February 19, 2025 • 43 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Arizona Daily Star's James Kelley recap Tucson's series in Henderson versus the Silver Knights resulting in Matthew Villalta's 100th career AHL win and a special interview that follows. They discuss Tucson's final stretch of the Gem Show Trip and the Four Nations Faceoff with plenty of fun hockey to role on.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more road Runners.
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners, Jonathan Schaeffer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water.
Speaker 4 (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 twuson Roadrunners
Insider Podcast.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
Welcome this position of the Two Sun Roadrunners Insider Podcast,
Jonathan Schaeffer alongside me Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We
have a lot to uncover from the past few games.
The Roadrunners team is now in the final stage of
the seven game Gem Show Trip coming tomorrow if you're
(00:47):
listening on this Tuesday afternoon slash evening, or if you're
listening on a Wednesday or game day as well. Big
matchup coming up for Tucson, a chance for the Roadrunners
to finish the Gem Show Trip, a rinning record currently
at three two zero and one. Matthew Violalta securing win
(01:07):
number one hundred finally of his AHL career after a
nine game hiatus. We have a special interview with them
coming up next as well, James, thanks for joining me.
As always, we'll take that series against the Silver Knights right.
Silver Knights arguably the best team in the American Hockey
League since the New Year calendar, and the Roadrunners had
(01:31):
to go into their building and try to beat them twice,
and we very much could have.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
We once again.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
Had a struggle holding the lead against Henderson in game
number one. It almost happened in game two, but we
secured it with a couple of empty net goals and
we took three out of four possible points against the
Silver Knights, and it also granted the Roadrunners the final
playoff spot of the AHL's Pacific Division race going into
(01:59):
tomorrow's matt up with Bakersfield losing to the same team
against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. But now the Roadrunners will
try to make it five of the last six of
victories in Acorsh Arena. And it's another big matchup coming
up to end off the Gem Show trip.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, it's another. It's it's a good week for the Roadrunners.
They dropped some points, they they lost their their game
at Ontario, and then of course you know they blew up,
blew the lead against well they can still get a
point though, uh in the first interesting game, but the
game back and had impressive outing where they felt again
like DJAFU where they were gonna where they had a
(02:37):
big lead and it was evaporating the Henderson is this
team that it just won't stop. It's it's a bad
matchup for the Runners or whatever. But Runners did hold
on and they got the big win. And now on
what we were talking about, we'll be talking about them
trying to get back in the playoffs position. Now they
are although it's they're still tied technically with with Bakersfield,
(02:58):
but they're ahead on regulation wins and so now they're
in the seventh spot. So now I think you kind
of it's kind of a position where you kind of
look and see like, well, what where how can they
improve on those rankings and how can they get to
that number four spot, that magic kind of number four spot,
which is where you get to host the We get
to host the first two games in the I'm the
first series in the in the playoffs, and that coincidentally
(03:21):
is hosted is held by Coachella Valley who who they
play play tonight or play playing wins I should say,
and they are actually is a tough place to play,
but their Runners have always got good results there and
they have the opportunity. They're ten points back of Coachella,
but they have that game against Coachella where they can
get the opportunity to have that kind of four point
turn around where they if they if they beat them
(03:43):
in regulation, get two points the prevent coach out and
getting points. That's that's big. And they also have a
couple of games in hand on Coachell, so it's it's
definitely possible. Still still a long way to go. I'm
still tough, tough, tough to reach that point, but it's
still definitely possible, especially the way they're playing right now.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Yeah, twenty five games left on the DOCA for two
Soon we are just maybe slight it over a quarterway
to the end of the season. And we've been saying it, James,
eventually in that twenty five games is gonna turn to
fifteen and then five and then bam, the season's over,
just like that. And for the Roadrunners it's slowly we're
(04:24):
slowly starting to see it turn around a little bit.
We're currently on a two game point streak again, getting
three out of four possible against the Silver Knights. Roadrunners
have points in four of their last five. I believe
they have a three to two, zero to two record
in the last seven games, so they're getting the points,
they're banking them. They got one against the Ontario Way
(04:45):
going into the All Star Break, and then starting off
this jem Show trip two soon snapped the eight game
losing streak against San Jose split that series up, won
a huge one in Bakersfield, which was probably you would
say the biggest win of the road trip so far.
Lost bad against Ontario, but that was a back to
back where the run Runners had to bust all the
way on to Ontario after the game, So it was
(05:07):
just a tough one to get two wins in that stretch.
And then yeah, we had a lead, we had a
couple of leads on Henderson, they tied it up. We
lost in a shootout, but you got the important point
and then we were able to hold things out and
win on Sunday. And now the Roadrunners have traveled here
to Palm Springs, which I am live from in my
hotel room at the moment, and now we've we're gearing
(05:30):
up for a huge matchup against the Firebirds coming tomorrow,
and again Tucson is four and one in the last
five games at the Acer Sure Arena. They have a
chance to also go three and one against the Firebirds
in this entire season series alone, which is only four games.
And then again, the more wins they can get, the
more of that securance of the seventh seed is in
(05:52):
favor of Tucson. So it's just a lot on the
line tomorrow, right it's a final game against Coachell Valley.
It's a chance to win the season series against them,
chance to win in that arena once again, which is
you know, even on a weeknight, is gonna have a
big crowd, and it's one of the hardest arenas to
play in in this entire league. And it's just another
chance to continue to hold out to that seventh seed
(06:15):
in the division. We weren't really sure, you know, I
should look into this, but I wasn't really sure what
the tiebreaker would exactly be, whether it's winning percentage, your
record against them. But from now what we know, it's
the regulation wins that gives you that tiebreaker, and the
Roadrunners have two more regulation wins that Bakers should, And yeah,
we have two games in hand, so that's also something
(06:37):
to look at too, So it's our destiny to control.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Bakersfield also plays.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
On Wednesday against the Henderson Silver Nights, So as we
roll on here, we're gonna continue to look at Bakersfield's
games until the Roadrunners can maybe catch up a bit
to San Jose and Abbotsford.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah. I didn't look it up this year, but last
year the first tiebreaker was regulation wins, So that's the
first if you're looking at the page on the webpage,
it's the EHL dot com on understandings. The first one
after winning percent of is our w which is you know,
regulation wins. So two soon that was twenty, which is
actually really top of the top half of the division.
(07:18):
So they have twenty and then Vicksfield is fourteen, although
do have a couple of games at hand on the
road Owners, so that's a that's a good good thing
for the Runners have. That's that tiebreaker. But we talked
about how tough the road the gym shore road trip
is and how you know, the Roaduners went into this,
went into this. They went to the Austar break first
you should take say technically Ooster break, and then the
(07:39):
Gymster road trip, but they went to that with with
a night game losing streak, a game winles streak. But
they've already secured one of the best Gymso road trips
records they've had if you look at it, usually they
have a losing record when they go on the road trip.
Twenty seventeen they're one and five. Twenty eighteen they're four
and two. Twenty nineteen two three one one, twenty twenty
(08:00):
two to four one. Twenty Show one they didn't have
a gym Show and so they didn't have dim show
road trip obviously, and the season started in February, so
we skip out to twenty twenty two, they're two and
four into twenty twenty three, which is a year they
made the playoffs. By the way, they're one and six
and last year they're three one, one and zero. So
this year so far in the gym Sho road trip,
they're three to two on one and we kind of
(08:20):
my my goal for them kind of was too that
they should try and get to when they're on that
losey streak, to try and get to three and four,
which is a very respectable record that they had in
the January road trip, but they already surpassed that with
three wins and two regulation losses and then and then
a shootout loss, so they already have they surpassed that.
So now they have opportunity to get a four to
(08:42):
two on one record on Wednesday night.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah, especially that this is one of the longer Gym
Show trips, right, I mean you said two years ago
we went one at six.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I was a seven gamed road trip.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Last season was a five game road trip, and now
we're back to a seven game again. And uh yeah,
even if the Roadrunners lose tomorrow, a three to three
on one road trip is not the worst thing. But
you just have that opportunity to get that winning record,
you know. I think that's just a big key is
you can say in the toughest stretch of the season
for the team, the Gems Show trip, the trip we
(09:14):
talk about all season long, and we'll still talk about
it when the season's ending, because we'll look back and say, like, wow,
that was huge for us. Right, this is the opportunity
to just have that nice just have that feeling of yeah,
we had a winning percentage. Going all over California for
two straight weeks would be super accomplishing and it would
also be u you know, just rewarding for the guys,
(09:38):
especially that we don't even really get much of a
break when we get back, right, we get back Thursday morning,
that's gonna be five am. We're gonna be sleeping all day,
and then we have a practice day on Friday and
then Saturday Sunday slave versus Abbotsford, who just sweat Colorado.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
So it doesn't get any easier.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
So these these are just opportunities for you guys, for
us to bake as many points as possible. And yeah,
Coachelle Valleys a tremendous team. They've they've really gotten over
the early season humps that we've seen a lot of
these teams go through. You know, they're in fourth place
of the division right now, a twenty six part in
twenty six, seventeen one and five, record five shootout losses
(10:17):
this year, and they got their first shootout win of
the season against Bakersfield.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
That was a game I.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Started watching right after we wont because if Bakersfield got
that second point, we'd be outside looking in. But since
Coachell Value one, Bakersfield is now outside looking in again.
