March 26, 2025 • 46 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Arizona Daily Star's James kelley recap Tucson's two-game series versus the Colorado Eagles while also looking into potential first round matchups in the AHL's Pacific Division as the Roadrunners continue to push for the final seed of the Pacific Division race. They hear from Roadrunners Captain Austin Poganski while the team gears up for the final three games in California of the season.
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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 twoson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners Jonathan Shaefer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water. It's pretty odd.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
And your new best friend, my best friend. Arizona Daily
Stars James Kelly. The guys are already talking, so let's
join them right here on your two son Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Two games down, three left to go of this five
game road trip, eleven games left to go of the
twenty four to twenty five season as the Roadrunners continue
to push on for the Calder Cup playoffs.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Welcome to this week's Insider podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
My name is Jonathan Schaeffer, aslongside as me as always
Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We have a lot to
recap this past weekend against the Colorado Eagles. We're gonna
be hearing from Captain Austin mcganski after these two recent
games in Loveland, as the Roadrunners now face off the
Ontario Rain coming tomorrow night here in Ontario, California. I'm
(01:02):
at my hotel right now, James, you're back in Tucson,
and yeah for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It was a tough series. Tough series against the Eagles.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
There's a reason why they're the best team in the
Pacific Division at the moment. They really banked in some
points against us right now. Luckily for US, Bakersfield got
swept by San Jose as well, so the Barracuda doing
us some favors. So we're still kind of in the
same spot. You know, it's starting to kind of become
that grasp of it might be seventh seed or nothing.
(01:34):
Because San Jose, though they did us a lot of favors,
we didn't really help ourselves kind of staying with them,
right So for now it's still the seventh seed to
lose for Tucson. We have some huge games coming up
on the schedule. Every game is huge up to this point,
but one more against Ontario tomorrow to try to just
get another win against them, and then we have San
Diego coming on Friday, and then the biggest game of
(01:57):
this entire road trip Bakersfield on set. But let's get
into the Colorado series. First, tough one for the Roadrunners,
losing both games in regulation. Lost the first matchup by
a score of six to two on Saturday, five to
three on Sunday. Sunday's game was much better than Saturdays,
but Tucson just just couldn't handle the Eagles. They're the
best team in the Pacific Division for a reason. It
(02:19):
was a tough two games for the Roadrunners, especially in
that barn with the quick turnarounds. In addition to that
against Sunday's game was much better. Tucson even led in
Sunday's game. In addition to that, they found ways to
you know, get back their lead and then just couldn't
you know, cleaning it back once the Eagles got their
(02:41):
second lead of the night. So all on that Sunday
game and then Saturday's game was just a tough one
two Song was down four nothing, ended up losing six
to two, scoring two goals in that third period. Still
saw some guys have pretty good weekends overall. Dylan Wells
was back in net for the Roadrunners, made some crazy
saves on that Sunday game, but just couldn't get the
win as well. But James, you know, it's, uh, it's
(03:03):
been kind of weird. It seems that every time the
Roadrunners win games, Bakersfield wins games, and they've been able
to stay within two points from us for really a
few weeks now, and then it seems like whenever we.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Lose games, they lose games as well.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
So we got swept in regulation, they got swept in regulation,
and we're pretty much still back to square one, two
points ahead of the Condors, still continuing on this five
game road trip.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
It's the road owners are for, you know, after getting
that game swept there four or five one and zero
in their last ten and then Bakersfield's for six zero
zero in their last ten, So it's a it was
kind of a weird, weird week for the road owners
and Bakersfield, you know, because Bakersfield had those two games
in Colorado, which honestly retrospect I didn't say on the
pod it probably should have, but I was like, I
(03:48):
knew they were gonna Colora was going to blow at
least one of those games against Bakersfield because because they
had that two game series and Bakersfield won the first one,
Calor did come back when the second one, but seeing
color on the weekend, like, wow, there's no nor I
can't imagine. I didn't see the game that game against Bakersfield,
that second game, but I'm in that first game was
