's kind of weird. I was kind of like
(17:17):
a time traveler, you know, kind of looking at the game,
looking at the game because alread knew what happened, and
then so I knew what the score was. I was like, oh,
this is gonna be ugly. But then after, you know,
other than it wasn't ugly the first period on Tuesday,
and and you know, they gave another goal, so they
were down four to zero early on.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
I mean, they didn't second period.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
But it was really from watching the game versus just
looking at the score afterwards or looking at what I
was doing on Tuesday was I was going refreshing the
game Center app and kind of seeing checking out what's
going on.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
It's really.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
You know, you said you had the quote where where
you talked about where they they always go down punching,
and that that's you know, that that shows that they
have a they're really good. You know, they're they're a
tough team to beat. They're they're tough out even if
they do lose, even if you get the four goals,
they're still gonna battle and they're still gonna score a
couple of goals at the end, and you know, give
them an empty net goal, so you know, the score
(18:09):
looks a little uglier than that actually was. But if
you look at the standings there, they have thirty nine
points and they're so there are four games back Ontario
in fourth place, so they could you know, they have
a series coming up with Ontario at home, so if
they sweep that, then they would get you know, obviously
they have a couple of series in between. But if
they sweep that and then they come back and get
(18:30):
you know that, they move up and they get tied
with Ontario. So they're not in that bit bad petition really,
even though they got swept and you know, they you
had the puck winner a little different ways, certainly on Wednesday,
you know, have gotten split and they would have had
a winning record on the road and on this road trip,
so that would have been really impressive.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Yeah, and that's why this and again it's it's every
game is so important now, right because we're we're getting
down to the stretch where, uh, you know, maybe when
two songs done with this next road trip in two
weeks after this six game homestand especially at the All
Star I think we're really really gonna start talking about like, Okay,
(19:10):
we need to get these points against this team if
we want to be in this playoff positioning. And again, James,
do you know, look at Bakersfield. I mean they're they're
starting to ramp up points too. They're just one point
away from a playoff spot. Now they have two games
in hand on Tucson and both Abbotsford, and I think
for the first time in this division, we might see
a team with a winning record not make the playoffs
(19:32):
because now you have Barrakuda, the Sanjos A Barracuda who
have been playing great this year.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
So again it's gonna suck.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
But you know, and I'm not saying it's gonna be
the road Runners, but we might see either Abbotsford or
Bakersfield have a strong finish to the year and not
make the playoffs. So you know, it's it's also the
you know, you want to get as high as possible
in the division, but you don't want to drop so
much to where all of a sudden you're thinking, oh no,
like we can miss playoffs all of a sudden because
(20:03):
bakers Fields, you know, they have their they always have
their late season push. You know, I remember even last
year too, when we were thinking like who did we
want to play in the first round of the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Was it gonna be Bakersfield or Calgary?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
And Calgary fell enough to fall the seventh Biggers who
got the sixth spot? And we know what happened in
the first round of the playoffs. But you know, going
back to that, yes, we're gonna start really soon looking
at the stretch of you know what's gonna happen. Where
do you think the road Runners are gonna finish off at?
(20:36):
And yeah, nineteen fifteen one to oh if you do
the math, by the end of the season, Duson's record
could be around the forty thirty two and oh ish
and obviously ten games over five hundred, that's pretty good
playoff position to me, I don't see you not making
up the playoffs with that record. But again it's you know,
you get another seven game win streak and that's mixed too,
(20:58):
and you don't fall off after that, then the Roadruns
could definitely still finish with a very strong record. And
I think this specific division is much much better than
last year. We knew it was already going to be
much better than last year too, so for the Roadrunners
to be four games over five hundred near the halfway
point with you know everything they've also gone through, right,
(21:19):
we started five and seven to start up the year,
we're fourteen eight one and oh.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Since we've we've had Josh Doone get called up.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
We'd even start the year with Josh Stone already has
a goal with the Utah Hockey Club as well. Andre
Gazino is out for injury for a bid. We've lost
Miko Matik and Julian Lutz. We are back within the mix.
We've lost Jackson Stobber for almost two months. I mean,
of course, kudos to Matthew Vlalta to stepping into the mix.