Type with points where the roadrunners, but we have the
two extra regulation wins against them, so that's that's just
a big thing, Kit James, just a feeling of getting
(10:43):
over five hundred on this jump show trip.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Is it still leads a lot on the table for us.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, it's obviously a big thing. The psychological thing, and
get over five hundred and get over get over a
hump and and the losing streak, win the streak, whatever
you want to call. But it's also important that they
won in different They kind of got back to the
where they're usually winning, where they have a lot of
guys scoring, a lot of different guys scoring. Going into
that I'm going into the All Star break, it was
kind of that first line I was scoring all the
(11:09):
time for them, other than Igrosoklof scored toward one goal
the day before, but it was in I think it
was oh no, uh, I don't remember was but anyway,
it was that first line that was I was scoring
all those goals for them. But they've they spread out more.
The goaltending was playing well again. Obviously that's what changed
down with the recent transactions, but a little different now.
(11:29):
But they're playing better. And then the big thing is
that they kind of go over the hump I think
in Sunday night where they were blowing those leads and
they were able to hold on even though Henderson was
Anderson's a great team and coming back and they're a team.
That is concerning for them that they keep giving big
leads like that, but they're able to come back. It's
just against the road owners. But so they kind of
got over that hump. And the other thing I was
(11:50):
thinking about I mentioned that it's not as hard in
terms of travel this gym to rope chip probably because
like usually they go to Abbots for like last year
them to Abagsphere, they go to Iowa, they go to Texas,
they go to Chicago Rock or something like that. During
the Chipter road ship this year it was you go
down California and then you go to Henderson and come
back to Cochel. Although it's such a tight stand you
(12:12):
just mentioned that where there's so many games in such
a short short period of time that usually on Jifter
road ship it's long because they have to travel so much,
but they have they have some time off, they have
some time to kind of breathe and stuff like that.
But it just feels like it's been so such a
quick turnaround this road tchip, so that also makes it hard.
So I don't know, I kind of maybe want to
retract a little bit what I said about it being,
(12:33):
you know, not just going through California and going to
southern Nevada, but I'm suppose having to go up to Canada,
going to Iowa. But you know, you know, it's still
tough because there's so many games, so many packed in
this that packed in these couple of weeks.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Yeah, like we really have not had that regular you know,
two games on a Friday Saturday and then no games
until the next week's schedule.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
It's not happening until we get back.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
We had San Jose on a on a Friday and Saturday,
and then we played Bakersfield the following Tuesday, Ontario on Wednesday, uh,
and then Thursday Friday in Vegas, and then another Saturday
Sunday against Henderson and then you put Monday Tuesday, and
now we have a Wednesday game, uh against the Coachella
Valley Firebirds. So uh, you know in the two weeks,
(13:21):
seven games in two weeks is uh is not easy.
I Mean that's half the week that you're playing games
in two weeks, so it's it's a lot of games
for the Roadrunners. So it's not only travel, it's just
uh it's small, very small scunches up for Tucson as well.
But just, uh, what about how about like just all
the the depth scoring that we saw and that we've
(13:41):
been seeing on this trip. Right, you know, during that
eight game slide, we only saw the the Yamamoto he
big Paganski line. Uh, the only line I was getting
us points and uh, just no one else was finding
the back of the net, which was just difficult for
us to to try to get points. But now you
see the Roadrunners starting to win more games because you're
seeing guys now start to you know, get get the
(14:03):
points together. So our media relations and PR courted Nator
Chase Clements put together a nice kind of nugget page
of you know, everybody that what they accomplished and what
they've been doing on this Gem Show trip. So Igor
Soklock got his eighth multiple point game of the season.
He has four points in his last six games. His
eighth road goal this year as well. It's just second
(14:26):
behind Cameron Hebicks ten. Curtis Douglas got his first multiple
point game of the season on Sunday. He has a
two game point streak, fourth point his last six games
all in this road trip, six in his last seven
overall with six assists. We know Samy Walker's been doing
since joining the Roadrunners on this road trip. Six points
in his first six games, including four in his debut
(14:48):
to start off the trip against San Jose. Travis Barrett
back to back games with goals for the first time
the season, three goals part three points in his last
five games. Austin mcganski he as three points in the
last six games for this gem Show trip as well,
six first period goals this season overall with ty with
Cameron Hebik for the period or team high. Julian Lutz
(15:12):
first AHL goal and an assist as well in that
series against Henderson. Robbie Russo has six points in his
last six games, all on this road trip. Ryan McGregor
three points in the last two games. Aka Rottu a
three game point streak, leyden More three points his last
three games played, and then Kyler Yamamoto. We don't have
consistent he has been as well. He has five points
(15:33):
in his last three games as well. So yeah, that
was a lot of stats to just just throw at you, James,
but that's just we're no, that's the depth scoring that
we've been accustomed to for Tucson, and when you have
everybody contributing, every line rolling, that's when you're gonna start
seeing the success that we saw in the early part
of the season.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, that's kind of more the runers hockey that were
used to when they when they had that losing streak
and they were limping along where which Kipt talked about
it on the on the Happy Hour, where it's like, yeah,
they were losing those games, but a lot of those
games are really close games, especially like losing overtime using
less minute goal. But so they weren't that far off,
(16:14):
but they were in there in terms of winning, but
they just felt off. They didn't felt feel like themselves.
They feel like the Railroad unners. So they have some
It's nice to see a lot of guys who who
had him to get in the stats so far this year,
at least recently. Like you mentioned Aku, he scored his
first goal since January third, and he seems like he
that was on Saturday's game, so it seems like, you know,
(16:37):
he scored again. Seems like he's kind of back into
back back in what he showed last year in his
first year, for first year playing for the road Unners.
And you mentioned that on the broadcast. You mentioned that
it might be a good, good line of them going
forward with the lux McGregor rat to line. They they
they putting up a lot of numbers against Henderson and
they're there line that you can it looks like you
(16:59):
can rely on it in this upcoming game against Coachell
Valley when they come back home.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yeah, And what I'm excited for is, uh again, We're
we're starting to see the strides get together. And I've
talked with Steve Poppin about it. You know, if you
try to you try to just get it all back
at once, it's not gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
It needs to be a slow process. You don't get
better in a day.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
You know you can, you can get a little better,
but you're not gonna get fully better, you know, if
that makes sense. You know, you lose eight games in
a row, you're not gonna win eight in a row.
It's just not how it works. You You know, you
lose eight in a row, you get a winner too.
You might lose a couple, but then eventually then you'll
start all of a sudden be like, oh wow, we're
ten to three in our last thirteen games, all of
(17:44):
a sudden. So that's what's Tucson's trying to find right now,
and it is it's it would be no better time
to do it than right now when you've gotten the
playoff positioning back, especially that Bakersfield has started to struggle
a little bit too on their end. They're lost their
life three in a row. They're four to three, one
to two in the last ten games. Again, they they
rely on just banking those points and uh in the
(18:06):
extra minutes. But that's also why the Roadrunners have, uh
take have the tiebreaker because we just get more of
those regulation wins.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So that's that's huge too.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
You know, one could argue is, yeah, they're just playing
for the points, but then you can say, well, they
don't have the regulation wins to put him in the
playoff spot, so that's huge too. But uh, that's just uh,
that's it's just good to see that the depth scoring
starting to roll back together. We're starting to see the wins.
The special teams is uh putting in the work too.
Our power play's been good. Hasn't drawn a lot of penalties,
(18:34):
but it's been good. PK has done the job it
has and there's a big boost to the lineup coming
soon is going to be Andrera Gazino. I'm not sure
if he's going to be playing tomorrow or not. He
was at practice, uh, full participant, So that's a that's
another huge name that can be coming to the Roadrunners soon. Uh,
especially that Josh Stone has been reassigned back to the
Utah Hockey Club. We kind of already knew he was
(18:56):
only gonna be with us for that Four Nations faceoff
tournament that's still rolling until Thursday, but him and Jackson
stoub Are have being called up to practice with the
Utah Hockey Club for the rest of the week. Doan
Wells called up to us for from the Allen Americans
end result too. Of course, Matthew will alta expect it
to start tomorrow for the time being, coming off of
that hit, huge one hundredth win of his career.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
But yeah, Andrag is in and you put him back
into the mix.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Obviously will take him a few games to get adjusted,
but uh, that's gonna be a huge name for the
run Runers to have back, and it's a perfect time
for him to come back when our lines and everyone
together are starting to put up the points.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Yeah, that's one of the He's one of the guys
that when they signed them over the summer of you guys,
you and Adrian thought like, oh, this is putting it together. Team.
The ast a lot of good players obviously from last year,
but they brought him a good munch of good players
that can like Kevin Cartartan who just came back and
you know, came back from his injury, and so bringing
those guys back in helps helps you deal with I'm
(19:58):
losing guys like don't even know. We weren't expecting to
be that long, to be there that long. But he
has to remember that rumber last year when Dylan gonth
there and Josh Jones went went up and he stayed
up until the playoffs. The Runners did. Still, they had
a little skuffully. They had a little bit trouble early
on when they were left on kind of adjusting to
losing guys that put up so much points like that,
but they did adjust and he did obviously get the
(20:19):
second seed, so their team I can adjust to losing
guys like that to the NHL and another you know,
a lot of transactions last week. Another one was make
am a ticket getting sent to the on Americans to
get some more playing time. Man, looking the status, he's
already putting up some, he's already had some. He's already
goten a few points over there on me.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Now, yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
James being a metiqua assigned to the uh Allan Americans
just to you know, just continue to develop and play
the first line minutes. You know, it's has been the
easiest start to his career in pro hockey. Two points
in twenty eight games just to assist in that stretch too.
So honestly like the decision. You know, it sucks it
(21:02):
had to happen, but you know he needs to play
the first line minutes. It's like the same for Josh
Jones when the season started in Utah, right, it didn't
have many points in the first nine games, sent him
down to Tucson to play the first line minutes a
PK the power play don't goes off for us, and
then now he's looked really good, you know, dating to
win before he came back to us for the three
(21:23):
games against Utah, he had a multiple point game. He
had points at three straight and then he absolutely went
crazy with us, you know, especially in the in the
final games against Henderson. And now he's back with the
Utah Hockey Club again as we expected. But you look
at that and you know, we'll see where Utah is.