I can't imagine how they lost because he just looks
so good.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Color look just looks looks so good. But but good.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
News for their owners is that the San Jose who
had they did they did recover from this from the
tuc Soun's series by by being in San Diego. But
they were STI kind scuffling a bit after they got
swept in Tucson. So kudos to them for getting that
sweep against Pakersfield, which was a home and home series,
not not like like games justin San Jose or just
in Bakersfield.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
So so that was cool, cool for them.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
And again we're kind of back to where they've been
for for the last few weeks or last couple of
weeks or so, where the Roaders are two points ahead
of Bakersfield, but they're way ahead in the tiebreakerd so
really it's three points basically because they can't. They have
to they have to jump Arizona, they have to jump
over Tucson. And with those two games that they played
in Colorado, Bakersfield is now only have one game in
(04:57):
hand on Tucson. So it's things are looking good for
the Runners, and I think if they continue to take
to take care of business. You obviously, if if they
lose to biggers Field at home or on the road
and in this road trip and then they have that
home series against Bakersfield, bigger Sfield could obviously still do
the wild jump over them. But right now the Runners
are looking like that they're gonna in a driver's seat
(05:19):
to get that seven seed, that last seed, the last
spot for the playoffs. And if you're thinking like, well,
it's it's rough, you know, they they're gonna have to
go and play a team in the first round like
I'm Colorado or Ontario or something like that, and they're
gonna have to sweep them. Well, it's not actually the case,
because it's it's just remember it's a three game series
in the first round, so they only have to win
two out of three. They don't have to sweep them,
(05:39):
and they have to and there's obviously breaks in between.
So it's a lot of different than playoffs and you know,
looking at you know, not not getting at points. Obviously,
it is tough for the Runners in terms of trying
to get a you know, trying to get home ice
advantage in the first round. So they're probably kind of
probably if you're reading realistic. Probably they need to focus
on They're probably what they're gonna be going for is
getting into the playoffs, not getting uh, you know, getting
(06:01):
a home ice advantage. Because in the fourth for slot
is Coachella Valley. Who are They're tied with Abbotsford who
sent me three points and behind them San Jose sent
me too, So San Jose is a is a contender
to get get that home mis advantage in the first round.
But you know that that puts your owners with sixty
three points ten points back of that that that fourth spot.
(06:22):
So it's it's it's probably gonna be pretty tough, you know,
obviously with eleven games left, but you know, anything is doable, obviously,
but it's still still gonna be really tough. So good
road owners have a chance to get some points at
the end of this road trip.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, didn't start off the way they wanted to.
But it's just a brutal road trip.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Honestly, you go to Colorado, it has to be the
toughest road trip in the league. I mean, if you
think about it, I mean, if you look at it, well,
I guess you know, Laval has more points and her
she has more points, but to get six, to get
eighty two points in this division is really impressive. And
then there, you know, you look at it. Maybe Texas
is more remote, but honestly, when you go to Texas,
you probably fly to Austin any drive to all where
(07:03):
your hotel is, whereas in Colorado it's not. It's it's
about our way from Denver, so you have to go
to Denver and fly and drive there or maybe find
a flight to Loveland or whatever. But so that's that's
another part. It's remote. And obviously they have really good fans.
They really good fans support. We saw them in the
series and they've been allowed every time I've seen them.
They headed the packed house. And the other part of
(07:24):
it is it obviously a plain alttitude. It's not quite
a mile high. It's a little bit lower, but it's
still almost mile high. So it's a really it's a
really big big altstude adjustment. So it's just a really
tough road tip overall going to Carlado.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yeah, Colorado's rough.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I don't I don't think some people realize it's like, well, yeah,
we got there, uh you know, a nice early time.
We had two nights in Colorado before the games. But
that's not enough time to adjust the altitude. It takes
weeks to adjust to that altitude. Even in Loveland, which
is not as high. Uh it's around five thousand feet
or so, that's still an adjustments. So I think Colorado
(08:01):
the Eagles are always going to have an advantage. Even
when they're back, you know, playing at California, they still
get that advantage because they're so used to having their
their lungs, you know, be more compressed. Not using that
as an excuse, but it does definitely gives them that advantage.