So Tucson's been already through a lot of moves, and
(21:50):
it's not as many moves as last season, but I think,
you know, maybe more of just the on the injury
side of things, and still with the callp side of
things as well. This team has been going through a lot,
It's been going through a lot of progresses, and to be,
you know, at this spot right now, I think it's
still pretty admirable. And I think again it's still just
(22:12):
looking all from here because I still don't think we've
seen this team at its fullest potential yet.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Even though we've still been seeing great wins.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Yeah, that's the other thing about the We talked about
the road tip about being just a game of under
five hundred. There was a lot going on in terms
of you I talked to the travel and playing tough teams,
but you also have a lot of injuries, and you
have guys getting called up, and you have guys coming
in like I like Maverick and that's you know, I mean,
obviously he's he's a good player. And when con Ingram
came in, that was good. You know, he did really well.
(22:43):
But it just changes chemistry when you have guys coming in.
It's not like a fantasy you know, fantasy team or something.
It's a real team. So it's a living, breathing organism.
So when guys come in to changes chemistry team the stuff,
and usually they're good about that, you know. And maybe
I'm not saying that there was any issues with that one,
but it it just changed a lot of stuff. There's
a lot of movie in Pece is over on that
road trip, and but you do you did see a
lot of guys who did really well. I mean, we
(23:06):
talked about we keep talking about Pam. Hebig about how
great he's been, how Grady's been this year, and they're
looking at it, maybe he's a good candidate for, you know,
to put potentially replace Doan on the All Star team
because he's up to thirteen goals, team leading, thirteen goals,
up to twenty two points. I mean, he's they're starting
(23:26):
to kind of filter out and figure ou who's gonna
be an All Star team. I forget what team it was,
but they announced a couple of replace some players for
a couple guys that were hurt that were coming in.
I think it was like Chicago or something today they
announced that, So I don't really think about it. So this,
this upcoming series could be really big and deterterming. Who
could be an All Star if you know, and like
we said, if you missed the last episode where we
talked about the All Star Game and and how that works,
(23:49):
and they're not necessarily gonna you know, they don't have
there's not a rule like in major legue baseball where
every team has to have an All Star. We were
just having one All Star selection so far. But if
you know, they have to replace someone on the team
because they have actual teams obviously, so that they want
to replace someone if if they do, if they you know,
(24:10):
do do you know when they do that, they want
to They don't have to pick someone from the same team,
but they can refer and it makes sense you want
to have someone from each team. So if they do
go with someone like we talked about on the Igor
stock Bloff doing really well, Kylie Almotas are obscuring well
because Heino's hurt, so probably not. But then Cameron Heebi's
doing really well. He's twenty two points and just spin
on a tear lately.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, and I know we constantly keep talking about them,
but we have reasons to James. I mean, he scored
two goals in the first period on Wednesday's loss. Gosh,
I hope I haven't been saying the weekend because those
were mid week games. I apologize that I've been saying
Friday and Saturday because I tend to do that because
I'm so used to the Friday Saturday games.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
But I don't think I have yet. But if I dude,
I apologize.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
These games were Tuesday and Wednesday, So yeah, Wednesday night,
Cameron Yebis two goals in the first period. He ended
that road trip with seven goals and one assist for
eight points. Seven goals on the road trip, including that
hat trick to multiple goal games this season. Now for
he Big, thirteen goals, as you just said, tied for
the team lead with Igor Soklop James, we were talking
(25:16):
about if he keeps up this pace, right, he's going
to be a twenty goal scorer. He could be a
thirty goal scorer. I did more of this. I did
more of the math. It's on the by this time.
This episode airs on Sunday. A road Ahead will be out,
so go check that out at Tucson Rovers dot com
because it's gonna it really explains what this pace of
(25:37):
he Big is at.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
So, thirteen goals tied for the season high. He set
thirteen goals for his season high in the twenty one
to twenty two season in sixty eight games play. He's
at thirty games played right now, so that is less
than half of the games he's played. He's already tied
his career high in the third with thirteen goals with
thirty eight games less play, too, if you want to
(25:59):
put it at that, he's had a point per game
pace at point seven to three, which is also his
current best line right now, as he had point five
to two points per game at thirty two points last
season in sixty one games played. So doing all the
math again, if he Big continues his point seven to
three points per game line with his current thirteen goals
(26:22):
right now and nine assists, he could very much end
the season with around twenty nine to thirty goals twenty assists,
and it would be in sixty seven games played. And
I think what's also very interesting, James, And again this
is all hypothetical. This is all just based on statistics
(26:42):
and the math and the pace right now. Obviously we
don't know if Cameron he Big will fizzle out, you
know with the goal scoring, or we don't know if
he's gonna go absolutely bonkers crazy and score another like
seven goals in his next Homestand Michael Carconi had thirty
one goals in the twenty two twenty three season, the
most all time by a road runner. And we were
(27:04):
talking earlier about is Josh don't gonna break that? And
then Don't got called up and we said, okay, it's
not gonna happen, but it's okay because Jon's called up.