They are currently not in a playoff spot right now,
(21:44):
but there's still plenty of season to go for them
to go on a post All Star run. But if
there is a situation where Tucson makes the playoffs and
Utah does not, I would expect, and again not saying
it's gonna happen, but I would expect to see Doan
back with Tucson for the playoff run, just like what
happened last year when Don't Gunther and Don't came back.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So, uh, this this could not, This probably won't. Maybe
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
It potentially isn't the last time we see I don't
but you know, it's just it's just like if the
road Runers make the playoffs, Man, we're gonna be loaded, right.
You'll have a healthy Agasino back, Yamamoto's crank and Cameron
Hebig has strided ahead since Jon's been called up soa
gloves a goalscorer, and then yeah, don't in the mix
as well. Ryan McGregor has been playing great since, you know,
(22:31):
getting into a full time starting role.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
You just never know.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Julian LUTs can go on a run like this is
a good spot for the Roadrunners to be in right now,
and you just feel that it could happen to where
two soon's gonna go on a on a good stretch
to get him into the playoffs and then you could
be adding the arsenal of Josh stoneback for the playoff run.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Again.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah, I felt I thought last week they kind of
showed their over that hump and over the kind of
jitters or that phone or whatever. They then we will
drove back whatever that those troubles that they had over
the eight game winn the streak. But now I think
they're ready to turn that turn the corner and make
a run back at a deep at a better seat
in the playoffs, not just securely spot in the playoffs,
(23:14):
but get a better spot, and then once they do
get in the playoffs, they can do a lot of damage.
It's a it's a obviously a specific division has won
in the division. That's really tough. We saw last year
when the Runners kind of two seat but they had
to play a seven seeded Calgary, which is they were
up at the top for much of the year and
then they fill down towards the end of the year.
But then they brought in some they're great players back
from from the Flames, so and then they got the upset.
(23:36):
So once again, once you get into the tournament, anything
can happened. It's just it's just wild like that. And
the run Owners they look like they could have a
good run.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Yeah, and the James Stone look, I mean our blink
you'll miss it. The Wranglers are in threat of losing
their their number one seed spot for the second straight
year because they have started to lose a couple of
games in a row and now the Ontario Rain and
the Colorado Eagles are looking for that first seed as well.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Sorry, I need to pull back up the stand. He's like,
just had them. Okay. So the Wranglers have lost their
last five in a row.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
They're oh two to two and one of that stretch though,
they've gone three points, but they haven't gone the wins.
Ontario's tied with them in total Windown just two points
behind them with three games in hand, staying with the Eagles,
who are only three points behind with two games in hand.
So if you're a Wranglers fan, you are hoping that
this team does not blow the first seed for the
(24:37):
second year in a row, because we saw it all
happen last year and then they fell all the way
to the seventh seed. But then they beat us, so
you know, after that, after that series James last season,
you know, when the seventh seed beats the second, like,
especially in a two game series, it's like, just make
the playoffs and anything can possibly happen, especially with all
the adversity we've been through this season, right, you know,
(24:59):
start it off slow. UH thought we had maybe gotten
it together, had a disastrous post post holiday stretch, We
go on the Gems Show trip the longest of the season.
Injuries we've lost. We lost a veteran defenseman, Kevin Canaan,
and who's back. We lost Andraga Zino for about a month.
He's close to being back to uh. You know, we
(25:20):
have guys who haven't started every single game, which they
there would be everyday starters on any other team who
have now started to uh now started to find stride.
We saw Julie Let's get hurt. He's back now, Miko Mitika.
We'll see if he makes a return to twoson this year.
But uh, you know, just just an unfortunate, struggling start
(25:42):
to his career. But that's just how it goes sometimes.
But we've been through so much adversity this season that
if you make the playoffs, it's like, let's do it
like we've we've been through so much already, rather than
maybe other teams who had success all season long. They
don't know what adversity is. And I think that's what
the advantage is for US. I was, you know, talking
about it earlier as well with Kim, and it's like,
(26:04):
there's the reason why the President's Trophy winner of the
NHL has not won a Stanley Cup in a long
time because they don't face any adversity. And then all
of a sudden, you play a wild card team that
had losing streaks all throughout the season but barely squeezed in,
which could be US. They've been through the run, they've
been through it all, and they just find ways to
win because they're together runs one big unit. No they
(26:26):
joke about the power of friendship, you know, and that's
just that that could be us for a playoff run
as well. So just make playoffs no matter what the
seed is, and we'll go from there.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I mean, obviously in hockey there's always injuries and
the n HL there's always call ups, and there's always
long road trips in terms of distance in terms of
any games, but it's usually not for having out all
the same time. To you, So a throwners are able
to get through that storm and looks like they have
overcome that kind of perfect storm they had to go
through in terms of injuries to kee guys, guys getting
(26:59):
called up, guys getting coming in and coming back and
not not playing as well expecting them to, you know,
all these kinds of things, having to travel so far,
having to play so many games arow. I mean, somebody
played play so many games on the road and his
last two road trips. If they get past that, you know,
they say there's that clus say kind of saying, but
(27:20):
as a kid, he makes you stronger. That I think
really applies to them. And yeah, you look at like Calgary,
they were away ahead. You look at the points, they're
just way ahead. For the whole whole season, but they're
also wayheading games played, so they the second place. Their
place teams were always had a few games and hand
on them. So if you look at it from one
to six, everything was really close within eight points, especially three,
(27:44):
three to six. So if the owners can get on
there a little bit of run and get back into
that middle of the pack in the standings wise, everything's
graps because everyone's so close aarons being up each other channels.
They was having a really good year the round top.
Now they dropped the sixth place only you know, some
points head of the runners, which it's kind of odd
because they're just off such a great start they have.
(28:06):
They are at great players. They two All Stars out
of the which is really rare because there's something there's
ten teams of division and there's twelve all stars, so
most teams are gonna I'm only gonna have one All Stars.
So San Jose had a couple, so that was kind
of surprising. You drop a little bit, but it's just
such a fluid, fluid division. That's why we kind of
go over every week because they just change so much.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Yeah, you know, no team is ever ever going to
hold on it's always so changing, and uh, you never know, James, Like,
if the Roadrunners win the next you know, twenty of
the of the next twenty five or anything like that,
it's it would jurassically change the outlook of the division.
And you know, it's a team like San Jose if
(28:49):
you didn't make the play who hasn't made the playoffs
in the last few years. You know they're they're looking
good too, but they can fall off out of nowhere.
Abbotsford has been streaky all season long, and then yeah,
you saw the Bakers Who Condors. We had a playoff
spot for quite a while while the road Runners were
still figuring out that getting out of their losing skin.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And now we've taken that spot for the time being.
Speaker 5 (29:10):
But even before that, we had the seventh seed for
quite some time, even got to as much as the
fifth or round fourth seed spot when we were a
season high six games over five hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
So just one game over five hundred for the time being.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
But again those two part in those two regulation wins
giving us the tiebreaker over the Bakers Hill Condors. How
about our big accolade, right, James, the guy who's been
waiting so long to get to win number one hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It was a nine game stretch. He had it won.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
We were we scrambled to make it one hundred win
graphic when we were a four to one against the
Henderson silver Knights back in January. We've lost that game
because we blew the lead, and then since then we
didn't see a win from Matthew Volalta until we played
the silver Knights again last Sunday. Matthew Volalta making a
(30:04):
total of what was it, twenty four saves on twenty
eight shots. Not his best game, but you know this
Overnights got it close again at the end, we hung
on for the win and then Volalta gets finally now
win number one hundred, and you know, talking to him,
he said it was just at any other.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Win of the day.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
But the guys made it a big deal in the
locker room as they as they should have. You know,
it was a thing that we've been wanting to get
for him for weeks and we just haven't been able to.
But now that you get the hundred win out of
the way, you never know, maybe Volalta now wins his
next six in a row. You know, it's it's just
one of those things that was talked about so much,
and now it's done, it's out of the way, and
(30:43):
now Volota will potentially look for win number one oh
one tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Yeah, that was one of the cool things about Sunday's
game is that not only the Runnerners as a team
exercise those demons where they were giving up big leads
to Henderson, but so did Maddiegeah. He's a guy who
you know, he always uh he maybe doesn't have the
best goals against average best on sabersige whatever, at least
not as bad, but just usually bad, but just not
in the top of the very top of the league.
(31:08):
But he's always up there and wins. He was last
year because he's he's the guy who's he's easy guy
to get you wins. He's the guy who makes big
saves and big dramatic saves. The hype up the other guys,
and so the guys were really excited. Easy He's obviously
really loved. The guys are really nited, and it's always
a good thing. When graphs the game, you have to
go grab the they go and grab the pucke because
they're gonna save it. They're gonna taper you're gonna roll
(31:30):
some taper on it and you're gonna put it in
the wall and remember it, show to your grand kids. Whatever.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Yeah, So Veololta this season, Uh three point oh six
goals against Savage and eleven and sixteen and three record.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Stobber on the other side, who again is with the
Utah Hockey Club to practice. Don't know when he will
be back, but uh, similar stats, pretty pretty identical stats really.