And yeah, it was just, uh, it's a tough atmosphere
to play in that arena, James. I mean, you you've
(08:21):
seen it on the broadcast, how loud it gets, how
packed it is. It's a small barn, but they they
really they really pack it in and it is loud,
and you're you're our broadcast booth is right next to
the stands. So I like two sons of game. Second
game much better than the first. The first game was
kind of just a wash. Second game we really did
battle in that one was down one to nothing, we
(08:43):
scored two unanswered and then we just couldn't handle them.
And you watched the Eagles live in play, and the
last time we played them, we were about the same record,
and they they did beat us twice in that series too.
It was back at home early part of January, coming
back from the holiday break, and you know, you knew
there were still a good team. But now they've been
(09:04):
the best team in the Pacific Division really in this
back half of the season hence forth wide. They're in
the first place spot at the moment. They're seven to
oh to one the last three game or the last
ten games, three and oh in the last three games
as well, and they have six points over the Ontario
Rain and they've played the same amount of games, so
there's no of that game's played in hand sort of thing.
(09:28):
A lot of these teams have either eleven or ten
or eleven games left. Bakersfield has the most games left
to play in the Pacific Division, but only by one.
With the twelve we have eleven games left to go
in James, I like that point. It's not really two points,
it's three, because you're right, we have the tiebreaker over
the Condors with more of the regulation wins. That's the
first tiebreaker between two teams with the same amount of points.
(09:51):
And again it's not a for sure thing. We're just
gonna have the seventh seed, but it's just more and
more looking like that because San Jose has found their way.
They have points in the last four games Coachella Valley.
They've they've scuffled a tiny bit, but they're still gonna be,
you know, fighting for that for all mice advantaged. San
Jose is right behind them in points as well, so
(10:11):
maybe San Jose gets home ie advantaged, who knows. And
then we have the Calgary Ranglers who are who now
dropped from first place all the way down to six
plays and they're still losing games. They have a solid
amount of points over us as well, at about eight total.
So with that being said, we still do have them
on this docket when we come back home, but we
just got to control on desty. You know, you look
(10:33):
at these teams ahead of us and you say like, okay,
well we can catch up to them when we play them,
but it's like, well, you gotta beat these other teams first.
So uh, you're just hoping for a good rebound against
Ontario tomorrow won't be easy. As always, we only have
one win this season against Ontario that did that one
win did come at the Toyota Arena in our previous
road trip a few weeks back, which we finished that
(10:55):
trip two in one. And if Tucson wants to have
a winning road trip, you gotta win the next three.
And you got Ontario, San Diego and Bakersfield, and still
that Bakersfield series will or really that singular game will
will be the biggest one of this entire road trip.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Really, I mean, at this point in the season, when
it's really late in the season, a lot of teams
are you know, forward watching and stuff like that. But
the Runners have the luxury of not having to do that.
I mean, I think you should do that.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So it's fun.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
But the Runners just win when they'll take care of
business and they'll get into the tournament. But they're probably
it's gonna be hard for them to move up even
the seventh even the sixth spot, because you talked about Calgary.
Maybe they'llboys stuffling and tumble more, but it's still in
that eight game gap, so that that's gonna be interesting.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
And the other interesting thing.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
About Colorado is they're not like the colorad Rockies or
something where they're just really good at home, or they
have good numbers at home, but then when when they
leave the friendly confines of the altitude, they struggled there,
they would be you know, if if you were to
change the schedule, I mean we were to change the
standings just still way away points and not just home points,
it would they would be in third still. So they
(12:05):
obviously and most teams do better at home, obviously, but
that they're still a former team away from home, and
we saw that.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
So honestly, I think they'll.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Probably they'll probably win the when the you know, they'll
I'm sure they'll they'll win the division. And for them,
it's not just competing for getting that buying in the
first round again in the regular season title for the
for the Pacific Division. But for for them, it's competing
get home mis advantage in the conference finals, get home
miss advantage, protecting the Colder Cup. They're competing against LaVall
(12:33):
rocket hershey Bears for you know in Texas, all the
Texas a little behind them, But they're competing with those
types of teams that have already clinched playoff spots for
that but best spent most points in the in the league.