Cameron Hebig is on the HL contract, so you know,
all the contract talk wise and all this stuff that
I don't know as much about. You know, he would
have to sign a two way deal to be called
up to the Utah Hockey Club if they wanted to,
(27:24):
and obviously that would be unreal if Cameron Hebig got
a shot at the National Hockey League for the first time,
because every time you ask someone else about him, like,
you know, what, how do you what's how great is
it to see Cameron Hebig have his career year and
talking to Yamamoto too after the the Wednesday Night lost,
I mean, every guy is gonna say he is the
(27:45):
hardest working player ever.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
We know how hard he works.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
But again, if Cameron Hebig just continues to play like
he's playing right now, maybe he has a couple of
more multiple goal games.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
I don't know it. Again, we're halfway through the year.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Anything could still add and Cameron Hebek could very much
break the record and maybe even so go off too.
We keep forgetting how great Igor has been playing. He
has thirty one goals too. So again it's all hypothetical.
We're just doing the math on our end here. As
you know, as we've said before, too. Cameron hebig is
very or yeah, he's very close to breaking the all
(28:21):
time record as well for most games played. It's it's
just so fitting seeing a guy like him have the
year that he's having for the team. He works so
hard every day in and day out. He's a he's
a main staple guy here in Tucson. He signed another
contract to play in his fifth year with US, and
for him to have this current run right now is
(28:41):
quite phenomenal to see. And I'm just really excited to
see what Cameron Heebec can do for the second half.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Yeah, he's the guy that we only talked about a lot,
but he's the guy that he's just loved an organization.
I mean, last year he won that man of the
Year award or you know, he won the nomination for
the league, so basically he won it from the Roader
nurs He won a nomination for the Prayer of the
Year for a man of the Year for the league.
And then he also, you know, he won the Hardest
(29:09):
working Player award for the month. So it's if if
if that date, I'm my computer's right, it's generous seventeenth,
so it's not even close to being the it's pretty close,
I guess to a month being.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Over, but he's already decided. It's already clear he's won that.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
So but I mean, you look at we talked about
how they fought back in those those two games on
they had they had a fierce battle on Wednesday, and
then they fought back in Tuesday. He's the one who
started that in terms of he scored that first goal
that they had on Tuesday, and when I was writing
my notes from the game, I just put like determination
goal because it's just like he was Vina be denied.
He's just gonna put this in, you know. So that
(29:45):
was Tuesday and Wednesday he scores that first goal. I'm
kind of flipping the script where you know, they have
the Rudners have had the bad starts, or they gotten
a little bit better where they're not giving goals like
the first minute, but they still you know, kind of
not doing as well in the first period as they
do in the later periods. But he up the script.
He scored the first fifty seconds, and then he scored again,
you know later on in the you know, first period,
(30:08):
and then he also came close to getting that hat
trick on Wednesday, which would have been obviously when they're huge,
you know, in terms of they lose the game four
to three. But he got really close to getting the
hat tricks. So he's just been he was key to
that turnaround on and that that good showing that they had,
you know, better than better showing than they would have
expected them to have in Calgary.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, and James, uh, you just reminded me too, camer Rebiks.
Also on the three games goal scoring streak, the current
active highest Igor Sokolov had it beforehand until we played
the first game versus the Wranglers. But yeah, so now
he big joined Yamamoto, Hunter, Drew so Clob who's done
it twice, and now he made himself. So we have
(30:49):
four guys who have three game goals scoring streaks this season.