Uh three point oh seven goals again Savage eighty five
and one record and a nine to one say percentage,
So uh yeah, you know it's uh. Sometimes goalies just
don't have their fastballs. Sometimes they let in a goal
(32:05):
that they wanted back. But at the end of the day,
the wins the biggest thing. And for Matthew Walta to
finally get back on the winning call him after over
a month. The last time Maddy had won a game
was January third, when we beat the Texas Stars by
score three to one or pardon six to three. Gosh,
I don't know why I said three to one, six
to three, and that was it. We didn't see a
(32:28):
win for him for nine games. Jackson Stabbert got some
wins in a mix of that as well, but it's
just uh, just how it went.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
But it's over.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
We can look back on it now and maybe you
laugh about it when if Matthew Valalta gets a nice
little run for himself as well. So congrats to Matthew Volalta,
as always excited for him.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
It's one hundred wins in the best league in the
world or the second best league in the world, you know,
so it's a it's a big accomplishment, but at the
end of the day, the wins are what matters for
every goaltender and and uh got a big one for
us uh on Sunday in a six and four win.
Let's listen to our interview of the week's episode. Chase Clement,
who came with us on the trip to Henderson, caught
(33:12):
up with Matthew Volalta right after is one hundredth victory
of his American Hockey League career.
Speaker 6 (33:18):
Joined by Roadrunners goalie Matthew Voalta. Maddie, congrats on career
number one hundred. Can you take me through uh just
how field to finally reach that milestone?
Speaker 7 (33:29):
Yeah, uh, you know, definitely pretty cool, you know, I
was you look back at it and remember your first
your first American League start and you uh, you know,
you play your hunt game and then you know along
the way you're gonna run into one hundred, one hundred
wins and you know it's something that's uh, you know,
(33:50):
it's pretty cool and yeah, it's just uh, you know,
it's a cool feeling to hit that mark. But you
know there's a you know, the credit go out to
the team though, I mean tonight there, I think they
played a great game and you know they they limited
you know, high high risk chances and you know, they
made it pretty easy for me. So at the end
(34:13):
of the day too, you know, to a team win
and I'm just happy to be a small part of it.
And you know, uh, very thankful and fortunate for everyone
who helped me along the way and uh to get
to this point. But you know, I want you know,
the goal is to get three or four hundred more,
so uh, you know that's the goal.
Speaker 6 (34:33):
Well, such a special accomplishment and uh, just to start,
congrats again and a couple of your other teammates had
some miles stones tonight, right, holl Go scores on his birthday.
Let's he gets his first career goal. Dougie had two
points for the first time this season. Just how cool
is it for you know, to kind of all celebrate
you know, those achievements here tonight.
Speaker 7 (34:55):
Yeah, it's unreal. Obviously, we have a we have a
great group, great group of guys, and you know, Paul
a big day for him. He's you know, he's kind
of getting on the older side of things, so uh,
you know he had you know, the birthday juice and
the birthday luck and you know, let's he is a
young rook he's coming in. He's been working very hard
every day and he's a great young pro and you
know he's learning, he's learning along the way and uh,
(35:16):
you know, as a first year kid, you know, playing,
you know, you got to figure out things quick. And
you know, for him, he's been sticking with it and
you know, uh, you know on the days where you
know it's a little tougher on him, he has a
great attitude and he just keeps driving to get better.
And you know, today to see him, you know, Barry
his first one, it's uh, it's a great moment for him.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
And uh, you know, I know all the boys are fired.
Speaker 7 (35:38):
Up, and you know, Dougie, he's been playing, He's been
playing awesome. He's a great dude, great, great teammate, you know,
thankful to be his teammate. He plays a major role
on this team, you know, from fighting, playing strong in
the d zone, and you know he has that you know,
offensive touch as well, So you know, he's kind of
(35:58):
a guy who kind of can play you know, every
role and you know, contributing many different ways, which is
you know, very special. And he shows his character and.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
You know how versatile he is.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Well, Maddie, another big win tonight. Congratulations, the wind music
is playing. I won't hold you up any longer. I'll
let you enjoy tonight with your teammates.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Thank you for doing so much.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Yeah, James, So Matt, Maddie said it perfectly right, just everybody.
Lots of accolades in that game. Julian Lots his first
goal of his a men hockey career, Auso mcgyanski scored
on his birthday. Curtis Douglas his first multiple point game
of the season. Ten of the fourteen total points Douglas
have come on the road this season as well, so
(36:44):
he's kind of a road warrior for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
No pun attendant on those road and Warriors and everything.
Speaker 5 (36:50):
But yeah, it was an overall just a fantastic night
for Tucson, good series overall, three of the four possible points,
and a chance for us tomorrow to end up off
this road trip with a winning record.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, it's not only it's a good, good situation for
the runners to those guys get the accolades and get
that big win, but it's also, you know, fun to
point out that it was on INCHEL network. I don't
know how many people in the West coast are East
coast are watching it that late, but last time they're
on the national spotlight in the sort of an HL
free game that they lost to Texas or so it's
(37:25):
nice for them to for the Rudners brand to rebound
and get some big points on that Sunday night. And
the other thing about Matt Maddie before we transition is
that he had obviously one hundred wins, but also only
sixty five losses, seventeen overtime losses. So and he look
at eight shoutouts, which six of those who come with
the roaderners, So he's he's he's had a great career
(37:48):
so far, and he's had a great career with the
road nurs So it's nice to see him get that
accolade in such a big game like that.
Speaker 5 (37:55):
Yeah, we're so used to him getting all those wins
last year, and the stretch that he had was something
where we just had to get a customed to forbid
as it sucks, but it's over and now he's on
win number one hundred and looking for one on one tomorrow, James.
Before we go, we got to talk about the Four
Nations tournament just quickly. What a what a job, what
(38:17):
a decision by the NHL to do this. This has
been so cool to watch, Like, you know, you get
the All Star allars are cool and all, but I
think the NHL has changed the game of what to
do during a break right. And they started off the
Four Nations face off, we didn't know what kind of
atmosphere was gonna be, who's gonna try, who wasn't, and
(38:39):
it was It's been so c see all teams just
put their bodies out there on the line for their countries.
That USA Canada game was just absolutely bonkers. And now
we have the championship coming up on Thursday. USA is
a bit injured, but they have now Quinn Hughes coming
to the team as well to play in the championship game.
(39:00):
What an addition that is, and I'm really excited to
see it. The guys have been all chatting about in
the locker room as well, and it's it's sad that
it's going to come to an end, Sue, but just
what a what a fun time it has been for
just the world of hockey. I think hockey took a
big step forward with this four Nations UH face off tournament.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, people are always kind of I mean, it's it's
it's obviously a joke, I mean to to Boogary Betman,
but people always saying the NHL did this stupid or
they just that and they messed up with this or whatever.
But they made a great decision with this, and that's
it's the thing that I saw. I saw a bunch
of variations in tweet whereas people are saying that, well,
the NFL is going to flag football for their All
Star Game, and the NBA they're playing not playing defense
(39:40):
and dogging up the court, you know, but they but
in the NHL, they're fighting there that I'm gonna I'm
gonna fight to death for my country in this exhibition.
Kids are the exhibition and like that tweet, but it's
it's great for the international game to see more on
international hockey. They committed to playing next year in the
(40:02):
in the coming back to the Olympics, which you know
was nice last Olympics because there's a bunch of roder
nurse I played in the in the last Olympics. But
now it's just nice to see the best on best
return to the the Olympics. And they're gonna bring back
the world a Cup of Hockey. I think it's a
couple of years after that or a year after that, whatever,
So they're gonna gonna keep doing this. And after the
there's so much positive reception to the four Nations tournament
(40:22):
that they're definitely gonna continue that in some form. Could
keep doing stuff like that. It was funny at the
beginning of that game when I when I was watching it,
I was I did a staff of stapped according of
the first fight, and say, oh, well, the game start
up with the fight. That's wild. So I started typing
up as the USA or Canady gave start up with
the fight. And at the second there's two fights. Oh no,
there's three fights, and then the game actually lived up
(40:44):
to the high and it was a good, really good game.
And not only that, it's it was just a round
robin games. So they're gonna have the championship game. So
it's gonna be wild.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Yeah, it is. And I have a I have a
proposal for the Age L.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
They should do a h I guess you would call
it the four division face off, right, maybe instead of
the All Star Games where you just the three on
three All Star Challenge where yeah, of course the guys
are trying, but it's tons of scoring, you get the
quick periods, they should do an actual tournament with all
divisions and have the divisions play each other in the
(41:20):
All Star Games, and then you can, you know, maybe
just have a little mini tournament like that as well.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
Obviously, it's a lot different with the national teams, you know,
the best of the best going guess each other. But yeah,
quite a quite remarkable good give good kudos to whoever
came up with that idea. Super excited to uh watch
the championship game on Thursday. We'll be getting home that
morning after Coachella Valley, but get some sleep in and
(41:48):
then uh we're gonna let it rip uh and watch
the game and have a good time.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
Well, James, I think that's all.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
We have Roadrunners, a big chance to end off this
seven game road trip with arguably one of the best
road trips in Roadrunners history of the Gem Show, and
a chance for two Sonda hang on for their seventh
seed of the Pacific Division and just get another gutsy
win against the rivals the Coachella Valley Firebricks. Thanks everyone
(42:14):
listening in on this show. We will see you later
on this week at Coachella Valley and back at home
for the first time in over two weeks at the
two Soon Arena for a series up against the Abbotsford Canucks.
Good night, everybody, good morning, good afternoon, whatever time it
is for you, we will see you later on this week.
We'll throw things out with Roadrunners from come after.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
One of our house.
Speaker 4 (42:37):
You can need a lot more friends.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
We've seen Newscape before.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
We don't how the story ends tonight. We're rising up
tonight to go us down, trying to run.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Up on us looks. Go back to where we came from,
getting on the bus.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
Dropped five far away. Hang up your skeets, drop your gloves,
put your sticks away.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
You got beat down tonight. Let's stick two sad Way
Road right fro.