You know, Hershey, they they actually clinched their playoffs spot
on last Sunday and then the other day, I'm Texas
and Milwaukee both quitch their playoff spots or he started
(12:55):
to see those exes and the standings, so that's always interesting.
But again for the road and they have that huge
series against Ontario coming up, I'm wondering, I'm kind of
you know, you're expecting Matt Valta to get that start,
you know, with his history and how well he played
against Ontario last you know, last on the last road
trip where he came up and had got that big win,
(13:17):
ending that kind of losing streak they had against the Rain.
And but the other good thing about the you mentioned
it briefly, but Dan Well's got a lot of time
in the in the Colorado series, he came in and
got the last about half of the third period in
and then he got the he got the start on
on Sunday that did end up end his perfect record.
He was too and no before that, you know, in
(13:40):
an any HL this year. But it's good to see
him get in there because he's a guy who at
this point, I think it's kind of safe to say
that Jackson starvar is gonna be with with Utah for
the rest of the year because you know, obviously the
Conoringham situation, and that's what that's what ever was expecting
that Jackson is gonna be up there for a while.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
So you at this point you want to build and
ready for these years.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
These arenaet your goals heading into the playoffs and heading
into the stretch run to try and get to the playoffs.
So you want to give dan Well some more time.
You know, obviously it's not gonna be an obviously a
fifty to fifty situation where he and where Maddie and
and Jackson were split fifty to fifty, but it's probably
going to be more like eighty five percent something Maddie.
But you do want to give Matt some breaks. You know,
(14:23):
he's the guy who we saw last year and we
saw this year. The more the more playing time he gets,
the better he gets. But you do want to keep
Dylan fresh in terms of game game action, where he's
a guy who he showed in the first two starts
this year that he can he can win even though
he's not playing regularly in the NHL. But you do
want to kind of at that point, like you know,
give get him ready so he so Matt can get
(14:45):
get spells, you know, get some breaks, or maybe he
gets banged up a little bit. Dylan can come in
there and give them, give them that break. But then
you want to give Dylan some time so he can
really be more prepared to be in there. And and
he he showed well you and he made some He's
a guy who he's always in the last couple years
when he's been in tow Song, he's the guy who's
he was putting good numbers and they got wins. But
(15:05):
he's also but Maddie has been kind of the goalie
that we talked about, makes those big spectaculo saves that
those highlight reel saves that Steve would say that really
fires up the team. But on Saturday and on Sunday
more on Sunday obviously because he played more. But you
saw some really amazing saves by Dylan and highlight reel
saves that can you know, can't kind of high fire
(15:26):
up the team. And they look back and they see
their goalie making these saves for them like that, they
want to they want to get up there and they
want to get them goals.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
They want to get them shots on the other side.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
So that's been really impressive and it's been I think
it's really good development for their owners to see you don't
get get some more time like that.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, like I said earlier, the Sunday game was much
better than the Saturday game, and dyl Wells made some
crazy saves in the first few minutes of that Sunday game,
and you started to think like, okay, like you know,
you got to use these big saves as some momentum, right,
And then they got the one nothing lead, but you
still fell It's like it's okay, let's let's kind of
(16:02):
I'll try to bury this a little bit and just
keep pushing forward. Then we tied it up at the
end of the period, took a two to one lead
in a second and I really thought and we got
some power play opportunities when with the lead, I really
thought we were gonna, you know, not run away with
the game, but at least get like one more goal
and make it three to one and hold on to
the win. And then I don't know what it is,
but you can't just you just can't stop that Colorado
(16:22):
shorthanded goal opportunity. They have fourteen now in the season,
I think that's the most. It's definitely the most of
the Pacific Division. They've scored a short handed goal three
games in a row, their last game against Bakersfield and
then two against US, so that that was just an
issue for us to handle as well.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
And then even near the end of the game, James,
you saw it.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
It was three to two, if you know, few about
maybe two minutes or so left on the clock, and
you're like, okay, well this is gonna get pulled here soon.
But you've liked the pressure, You like what you saw.