And yeah, he was so close to getting the hat
trick on that time goal. And I don't know what
it is, James. I don't know if it's just the
you know, just a playing style or not. But I
just feel like every time we play, like a backup
goaltender or goaltender who's struggling, they just have their their
career games against us. And Ignatchev looked really good and
(31:10):
Murphy looked well too, And I don't know why. Calgary's
just always finding ways to to acquire good goaltending, and
it's the reason why they've had so much success over
the years going to our goaltenders. I mean, obviously both
Matthew Bolalta and Jackson Stouber suffering losses. You know, tough
for Matthew Vlalta in that first game, you know, having
(31:30):
that one bounce off of rat to skate into the nets.
And honestly, thought of Volalta played outstanding in the second
and third periods. I mean, he only allowed one goal
for the rest of the game after that disastrous first period,
So again, kudos to him for stepping up, you know,
as much as he possibly could. Jackson Staubur in the
second game might have just you know, Stober, it wasn't
(31:51):
his fastball, you know, but he still did what he
had to do to try to keep us in that
matchup too.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
And just a couple.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Of weird jankie goals scored by Calgary, a lot of
them coming from the point, and uh again the just
the weird bounces, the the event where.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Travis Barron got high sticks.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
He was bleeding all over the place and we didn't
even weren't even given a power play. It was it
was just like it was just a series where you
feel like just everything was against us and we just
we just couldn't overcome it.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
And that's okay.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Again, that's just the sport of hockey sometimes and again
to come back home, I think is huge for the team,
and even going to the statistics and when we're as
we're recording right now, I'm working on this little project
thing which I'll finish by the time we're done recording
and then this episode goes out. But again, this is
all gonna be on our weekly blog to sun Rowers
(32:41):
Happy at twosun rows dot com. I'm currently looking up
right now the league average for goalies on goals against
average and say percentage not counting empty nettter. So that's
why I have to do the math, because I can't
find anything that just shows the goals against everything's including
the empty netter. So I have to like do the
math to take it out from each team, which isn't
too art, it's just time consuming because Matthew Volalta, you
(33:04):
know a two point eight nine goals against average and
nine oh six, say percentage. Obviously, that say percentage well
over league average considering the goals against and it's not
even a bad goals against average from Matthew Volalta. I
think people were just so used to those numbers being
lower for Maddy last year. People might be, you know,
from the outside, maybe thinking like, oh, he's having a
bad year. It's like, no, he's not. I mean, he's
(33:25):
he's kept us in so many games this year. And
obviously the record two of the ten and twelve is
is a little tough because wins are what matters the
most for goaltenders. And you know, Valta had a nice
five game winning street during that six game win streak
as well, with a couple of shutouts, and the shutouts
have helped that goals against average stay down as well.
And he got bombarded that one game versus the Coachell
(33:47):
Valley Firebirds a few months back. But pretty much what
I'm saying is when I find that statistic and it's
on our blog, it's going to prove that Volalta is
still playing well above league average in his crease. And
you know it's sometimes stats don't matter for a goaltender
of how great they play. For any team, and the
(34:08):
same goes with Jackson Stauber as well, much more better
looking stats with the two point four or five goals
against everage and nine to twenty four save percentage. But
I think eventually we are going to see both volalt
and Stobber have a really good run at it, and
we just haven't seen it yet. Right like beginning of
the season, Maddy was struggling a little bit and it
(34:30):
was Jackson Stabber who was, you know, playing much better
statistically wise and getting us the victories. And then Jackson
Staber gets called up, Matthew Volalta takes over the crease
and plays phenomenal and gets us on a really really
you know, crucial six game winning street that kind of
changed the season around. And then Jackson Stauber comes back
(34:52):
and Volalta the first game played outstanding, made forty two
saves on forty five shots, couldn't get that victory. And
then the second game Calgary, we had that disastrous start.
We eventually picked it up, but it was too late.
And then Jackson stopper at least getting one win out
of the trip with the victory versus the San Diego
goals in which he made thirty two saves on thirty
(35:13):
four shots.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
So it's taking some time, you know.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Again optimistic here thinking once Jackson Stauber came back, it's like,
oh yeah, these two are gonna get us so many wins.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
And it just hasn't happened yet.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
But again, we have a whole other half of the season, James,
and I think that's what's what's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
To think about it.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
You know, I feel like we've we've seen a whole
season already and we just haven't seen the full potential
of this team.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And we have a whole other half to try.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
To fix what's what's been the issue for us on
these losses, and you know, try to help our goaltenders
out a bit more, try to finish our shots a
bit more too. And again, I'll say it once and
now I'll keep saying again, We're gonna see that run
come up for Tucson. It started to happen. We had
a nine to three to one to O run in
cleaning that six game win streak. It started to happen.