Speaker 7 (43:15):
Ro Rodner FROs.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Row right, A Frock road right, A frock.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Let's stick to sad Way
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more road Runners.
This is the Tucson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners, Jonathan Schaeffer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water.
Speaker 4 (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 twuson Roadrunners
Insider Podcast.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
Welcome this position of the Two Sun Roadrunners Insider Podcast,
Jonathan Schaeffer alongside me Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We
have a lot to uncover from the past few games.
The Roadrunners team is now in the final stage of
the seven game Gem Show Trip coming tomorrow if you're
(00:47):
listening on this Tuesday afternoon slash evening, or if you're
listening on a Wednesday or game day as well. Big
matchup coming up for Tucson, a chance for the Roadrunners
to finish the Gem Show Trip, a rinning record currently
at three two zero and one. Matthew Violalta securing win
(01:07):
number one hundred finally of his AHL career after a
nine game hiatus. We have a special interview with them
coming up next as well, James, thanks for joining me.
As always, we'll take that series against the Silver Knights right.
Silver Knights arguably the best team in the American Hockey
League since the New Year calendar, and the Roadrunners had
(01:31):
to go into their building and try to beat them twice,
and we very much could have.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
We once again.
Speaker 5 (01:38):
Had a struggle holding the lead against Henderson in game
number one. It almost happened in game two, but we
secured it with a couple of empty net goals and
we took three out of four possible points against the
Silver Knights, and it also granted the Roadrunners the final
playoff spot of the AHL's Pacific Division race going into
(01:59):
tomorrow's matt up with Bakersfield losing to the same team
against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. But now the Roadrunners will
try to make it five of the last six of
victories in Acorsh Arena. And it's another big matchup coming
up to end off the Gem Show trip.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, it's another. It's it's a good week for the Roadrunners.
They dropped some points, they they lost their their game
at Ontario, and then of course you know they blew up,
blew the lead against well they can still get a
point though, uh in the first interesting game, but the
game back and had impressive outing where they felt again
like DJAFU where they were gonna where they had a
(02:37):
big lead and it was evaporating the Henderson is this
team that it just won't stop. It's it's a bad
matchup for the Runners or whatever. But Runners did hold
on and they got the big win. And now on
what we were talking about, we'll be talking about them
trying to get back in the playoffs position. Now they
are although it's they're still tied technically with with Bakersfield,
(02:58):
but they're ahead on regulation wins and so now they're
in the seventh spot. So now I think you kind
of it's kind of a position where you kind of
look and see like, well, what where how can they
improve on those rankings and how can they get to
that number four spot, that magic kind of number four spot,
which is where you get to host the We get
to host the first two games in the I'm the
first series in the in the playoffs, and that coincidentally
(03:21):
is hosted is held by Coachella Valley who who they
play play tonight or play playing wins I should say,
and they are actually is a tough place to play,
but their Runners have always got good results there and
they have the opportunity. They're ten points back of Coachella,
but they have that game against Coachella where they can
get the opportunity to have that kind of four point
turn around where they if they if they beat them
(03:43):
in regulation, get two points the prevent coach out and
getting points. That's that's big. And they also have a
couple of games in hand on Coachell, so it's it's
definitely possible. Still still a long way to go. I'm
still tough, tough, tough to reach that point, but it's
still definitely possible, especially the way they're playing right now.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Yeah, twenty five games left on the DOCA for two
Soon we are just maybe slight it over a quarterway
to the end of the season. And we've been saying it, James,
eventually in that twenty five games is gonna turn to
fifteen and then five and then bam, the season's over,
just like that. And for the Roadrunners it's slowly we're
(04:24):
slowly starting to see it turn around a little bit.
We're currently on a two game point streak again, getting
three out of four possible against the Silver Knights. Roadrunners
have points in four of their last five. I believe
they have a three to two, zero to two record
in the last seven games, so they're getting the points,
they're banking them. They got one against the Ontario Way
(04:45):
going into the All Star Break, and then starting off
this jem Show trip two soon snapped the eight game
losing streak against San Jose split that series up, won
a huge one in Bakersfield, which was probably you would
say the biggest win of the road trip so far.
Lost bad against Ontario, but that was a back to
back where the run Runners had to bust all the
way on to Ontario after the game, So it was
(05:07):
just a tough one to get two wins in that stretch.
And then yeah, we had a lead, we had a
couple of leads on Henderson, they tied it up. We
lost in a shootout, but you got the important point
and then we were able to hold things out and
win on Sunday. And now the Roadrunners have traveled here
to Palm Springs, which I am live from in my
hotel room at the moment, and now we've we're gearing
(05:30):
up for a huge matchup against the Firebirds coming tomorrow,
and again Tucson is four and one in the last
five games at the Acer Sure Arena. They have a
chance to also go three and one against the Firebirds
in this entire season series alone, which is only four games.
And then again, the more wins they can get, the
more of that securance of the seventh seed is in
(05:52):
favor of Tucson. So it's just a lot on the
line tomorrow, right it's a final game against Coachell Valley.
It's a chance to win the season series against them,
chance to win in that arena once again, which is
you know, even on a weeknight, is gonna have a
big crowd, and it's one of the hardest arenas to
play in in this entire league. And it's just another
chance to continue to hold out to that seventh seed
(06:15):
in the division. We weren't really sure, you know, I
should look into this, but I wasn't really sure what
the tiebreaker would exactly be, whether it's winning percentage, your
record against them. But from now what we know, it's
the regulation wins that gives you that tiebreaker, and the
Roadrunners have two more regulation wins that Bakers should, And yeah,
we have two games in hand, so that's also something
(06:37):
to look at too, So it's our destiny to control.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Bakersfield also plays.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
On Wednesday against the Henderson Silver Nights, So as we
roll on here, we're gonna continue to look at Bakersfield's
games until the Roadrunners can maybe catch up a bit
to San Jose and Abbotsford.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah. I didn't look it up this year, but last
year the first tiebreaker was regulation wins, So that's the
first if you're looking at the page on the webpage,
it's the EHL dot com on understandings. The first one
after winning percent of is our w which is you know,
regulation wins. So two soon that was twenty, which is
actually really top of the top half of the division.
(07:18):
So they have twenty and then Vicksfield is fourteen, although
do have a couple of games at hand on the
road Owners, so that's a that's a good good thing
for the Runners have. That's that tiebreaker. But we talked
about how tough the road the gym shore road trip
is and how you know, the Roaduners went into this,
went into this. They went to the Austar break first
you should take say technically Ooster break, and then the
(07:39):
Gymster road trip, but they went to that with with
a night game losing streak, a game winles streak. But
they've already secured one of the best Gymso road trips
records they've had if you look at it, usually they
have a losing record when they go on the road trip.
Twenty seventeen they're one and five. Twenty eighteen they're four
and two. Twenty nineteen two three one one, twenty twenty
(08:00):
two to four one. Twenty Show one they didn't have
a gym Show and so they didn't have dim show
road trip obviously, and the season started in February, so
we skip out to twenty twenty two, they're two and
four into twenty twenty three, which is a year they
made the playoffs. By the way, they're one and six
and last year they're three one, one and zero. So
this year so far in the gym Sho road trip,
they're three to two on one and we kind of
(08:20):
my my goal for them kind of was too that
they should try and get to when they're on that
losey streak, to try and get to three and four,
which is a very respectable record that they had in
the January road trip, but they already surpassed that with
three wins and two regulation losses and then and then
a shootout loss, so they already have they surpassed that.
So now they have opportunity to get a four to
(08:42):
two on one record on Wednesday night.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah, especially that this is one of the longer Gym
Show trips, right, I mean you said two years ago
we went one at six.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I was a seven gamed road trip.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Last season was a five game road trip, and now
we're back to a seven game again. And uh yeah,
even if the Roadrunners lose tomorrow, a three to three
on one road trip is not the worst thing. But
you just have that opportunity to get that winning record,
you know. I think that's just a big key is
you can say in the toughest stretch of the season
for the team, the Gems Show trip, the trip we
(09:14):
talk about all season long, and we'll still talk about
it when the season's ending, because we'll look back and say, like, wow,
that was huge for us. Right, this is the opportunity
to just have that nice just have that feeling of yeah,
we had a winning percentage. Going all over California for
two straight weeks would be super accomplishing and it would
also be u you know, just rewarding for the guys,
(09:38):
especially that we don't even really get much of a
break when we get back, right, we get back Thursday morning,
that's gonna be five am. We're gonna be sleeping all day,
and then we have a practice day on Friday and
then Saturday Sunday slave versus Abbotsford, who just sweat Colorado.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
So it doesn't get any easier.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
So these these are just opportunities for you guys, for
us to bake as many points as possible. And yeah,
Coachelle Valleys a tremendous team. They've they've really gotten over
the early season humps that we've seen a lot of
these teams go through. You know, they're in fourth place
of the division right now, a twenty six part in
twenty six, seventeen one and five, record five shootout losses
(10:17):
this year, and they got their first shootout win of
the season against Bakersfield.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
That was a game I.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Started watching right after we wont because if Bakersfield got
that second point, we'd be outside looking in. But since
Coachell Value one, Bakersfield is now outside looking in again.
Type with points where the roadrunners, but we have the
two extra regulation wins against them, so that's that's just
a big thing, Kit James, just a feeling of getting
(10:43):
over five hundred on this jump show trip.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Is it still leads a lot on the table for us.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, it's obviously a big thing. The psychological thing, and
get over five hundred and get over get over a
hump and and the losing streak, win the streak, whatever
you want to call. But it's also important that they
won in different They kind of got back to the
where they're usually winning, where they have a lot of
guys scoring, a lot of different guys scoring. Going into
that I'm going into the All Star break, it was
kind of that first line I was scoring all the
(11:09):
time for them, other than Igrosoklof scored toward one goal
the day before, but it was in I think it
was oh no, uh, I don't remember was but anyway,
it was that first line that was I was scoring
all those goals for them. But they've they spread out more.