We out shot Colorado sixteen to five in that third period,
and then the Eagles shoot off the face up, it
just gets through Doan Wells, he doesn't see it, and
the Eagles just tap it in for the open that goal.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
It's four two.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
We did score on at the end from Sammy Walker,
but it just wasn't enough. There's still plenty of time remain,
But then they they ended up getting the empty netteran
to eventually win the game five to three. So there
were moments in that game where you really thought like, Okay,
let's let's try to tie it up at least take
it to overtime or something. But you know, it's it's
all about the response, right, And we'll play the interview shortly,
(17:27):
but we're talking with Austin mcganski. It seemed that the
guys were, you know, still pretty happy of how they
at least responded on the Sunday game. But James, you
gotta find ways to start getting these wins right. You know,
you lost to against the Ontario rain for a home
stand to start off. You got to back with the
San Jose Barracuda, you know, five hundred hockey in that
home stand, but then you lose to here, they're two
(17:50):
and four now in the last six games, if you
want to call it at that you just mentioned with
the four and five or so record in the last
ten games for the road Runners four or five to
one and zho to be exact, and yeah, it can
get you that playoff spot, but you know it's just
three points and anything can happen. You can lose two
games and Bakers who can win to two and all
(18:11):
of a sudden they're in the final seed and you're not.
And we've we've had that final seed since that one
game we beat them in that gym show trip We've
had the seventh seed for weeks now, more than a month,
but for what we've seen in this division, any seed
can be lost, any seed can be gained, And at
this point you know you couldn't get the job done
in Colorado, but just have opportunities to get some wins
(18:33):
here with Ontario coming up, San Diego and Bakersfield later
on this trip, and then you're back at home for
that final long homestand so eleven games left to go
in the season. Gotta you feel like you need to
at least finish these last eleven games with a winning record,
and the doubt gets you into the playoffs, especially big
key here three of these next eleven games against the Condors.
(18:56):
We have a four to one record against them, and
maybe if you win the least those three games, that
is the way to barry Bakersfield, especially in our third
and or our last few home games left before we
go to Rockford for our last two away games near
the the end of that home stand. I will be
next week, next Saturday and Sunday. If you sweet Bakersfield
(19:17):
in that series and you win this game later this
week for the last game of the road trip, I
think I want to say it, but I think you
can say that that could potentially clinch a playoff spot
for Tucson.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Yeah, it's they're not literally obviously double point games you
need to play against Bakersfield, but they're kind of in
a way because you could get points. You win in
regulation against Bakersfield, you get two points, and you not
only get those two points, but you prevent Bakersfield from
any points. So they're kind of worth double almost. You
know those games against Bakersfield, and you know it's tough
(19:52):
for them to have to go to Ontario because they
have a tough they've had a tough time against Ontario.
But you remember last last time with the road trip
where they in the California part of the road trip
where they actually get the whole trip was California except
for that one stop in Henderson. But they've actually kind
of fared well again in California. It's it's been when
(20:12):
they went on road trips, it's been a tough part
where they have to go go up to Abbotsford or
go to Calgary or something like that, or in this case,
go to Colorado. So the Runners have done well obviously
in California, and it's a place that a lot of
those a lot of the guys are used to.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I mean, you talked about it.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Was it actually I don't remember if you talked to
him on the broadcast or on Happy Hour, but there's
a kind of situation. Oh no, he was happier where
a lot of the guys I just they just love
staying in the Pacific Division. I talked about because you know,
going back and forth, and he thought like, well, maybe
you know, maybe the Parloskuill cut come in and so
from day or whatever. But it's just it's just a
(20:48):
division where it's it's it's fun to I mean, obviously
it's fun to go to live in town in California
or nevad or Tucson or whatever. So guys from Canada,
guys from the Midwest, guys from the Northeast, they're like, oh, yeah,
this is a great place to come. Let's go live here.