(35:57):
Kind of fizzled out when we started going back on
the road and I saw a couple of call ups happen.
But I do really really think we have yet to
see that crazy run where, you know, where Tucson goes
like gets us eight game win streak or points in
the last ten or just something where we have both goaltenders,
(36:18):
you know, having that one two punch and a guy
like Cameron Heebig or you your Sokolov and Yamamoto are
are gonna go on crazy run steel We're seeing that
right now for Cameron Hebig. So there's still a lot
on the table for Tucson. You know, first half is
pretty much over. Your four games, over five hundred. You
just finished a tough road trip. But now you're back home.
(36:39):
You don't have to go to Calgary anymore, thankfully as
a place we just happened to struggle this season. No
more Calgary trips and yeah, eventually it's gonna start really
looking like crunch time for us.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
Yeah, you have to kind of feel like that way.
I mean, you have to call yourself being the kind
of overly optimistic. But really I think that you have
to think that if the the management, the front office
when they signed Jackson, they thought they were gonna have
this really double headed monster in goal with him and Matthew.
I'm coming off his really breakout season last year, but
(37:12):
they haven't been synk in terms of early on, matt
wasn't doing as well in terms of stats, you know.
You know, we talked about that and Jackson was doing
really well. And then obviously Jackson was in the NHL
for so long and during that time, Matthew you know,
picked it up, and you know, we really got back
and really I was grew back, you know, even though
he's dropped tho last two games, but he's played well
(37:36):
and he played well the.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Who was it y?
Speaker 4 (37:42):
Yeah, played well in that game, and he recovered well
in that in that second in that first Calgary game
even you know, really settling down and coming back and
putting the keeping the runners back in the game. So
they're starting to getting sync, you know, starting to get
to the point where you have those two guys they're
firing on all cylinders. And once you do that, then
you have to think that, yeah, they can have in
(38:04):
terms of out of depth at the Ford slot. So
you would think that once of the goalies get and
sink and get both playing really well at the same time,
that the Ruiners can go on that run, you know.
And the other thing to think about is that right
now they have this big homestand coming up, and then
they have the big Gym Sai road trip.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
So but after that things settle down. They have more
of a regular schedule. You know. It's kind of not
really a fan of scheduled right now.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
In terms of they have that long road trip and
they have long home stand They have a long road
trip because it's nice to play a bunch of games
at home, but you have that pressure on there where
you have to get you have to get sweeps in
order to get back to where you were, you know,
after getting swept. So what I have after the Gym's
road trip, things settle down, and they do have more
home games and road games after that point. But you know,
(38:47):
at that point things will settle down, and I think
they they should be doing well if if they don't
you know, get get, you know, start that streak on
this homestand coming up.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
Yeah, and I could be wrong, but I believe that
the road Runners this current six game homestand that's coming
up is the longest homestand we have of the year,
and the only six game homestand that we have. I'm
I'm gonna double check the schedule, right now, but I'm
pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
This is the longest.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Homestand that we have so current one right now we
are what what.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Month are we in? January?
Speaker 3 (39:20):
So yeah, six game homestand let's see one two three
four one two three four. Yeah, so this is this
is the longest homestand we have at six games. After that,
we get a we get a four game home stand
at the end of February after the Gams Show trip,
we get a four game homestand in the middle of
March another four game homestand to start off April and
(39:42):
then our last two versus Colorado.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
So that's crazy to think, right.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
We get only one six game homestand and then we
get two seven game trips and we have a five
game road trip at the end of March. So it
doesn't get any easier for us when it comes to that.
So we just have to really take advantage of this
upcoming home trip. You have two against Henderson, who is
last place in the Pacific Division, really struggling this year. Abbotsford,
(40:09):
we're coming off of a two game sweep against them
in their own building, but they are starting to heat
up a little bit too. So that's all again another
big playoff like series. They're gonna want to get some
points against us back where we want to keep on
top of them.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
Then you up.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Ontario, which I think will feel like the most playoff
like series because and Kevin Connaughton had a really good
quote about it when we got them on their Happy
Our show last week. He says, every game with teams
above you and the standings are are going to feel
like a playoff game. And that's just what it's gonna
feel like, right when maybe when you're playing a team
like Abbotsford, it's not as obviously every game matters, but
(40:44):
it's not as I would say, playoff like atmosphere, because
you're just trying to keep them away. Like it's like
you're like, go away, stay away from us, whereas you know,
if you play Ontario, you're like, no, come here, we're
coming for you.