The goaltending was playing well again. Obviously that's what changed
down with the recent transactions, but a little different now.
(11:29):
But they're playing better. And then the big thing is
that they kind of go over the hump I think
in Sunday night where they were blowing those leads and
they were able to hold on even though Henderson was
Anderson's a great team and coming back and they're a team.
That is concerning for them that they keep giving big
leads like that, but they're able to come back. It's
just against the road owners. But so they kind of
got over that hump. And the other thing I was
(11:50):
thinking about I mentioned that it's not as hard in
terms of travel this gym to rope chip probably because
like usually they go to Abbots for like last year
them to Abagsphere, they go to Iowa, they go to Texas,
they go to Chicago Rock or something like that. During
the Chipter road ship this year it was you go
down California and then you go to Henderson and come
back to Cochel. Although it's such a tight stand you
(12:12):
just mentioned that where there's so many games in such
a short short period of time that usually on Jifter
road ship it's long because they have to travel so much,
but they have they have some time off, they have
some time to kind of breathe and stuff like that.
But it just feels like it's been so such a
quick turnaround this road tchip, so that also makes it hard.
So I don't know, I kind of maybe want to
retract a little bit what I said about it being,
(12:33):
you know, not just going through California and going to
southern Nevada, but I'm suppose having to go up to Canada,
going to Iowa. But you know, you know, it's still
tough because there's so many games, so many packed in
this that packed in these couple of weeks.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
Yeah, like we really have not had that regular you know,
two games on a Friday Saturday and then no games
until the next week's schedule.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
It's not happening until we get back.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
You know.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
We had San Jose on a on a Friday and Saturday,
and then we played Bakersfield the following Tuesday, Ontario on Wednesday, uh,
and then Thursday Friday in Vegas, and then another Saturday
Sunday against Henderson and then you put Monday Tuesday, and
now we have a Wednesday game, uh against the Coachella
Valley Firebirds. So uh, you know in the two weeks,
(13:21):
seven games in two weeks is uh is not easy.
I Mean that's half the week that you're playing games
in two weeks, so it's it's a lot of games
for the Roadrunners. So it's not only travel, it's just
uh it's small, very small scunches up for Tucson as well.
But just, uh, what about how about like just all
the the depth scoring that we saw and that we've
(13:41):
been seeing on this trip. Right, you know, during that
eight game slide, we only saw the the Yamamoto he
big Paganski line. Uh, the only line I was getting
us points and uh, just no one else was finding
the back of the net, which was just difficult for
us to to try to get points. But now you
see the Roadrunners starting to win more games because you're
seeing guys now start to you know, get get the
(14:03):
points together. So our media relations and PR courted Nator
Chase Clements put together a nice kind of nugget page
of you know, everybody that what they accomplished and what
they've been doing on this Gem Show trip. So Igor
Soklock got his eighth multiple point game of the season.
He has four points in his last six games. His
eighth road goal this year as well. It's just second
(14:26):
behind Cameron Hebicks ten. Curtis Douglas got his first multiple
point game of the season on Sunday. He has a
two game point streak, fourth point his last six games
all in this road trip, six in his last seven
overall with six assists. We know Samy Walker's been doing
since joining the Roadrunners on this road trip. Six points
in his first six games, including four in his debut
(14:48):
to start off the trip against San Jose. Travis Barrett
back to back games with goals for the first time
the season, three goals part three points in his last
five games. Austin mcganski he as three points in the
last six games for this gem Show trip as well,
six first period goals this season overall with ty with
Cameron Hebik for the period or team high. Julian Lutz
(15:12):
first AHL goal and an assist as well in that
series against Henderson. Robbie Russo has six points in his
last six games, all on this road trip. Ryan McGregor
three points in the last two games. Aka Rottu a
three game point streak, leyden More three points his last
three games played, and then Kyler Yamamoto. We don't have
consistent he has been as well. He has five points
(15:33):
in his last three games as well. So yeah, that
was a lot of stats to just just throw at you, James,
but that's just we're no, that's the depth scoring that
we've been accustomed to for Tucson, and when you have
everybody contributing, every line rolling, that's when you're gonna start
seeing the success that we saw in the early part
of the season.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, that's kind of more the runers hockey that were
used to when they when they had that losing streak
and they were limping along where which Kipt talked about
it on the on the Happy Hour, where it's like, yeah,
they were losing those games, but a lot of those
games are really close games, especially like losing overtime using
less minute goal. But so they weren't that far off,
(16:14):
but they were in there in terms of winning, but
they just felt off. They didn't felt feel like themselves.
They feel like the Railroad unners. So they have some
It's nice to see a lot of guys who who
had him to get in the stats so far this year,
at least recently. Like you mentioned Aku, he scored his
first goal since January third, and he seems like he
that was on Saturday's game, so it seems like, you know,
(16:37):
he scored again. Seems like he's kind of back into
back back in what he showed last year in his
first year, for first year playing for the road Unners.
And you mentioned that on the broadcast. You mentioned that
it might be a good, good line of them going
forward with the lux McGregor rat to line. They they
they putting up a lot of numbers against Henderson and
they're there line that you can it looks like you
(16:59):
can rely on it in this upcoming game against Coachell
Valley when they come back home.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yeah, And what I'm excited for is, uh again, We're
we're starting to see the strides get together. And I've
talked with Steve Poppin about it. You know, if you
try to you try to just get it all back
at once, it's not gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
It needs to be a slow process. You don't get
better in a day.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
You know you can, you can get a little better,
but you're not gonna get fully better, you know, if
that makes sense. You know, you lose eight games in
a row, you're not gonna win eight in a row.
It's just not how it works. You You know, you
lose eight in a row, you get a winner too.
You might lose a couple, but then eventually then you'll
start all of a sudden be like, oh wow, we're
ten to three in our last thirteen games, all of
(17:44):
a sudden. So that's what's Tucson's trying to find right now,
and it is it's it would be no better time
to do it than right now when you've gotten the
playoff positioning back, especially that Bakersfield has started to struggle
a little bit too on their end. They're lost their
life three in a row. They're four to three, one
to two in the last ten games. Again, they they
rely on just banking those points and uh in the
(18:06):
extra minutes. But that's also why the Roadrunners have, uh
take have the tiebreaker because we just get more of
those regulation wins.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
So that's that's huge too.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
You know, one could argue is, yeah, they're just playing
for the points, but then you can say, well, they
don't have the regulation wins to put him in the
playoff spot, so that's huge too. But uh, that's just uh,
that's it's just good to see that the depth scoring
starting to roll back together. We're starting to see the wins.
The special teams is uh putting in the work too.
Our power play's been good. Hasn't drawn a lot of penalties,
(18:34):
but it's been good. PK has done the job it
has and there's a big boost to the lineup coming
soon is going to be Andrera Gazino. I'm not sure
if he's going to be playing tomorrow or not. He
was at practice, uh, full participant, So that's a that's
another huge name that can be coming to the Roadrunners soon. Uh,
especially that Josh Stone has been reassigned back to the
Utah Hockey Club. We kind of already knew he was
(18:56):
only gonna be with us for that Four Nations faceoff
tournament that's still rolling until Thursday, but him and Jackson
stoub Are have being called up to practice with the
Utah Hockey Club for the rest of the week. Doan
Wells called up to us for from the Allen Americans
end result too. Of course, Matthew will alta expect it
to start tomorrow for the time being, coming off of
that hit, huge one hundredth win of his career.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
But yeah, Andrag is in and you put him back
into the mix.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Obviously will take him a few games to get adjusted,
but uh, that's gonna be a huge name for the
run Runers to have back, and it's a perfect time
for him to come back when our lines and everyone
together are starting to put up the points.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Yeah, that's one of the He's one of the guys
that when they signed them over the summer of you guys,
you and Adrian thought like, oh, this is putting it together. Team.
The ast a lot of good players obviously from last year,
but they brought him a good munch of good players
that can like Kevin Cartartan who just came back and
you know, came back from his injury, and so bringing
those guys back in helps helps you deal with I'm
(19:58):
losing guys like don't even know. We weren't expecting to
be that long, to be there that long. But he
has to remember that rumber last year when Dylan gonth
there and Josh Jones went went up and he stayed
up until the playoffs. The Runners did. Still, they had
a little skuffully. They had a little bit trouble early
on when they were left on kind of adjusting to
losing guys that put up so much points like that,
but they did adjust and he did obviously get the
(20:19):
second seed, so their team I can adjust to losing
guys like that to the NHL and another you know,
a lot of transactions last week. Another one was make
am a ticket getting sent to the on Americans to
get some more playing time. Man, looking the status, he's
already putting up some, he's already had some. He's already
goten a few points over there on me.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Now, yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
James being a metiqua assigned to the uh Allan Americans
just to you know, just continue to develop and play
the first line minutes. You know, it's has been the
easiest start to his career in pro hockey. Two points
in twenty eight games just to assist in that stretch too.
So honestly like the decision. You know, it sucks it
(21:02):
had to happen, but you know he needs to play
the first line minutes. It's like the same for Josh
Jones when the season started in Utah, right, it didn't
have many points in the first nine games, sent him
down to Tucson to play the first line minutes a
PK the power play don't goes off for us, and
then now he's looked really good, you know, dating to
win before he came back to us for the three
(21:23):
games against Utah, he had a multiple point game. He
had points at three straight and then he absolutely went
crazy with us, you know, especially in the in the
final games against Henderson. And now he's back with the
Utah Hockey Club again as we expected. But you look
at that and you know, we'll see where Utah is.
They are currently not in a playoff spot right now,
(21:44):
but there's still plenty of season to go for them
to go on a post All Star run. But if
there is a situation where Tucson makes the playoffs and
Utah does not, I would expect, and again not saying
it's gonna happen, but I would expect to see Doan
back with Tucson for the playoff run, just like what
happened last year when Don't Gunther and Don't came back.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So, uh, this this could not, This probably won't. Maybe
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
It potentially isn't the last time we see I don't
but you know, it's just it's just like if the
road Runers make the playoffs, Man, we're gonna be loaded, right.
You'll have a healthy Agasino back, Yamamoto's crank and Cameron
Hebig has strided ahead since Jon's been called up soa
gloves a goalscorer, and then yeah, don't in the mix
as well. Ryan McGregor has been playing great since, you know,
(22:31):
getting into a full time starting role.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
You just never know.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Julian LUTs can go on a run like this is
a good spot for the Roadrunners to be in right now,
and you just feel that it could happen to where
two soon's gonna go on a on a good stretch
to get him into the playoffs and then you could
be adding the arsenal of Josh stoneback for the playoff run.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Again.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah, I felt I thought last week they kind of
showed their over that hump and over the kind of
jitters or that phone or whatever. They then we will
drove back whatever that those troubles that they had over
the eight game winn the streak. But now I think
they're ready to turn that turn the corner and make
a run back at a deep at a better seat
in the playoffs, not just securely spot in the playoffs,
(23:14):
but get a better spot, and then once they do
get in the playoffs, they can do a lot of damage.
It's a it's a obviously a specific division has won
in the division. That's really tough. We saw last year
when the Runners kind of two seat but they had
to play a seven seeded Calgary, which is they were
up at the top for much of the year and
then they fill down towards the end of the year.
But then they brought in some they're great players back
from from the Flames, so and then they got the upset.
(23:36):
So once again, once you get into the tournament, anything
can happened. It's just it's just wild like that. And
the run Owners they look like they could have a
good run.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Yeah, and the James Stone look, I mean our blink
you'll miss it. The Wranglers are in threat of losing
their their number one seed spot for the second straight
year because they have started to lose a couple of
games in a row and now the Ontario Rain and
the Colorado Eagles are looking for that first seed as well.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Sorry, I need to pull back up the stand. He's like,
just had them. Okay. So the Wranglers have lost their
last five in a row.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
They're oh two to two and one of that stretch though,
they've gone three points, but they haven't gone the wins.
Ontario's tied with them in total Windown just two points
behind them with three games in hand, staying with the Eagles,
who are only three points behind with two games in hand.
So if you're a Wranglers fan, you are hoping that
this team does not blow the first seed for the
(24:37):
second year in a row, because we saw it all
happen last year and then they fell all the way
to the seventh seed. But then they beat us, so
you know, after that, after that series James last season,
you know, when the seventh seed beats the second, like,
especially in a two game series, it's like, just make
the playoffs and anything can possibly happen, especially with all
the adversity we've been through this season, right, you know,
(24:59):
start it off slow. UH thought we had maybe gotten
it together, had a disastrous post post holiday stretch, We
go on the Gems Show trip the longest of the season.
Injuries we've lost. We lost a veteran defenseman, Kevin Canaan,
and who's back. We lost Andraga Zino for about a month.
He's close to being back to uh. You know, we
(25:20):
have guys who haven't started every single game, which they
there would be everyday starters on any other team who
have now started to uh now started to find stride.
We saw Julie Let's get hurt. He's back now, Miko Mitika.
We'll see if he makes a return to twoson this year.
But uh, you know, just just an unfortunate, struggling start
(25:42):
to his career. But that's just how it goes sometimes.
But we've been through so much adversity this season that
if you make the playoffs, it's like, let's do it
like we've we've been through so much already, rather than
maybe other teams who had success all season long. They
don't know what adversity is. And I think that's what
the advantage is for US. I was, you know, talking
about it earlier as well with Kim, and it's like,
(26:04):
there's the reason why the President's Trophy winner of the
NHL has not won a Stanley Cup in a long
time because they don't face any adversity. And then all
of a sudden, you play a wild card team that
had losing streaks all throughout the season but barely squeezed in,
which could be US. They've been through the run, they've
been through it all, and they just find ways to
win because they're together runs one big unit. No they
(26:26):
joke about the power of friendship, you know, and that's
just that that could be us for a playoff run
as well. So just make playoffs no matter what the
seed is, and we'll go from there.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I mean, obviously in hockey there's always injuries and
the n HL there's always call ups, and there's always
long road trips in terms of distance in terms of
any games, but it's usually not for having out all
the same time. To you, So a throwners are able
to get through that storm and looks like they have
overcome that kind of perfect storm they had to go
through in terms of injuries to kee guys, guys getting
(26:59):
called up, guys getting coming in and coming back and
not not playing as well expecting them to, you know,
all these kinds of things, having to travel so far,
having to play so many games arow. I mean, somebody
played play so many games on the road and his
last two road trips. If they get past that, you know,
they say there's that clus say kind of saying, but
(27:20):
as a kid, he makes you stronger. That I think
really applies to them. And yeah, you look at like Calgary,
they were away ahead. You look at the points, they're
just way ahead. For the whole whole season, but they're
also wayheading games played, so they the second place. Their
place teams were always had a few games and hand
on them. So if you look at it from one
to six, everything was really close within eight points, especially three,
(27:44):
three to six. So if the owners can get on
there a little bit of run and get back into
that middle of the pack in the standings wise, everything's
graps because everyone's so close aarons being up each other channels.
They was having a really good year the round top.
Now they dropped the sixth place only you know, some
points head of the runners, which it's kind of odd
because they're just off such a great start they have.
(28:06):
They are at great players. They two All Stars out
of the which is really rare because there's something there's
ten teams of division and there's twelve all stars, so
most teams are gonna I'm only gonna have one All Stars.
So San Jose had a couple, so that was kind
of surprising. You drop a little bit, but it's just
such a fluid, fluid division. That's why we kind of
go over every week because they just change so much.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Yeah, you know, no team is ever ever going to
hold on it's always so changing, and uh, you never know, James, Like,
if the Roadrunners win the next you know, twenty of
the of the next twenty five or anything like that,
it's it would jurassically change the outlook of the division.
And you know, it's a team like San Jose if
(28:49):
you didn't make the play who hasn't made the playoffs
in the last few years. You know they're they're looking
good too, but they can fall off out of nowhere.
Abbotsford has been streaky all season long, and then yeah,
you saw the Bakers Who Condors. We had a playoff
spot for quite a while while the road Runners were
still figuring out that getting out of their losing skin.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And now we've taken that spot for the time being.
Speaker 5 (29:10):
But even before that, we had the seventh seed for
quite some time, even got to as much as the
fifth or round fourth seed spot when we were a
season high six games over five hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
So just one game over five hundred for the time being.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
But again those two part in those two regulation wins
giving us the tiebreaker over the Bakers Hill Condors. How
about our big accolade, right, James, the guy who's been
waiting so long to get to win number one hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It was a nine game stretch. He had it won.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
We were we scrambled to make it one hundred win
graphic when we were a four to one against the
Henderson silver Knights back in January. We've lost that game
because we blew the lead, and then since then we
didn't see a win from Matthew Volalta until we played
the silver Knights again last Sunday. Matthew Volalta making a
(30:04):
total of what was it, twenty four saves on twenty
eight shots. Not his best game, but you know this
Overnights got it close again at the end, we hung
on for the win and then Volalta gets finally now
win number one hundred, and you know, talking to him,
he said it was just at any other.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Win of the day.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
But the guys made it a big deal in the
locker room as they as they should have. You know,
it was a thing that we've been wanting to get
for him for weeks and we just haven't been able to.
But now that you get the hundred win out of
the way, you never know, maybe Volalta now wins his
next six in a row. You know, it's it's just
one of those things that was talked about so much,
and now it's done, it's out of the way, and
(30:43):
now Volota will potentially look for win number one oh
one tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Yeah, that was one of the cool things about Sunday's
game is that not only the Runnerners as a team
exercise those demons where they were giving up big leads
to Henderson, but so did Maddiegeah. He's a guy who
you know, he always uh he maybe doesn't have the
best goals against average best on sabersige whatever, at least
not as bad, but just usually bad, but just not
in the top of the very top of the league.
(31:08):
But he's always up there and wins. He was last
year because he's he's the guy who's he's easy guy
to get you wins. He's the guy who makes big
saves and big dramatic saves. The hype up the other guys,
and so the guys were really excited. Easy He's obviously
really loved. The guys are really nited, and it's always
a good thing. When graphs the game, you have to
go grab the they go and grab the pucke because
they're gonna save it. They're gonna taper you're gonna roll
(31:30):
some taper on it and you're gonna put it in
the wall and remember it, show to your grand kids. Whatever.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Yeah, So Veololta this season, Uh three point oh six
goals against Savage and eleven and sixteen and three record.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Stobber on the other side, who again is with the
Utah Hockey Club to practice. Don't know when he will
be back, but uh, similar stats, pretty pretty identical stats really.