Speaker 2 (40:56):
You know, we're chasing after you right now.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
And I think it's just more like when you want
to get them, you're you're more excited, rather than you
push the guy away, You're like, okay, we kept him
off our backs, you know. So I think that uh,
the Ontario series, depending on how the Roadrunners play the
first four games of the home stand are going to
be most crucial. I also love home stands when we
have midweek games because you know it'll be a Monday,
(41:19):
and I know it's a holiday for most people but
not for us, but it's a Monday game Martin Luther
King Day. Kids will be getting in for free under
fourteen with a paying adult at the box office. First
a thousand kids into arena will get a Roadrunners Kids
workbook as well. So yeah, lots of promos if you
want to check them out at Twoston roadrunns dot com.
But I think what's most exciting is that it will
(41:40):
be a Monday and a Tuesday, and you know, we'll
have hockey at the arena and we'll be back for
the first time in three weeks. So I think that'll
be the most exciting part, just to be back for
the first time in quite a while.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Yeah, it could be, you know, a big crowd, you know,
and something that the Runners have that tough road trip
and you come back home you have some yeah, you
have some time to rest, and you have some time
to get some practice days in and you come back
and you have what you know, it really could be
a good, good crowd in terms of you know, the kids,
the kids Day, and also I'm sure there's a lot
of hockey fans who are chomping at the bit to
(42:14):
take out some more runners after like a month between
home games, So it could.
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Be a you know, big, big crowd.
Speaker 4 (42:20):
And you know it's usually for Monday games, you don't,
you know, midweek games, you don't really get to get
that many fans. But with with you know, with with
the with it being a holiday, and with being a
earlier start time and being you know being kids Day
and all that, it shouldhould you should be a good
crowd and should be very interesting to see how the
guys come out after, you know, after having a tough,
(42:43):
you know, tough series Encowngary.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
One more thing I want to point out before we
before we head off is, uh, you know just how
important the depth has been for Tucson in this stretch,
right with with Josh Jones being called up, you just
lost a Draguzino for a bit with that lower body injury,
you know, assist captain for the team. You guys, I
just want to give a shout out to guys like
like Ryan McGregor, right, and Peter Delvatory and and laden
(43:07):
More too, who have stepped up into big roles for
the Roadrunners. Even with Maverick Lamberuo expected to play more games,
he had a scheduled day off on Wednesday, which is
why he wasn't in.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
He didn't reaggravate anything. That was the plan.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
But and now Maverick I expect to just keep playing
games for Tucson for the time being. But Ryan McGregor
two points of his last three games was actually big
for us on that road trip, got a the go
ahead goal for Tucson at the time on that Wednesday
game when we took a three to two lead. Peter
Delberatory and lay Moore have filled in well for when
Kevin Kanaan has been called up. Ardam Duda couldn't go
(43:41):
for Game two of the the two game series. He's
kind of tweaked part of his lower body a bit,
but he's expected to, you know, be back for this
upcoming home stand as well. But with that being said,
you know, it's it's been the depth that's been keeping
the Roadrunners afloat. But you know, and then when you
look at guys like Akuatu, who had a fantastic year
last season, you know, Ben McCartney who began the year
(44:05):
on a nice tear. Hunter Drew, who we talked about earlier,
nine goals this season, Sam Lipkin rookie season nine goals
as well. You know, there's just still so much on
the table for a lot of these guys, and I
do think the second half of the season is is
huge and upcoming for the road Runners, not only winning wise,
but to see what these guys can do. You know,
how do we just get over the hump right now
(44:26):
where when we feel like we're starting to get things rolling,
then we lose a couple of games that we're back
to I wouldn't say square one, but we're just back
to where right where we're at, and I think a
lot of the you know, the messages will for these
guys will be like we've seen it before. We've had
a six game winning streak going into the holidays. After that,
we we've kind of scuffled a little bit, got some wins,
(44:47):
but still overall, you know, just not as good as
what we were at and that's why we dropped back
to where we are in the standings. How do we
start seeing the wins consistently where we win six in
a row, lose wa and then win the next four,
you know, And I think that's what's uh, what's been
kind of trouble with the team in the early part
of the season. But again, to have a nineteen fifteen
(45:09):
one to zero record pretty much halfway through the year
is still very great considering all the changes. But I'm
really excited to see what guys like Ryan McGregor can
do the step up Ben McCartney, Austin mcganski has had
a great year as a first year captain for Tucson.