Uh three point oh seven goals again Savage eighty five
and one record and a nine to one say percentage,
So uh yeah, you know it's uh. Sometimes goalies just
don't have their fastballs. Sometimes they let in a goal
(32:05):
that they wanted back. But at the end of the day,
the wins the biggest thing. And for Matthew Walta to
finally get back on the winning call him after over
a month. The last time Maddy had won a game
was January third, when we beat the Texas Stars by
score three to one or pardon six to three. Gosh,
I don't know why I said three to one, six
to three, and that was it. We didn't see a
(32:28):
win for him for nine games. Jackson Stabbert got some
wins in a mix of that as well, but it's
just uh, just how it went.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
But it's over.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
We can look back on it now and maybe you
laugh about it when if Matthew Valalta gets a nice
little run for himself as well. So congrats to Matthew Volalta,
as always excited for him.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
It's one hundred wins in the best league in the
world or the second best league in the world, you know,
so it's a it's a big accomplishment, but at the
end of the day, the wins are what matters for
every goaltender and and uh got a big one for
us uh on Sunday in a six and four win.
Let's listen to our interview of the week's episode. Chase Clement,
who came with us on the trip to Henderson, caught
(33:12):
up with Matthew Volalta right after is one hundredth victory
of his American Hockey League career.
Speaker 6 (33:18):
Joined by Roadrunners goalie Matthew Voalta. Maddie, congrats on career
number one hundred. Can you take me through uh just
how field to finally reach that milestone?
Speaker 7 (33:29):
Yeah, uh, you know, definitely pretty cool, you know, I
was you look back at it and remember your first
your first American League start and you uh, you know,
you play your hunt game and then you know along
the way you're gonna run into one hundred, one hundred
wins and you know it's something that's uh, you know,
(33:50):
it's pretty cool and yeah, it's just uh, you know,
it's a cool feeling to hit that mark. But you
know there's a you know, the credit go out to
the team though, I mean tonight there, I think they
played a great game and you know they they limited
you know, high high risk chances and you know, they
made it pretty easy for me. So at the end
(34:13):
of the day too, you know, to a team win
and I'm just happy to be a small part of it.
And you know, uh, very thankful and fortunate for everyone
who helped me along the way and uh to get
to this point. But you know, I want you know,
the goal is to get three or four hundred more,
so uh, you know that's the goal.
Speaker 6 (34:33):
Well, such a special accomplishment and uh, just to start,
congrats again and a couple of your other teammates had
some miles stones tonight, right, holl Go scores on his birthday.
Let's he gets his first career goal. Dougie had two
points for the first time this season. Just how cool
is it for you know, to kind of all celebrate
you know, those achievements here tonight.
Speaker 7 (34:55):
Yeah, it's unreal. Obviously, we have a we have a
great group, great group of guys, and you know, Paul
a big day for him. He's you know, he's kind
of getting on the older side of things, so uh,
you know he had you know, the birthday juice and
the birthday luck and you know, let's he is a
young rook he's coming in. He's been working very hard
every day and he's a great young pro and you
know he's learning, he's learning along the way and uh,
(35:16):
you know, as a first year kid, you know, playing,
you know, you got to figure out things quick. And
you know, for him, he's been sticking with it and
you know, uh, you know on the days where you
know it's a little tougher on him, he has a
great attitude and he just keeps driving to get better.
And you know, today to see him, you know, Barry
his first one, it's uh, it's a great moment for him.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
And uh, you know, I know all the boys are fired.
Speaker 7 (35:38):
Up, and you know, Dougie, he's been playing, He's been
playing awesome. He's a great dude, great, great teammate, you know,
thankful to be his teammate. He plays a major role
on this team, you know, from fighting, playing strong in
the d zone, and you know he has that you know,
offensive touch as well, So you know, he's kind of
(35:58):
a guy who kind of can play you know, every
role and you know, contributing many different ways, which is
you know, very special. And he shows his character and.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
You know how versatile he is.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Well, Maddie, another big win tonight. Congratulations, the wind music
is playing. I won't hold you up any longer. I'll
let you enjoy tonight with your teammates.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Thank you for doing so much.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Yeah, James, So Matt, Maddie said it perfectly right, just everybody.
Lots of accolades in that game. Julian Lots his first
goal of his a men hockey career, Auso mcgyanski scored
on his birthday. Curtis Douglas his first multiple point game
of the season. Ten of the fourteen total points Douglas
have come on the road this season as well, so
(36:44):
he's kind of a road warrior for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
No pun attendant on those road and Warriors and everything.
Speaker 5 (36:50):
But yeah, it was an overall just a fantastic night
for Tucson, good series overall, three of the four possible points,
and a chance for us tomorrow to end up off
this road trip with a winning record.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, it's not only it's a good, good situation for
the runners to those guys get the accolades and get
that big win, but it's also, you know, fun to
point out that it was on INCHEL network. I don't
know how many people in the West coast are East
coast are watching it that late, but last time they're
on the national spotlight in the sort of an HL
free game that they lost to Texas or so it's
(37:25):
nice for them to for the Rudners brand to rebound
and get some big points on that Sunday night. And
the other thing about Matt Maddie before we transition is
that he had obviously one hundred wins, but also only
sixty five losses, seventeen overtime losses. So and he look
at eight shoutouts, which six of those who come with
the roaderners, So he's he's he's had a great career
(37:48):
so far, and he's had a great career with the
road nurs So it's nice to see him get that
accolade in such a big game like that.
Speaker 5 (37:55):
Yeah, we're so used to him getting all those wins
last year, and the stretch that he had was something
where we just had to get a customed to forbid
as it sucks, but it's over and now he's on
win number one hundred and looking for one on one tomorrow, James.
Before we go, we got to talk about the Four
Nations tournament just quickly. What a what a job, what
(38:17):
a decision by the NHL to do this. This has
been so cool to watch, Like, you know, you get
the All Star allars are cool and all, but I
think the NHL has changed the game of what to
do during a break right. And they started off the
Four Nations face off, we didn't know what kind of
atmosphere was gonna be, who's gonna try, who wasn't, and
(38:39):
it was It's been so c see all teams just
put their bodies out there on the line for their countries.
That USA Canada game was just absolutely bonkers. And now
we have the championship coming up on Thursday. USA is
a bit injured, but they have now Quinn Hughes coming
to the team as well to play in the championship game.
(39:00):
What an addition that is, and I'm really excited to
see it. The guys have been all chatting about in
the locker room as well, and it's it's sad that
it's going to come to an end, Sue, but just
what a what a fun time it has been for
just the world of hockey. I think hockey took a
big step forward with this four Nations UH face off tournament.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, people are always kind of I mean, it's it's
it's obviously a joke, I mean to to Boogary Betman,
but people always saying the NHL did this stupid or
they just that and they messed up with this or whatever.
But they made a great decision with this, and that's
it's the thing that I saw. I saw a bunch
of variations in tweet whereas people are saying that, well,
the NFL is going to flag football for their All
Star Game, and the NBA they're playing not playing defense
(39:40):
and dogging up the court, you know, but they but
in the NHL, they're fighting there that I'm gonna I'm
gonna fight to death for my country in this exhibition.
Kids are the exhibition and like that tweet, but it's
it's great for the international game to see more on
international hockey. They committed to playing next year in the
(40:02):
in the coming back to the Olympics, which you know
was nice last Olympics because there's a bunch of roder
nurse I played in the in the last Olympics. But
now it's just nice to see the best on best
return to the the Olympics. And they're gonna bring back
the world a Cup of Hockey. I think it's a
couple of years after that or a year after that, whatever,
So they're gonna gonna keep doing this. And after the
there's so much positive reception to the four Nations tournament
(40:22):
that they're definitely gonna continue that in some form. Could
keep doing stuff like that. It was funny at the
beginning of that game when I when I was watching it,
I was I did a staff of stapped according of
the first fight, and say, oh, well, the game start
up with the fight. That's wild. So I started typing
up as the USA or Canady gave start up with
the fight. And at the second there's two fights. Oh no,
there's three fights, and then the game actually lived up
(40:44):
to the high and it was a good, really good game.
And not only that, it's it was just a round
robin games. So they're gonna have the championship game. So
it's gonna be wild.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Yeah, it is. And I have a I have a
proposal for the Age L.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
They should do a h I guess you would call
it the four division face off, right, maybe instead of
the All Star Games where you just the three on
three All Star Challenge where yeah, of course the guys
are trying, but it's tons of scoring, you get the
quick periods, they should do an actual tournament with all
divisions and have the divisions play each other in the
(41:20):
All Star Games, and then you can, you know, maybe
just have a little mini tournament like that as well.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (41:27):
Obviously, it's a lot different with the national teams, you know,
the best of the best going guess each other. But yeah,
quite a quite remarkable good give good kudos to whoever
came up with that idea. Super excited to uh watch
the championship game on Thursday. We'll be getting home that
morning after Coachella Valley, but get some sleep in and
(41:48):
then uh we're gonna let it rip uh and watch
the game and have a good time.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
Well, James, I think that's all.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
We have Roadrunners, a big chance to end off this
seven game road trip with arguably one of the best
road trips in Roadrunners history of the Gem Show, and
a chance for two Sonda hang on for their seventh
seed of the Pacific Division and just get another gutsy
win against the rivals the Coachella Valley Firebricks. Thanks everyone
(42:14):
listening in on this show. We will see you later
on this week at Coachella Valley and back at home
for the first time in over two weeks at the
two Soon Arena for a series up against the Abbotsford Canucks.
Good night, everybody, good morning, good afternoon, whatever time it
is for you, we will see you later on this week.
We'll throw things out with Roadrunners from come after.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
One of our house.
Speaker 4 (42:37):
You can need a lot more friends.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
We've seen Newscape before.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
We don't how the story ends tonight. We're rising up
tonight to go us down, trying to run.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Up on us looks. Go back to where we came from,
getting on the bus.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
Dropped five far away. Hang up your skeets, drop your gloves,
put your sticks away.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
You got beat down tonight. Let's stick two sad Way
Road right fro.
Speaker 7 (43:15):
Ro Rodner FROs.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Row right, A Frock road right, A frock.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Let's stick to sad Way
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