Ardam Duda in his rookie season as well, with fourteen
assists on a year as a defenseman with fifteen points overall,
(45:31):
leading all rookies in the scoring. Aku Ratu, who you know,
having less points than where he was last year, but
we know what he can do considering the end of
the year that he had. I mean, he was a
highest scoring player for us in the month of March.
And yeah, just with that being said, you can say
that for every single guy on this team.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
So we'll see how it all shakes up.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
Migo Mitika and Julian LUTs healthy, and you know, Julian
LUTs will be playing with the road runs against Sue
Mikats looked great in this few games back. There's just
so much still on the table for the second half
of the season and I'm I'm excited to see it all.
Speaker 4 (46:09):
Yeah, there's so many guys on the roads that are
that are like that, like Ben McCartney, who didn't he
didn't get a lot of points on the during the
road tip, but he was he played really well. He
was always in the thick of things. He was I mean,
he was really one of those guys who just played
that kind of road under brand of hockey. And we
did talk about Ryan McGregor. I thought that when I
(46:31):
was looking at the thet thing, look at the stat
stat Center thing or the game center thing, he said
it was his first goal. It's like, Wow, it doesn't
seem like that because he's just always kind of you know,
he always puts up big has big plays, so for that,
so what was kind of surprized that was his first point,
I mean, his first goal. But yeah, there's so many
guys like that in the team that you kind of
think that, yeah, they would there, they will be able
(46:52):
to straighten things out, straighten things are a little bit more,
you know, they're not really in the scuffle. I mean
they've lost you know, two games thrown tech three or
last four, but they're still really, you know, they're still
a good span of standings and they've done that with
all that kind of turnover and all that kind of
troubles and you know kind of you know that the
road trip and everything so should be you know, interesting,
(47:15):
interesting homestand you know, the guys are gonna come out.
I know, I know how they play. I know they
come out and they play. They're gonna come out and
play hard, and they're gonna they're gonna want to improve
and show that they're not a team that loses, that
get swept that often, that that's not there too, that's
not their true self.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Yeah, well, we'll be ready for it.
Speaker 3 (47:33):
It's a big six game homestand coming up for Tucson,
and we're incredibly excited to see you back all at
the Tucson Arena starting tomorrow. If you're listening on this
Sunday broadcast recording from Friday, I appreciate you listening as well,
considering that we have divisional football all weekend too, so
lots of exciting things coming up in the sports world.
(47:54):
Also with the National or College Football National Championship on
Monday too, So if you're able to make it out
to the game, we do appreciate you choosing the Roadrunners
over that, but we also don't blame you because it
is the football college football National Championship and yeah, really
big week up coming for all of sports. Thanks again
for listening on the show. James, Thanks for joining me.
(48:15):
This has been the Tucson Rivers Insider Podcast. We'll throw
things out with lights to Tucson six game home stand
coming up for Tucson at the halfway point of your
twenty four to twenty five season. See you at the
Tucson Arena.
Speaker 2 (48:34):
Gotta see the lines of Tucson.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Gotta pack, gotta see the lights of two soon coming back?
Speaker 5 (48:42):
Please get it.
Speaker 1 (48:55):
Just been a little city, Candiedy, listen to kid the Tucson.
My heart is a yearning like bronching. My wheels are garning.
Speaker 4 (49:13):
Can't we be there with her in the catalinas.
Speaker 1 (49:18):
A license to sun shining in her? Ill never be aloner?
Speaker 5 (49:29):
We neversona A.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
It isn't reaching the sky. You gotta see the lions
of Tucson.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
I got it back.
Speaker 5 (49:43):
You get a new mom.
Speaker 2 (49:44):
Gotta see the lions of Tucson coming back. We don't
get a new bomb.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
You gotta see the lights of so got back the moon.
Get the moon. Gussie doesn't know it's too soon coming back.
Will you gotta the moon.
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