So you have a lot of guys here state who
go in the division, state the division, so they have
a lot of familiarity with the Barnes in Ontario and
(21:08):
the the over at Bakersfield and whatnot. So it's a
it's a road trip, but it's very familiar one that
they're used to, so they could be well prepared for this.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, and interestingly enough to James, and again, it's anything
can happen in these in these next eleven games, eleven
to ten games for each of these teams in the
Pacific Division. But this could be the last time the
Roadrunners are in California, maybe the entire season. So this
is all hypothetical here, right, But Colorado I think they're
gonna win the Pacific Division. They're six points ahead of
(21:42):
the Ontario Rain with eleven games left. They would really
have to fall apart if they were to lose that
spot because Ontario is starting to find some ground again,
but they've they had first place for a bit too,
and they've lost it as well.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And then Calgary they're they're not coming back at all.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
So there is an instance too, because Abbotsford's only three
points behind Ontario and Abbotsford's won their last seven games
in a row that they're right now the hottest team
in the entire Pacific Division. So there's there could be
a situation where Abbotsford takes Ontario's second seed and then
the Roadrunners stay at seventh and then all of a sudden,
we were talking about, oh, we're gonna either go play
(22:18):
Ontario or maybe Coachella Valley or Colorado for the first round.
And then now it's like, whoa, we could end up
in Abbotsford, And then if you end up in Abbotsford,
then you would be playing you would be playing Colorado
for the next round, which would be the Division semi
finals and then the Division finals as well. So that's
two rounds with potentially not playing in California for the Roadrunners,
(22:42):
that could potentially happen considering other things that can change,
or at least it would be you wouldn't play in
California for a while, So this could be the last
time we're we're here, last time we can enjoy this weather,
you know, considering how the rest of the seeding goes.
But yeah, that's what made that series against Colorado tough too, right,
you know, the message in the locker room was this
is a team you're gonna have to go through eventually
(23:04):
to get to that Pacific Division final round, which is
still the best of five series. But if Colorado wins
the Pacific Division, which I do think they will, we
stay in seventh, that we win that first round, that
we're going to Colorado regardless for that best of five series.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, if the road Owners do stay seventh, you know,
which is kind of expecting me. We talked about that,
then they would have to probably play Colorado eventually. You know,
I do think I'd agree with you. I think Colorado
was going to win the Vision, not just because of
the points of advantage, but they just look so good.
I mean, they didn't even have TG Tynan in there,
and he's been he was the MVP of the league
in twenty one and twenty two, so they when they
(23:40):
get him back, they'll they'll be really really strong. You know,
they were you know, they just looked really good. I
mean the road Owners didn't play, uh they didn't play
that great on Saturday obviously, but they played well on Sunday.
But it was just Colorado just played really well. So
I just think Colorad's going to take the division. And
but the way the playoffs work is that if they
receded every round, So if you mentioned it, but if
(24:02):
if Tucson wins that mixed it out of the first round,
then then as the lowest seed or or worst seed,
I guess, you know, because that that's kind of weird
here when you see the you see stuff like that's
the highest seed lowes seed. I was like, well is
number one higher? Is number number seven higher? You know whatever,
So it should be like worst seed versus best seed whatever.
That's how they should put it. That's how I've been
putting in. But anyway, that's a little round. But if
(24:24):
if they do make it to the second round, then
the as the worst seed, they have to play the
best seed, you know, because because of how they just
the structure it so they would have to play them again.
But if you're if you're Tucson, you're looking at that.
It was a weekend where they did show some stuff.
I mean obviously they you I forget if if it
(24:45):
was you or Chaser or maybe somebody else who said
that they go down fighting or they go down swing
and they learned did that? They they had that tough
that fourth goal on Sunday that this Sunday, the whole game,
it really looked like the Runners were either if not
when that game is gonna be maybe go to overtime
or something. I mean, especially when I was I was
(25:05):
at the time I was I was, I was watching
the the UFA softball game because covering that one because
I had to be done that the story done right
after the game. So I was watching the game on
you know the ones PM plus. I was watching that game,
and on I was watching the Roader Nurse game on
on the game center thing, which is a cool thing.
If you're not if you're not familiar with that, if
you're f that's a cool website to check out. Just
(25:26):
go to the h h l's website, which is the
EHL t h g HL dot com And during the
games they have the watch it. Before the games they
do also they have the kind of stats before the games,
like records against on certain teams. But during the games
they have the game the game center thing which you
can track how many shots on goal they had, where
the dots are from all the stats and stuff like that.
So it's really nice. Maybe you're in the bathroom, you
(25:47):
don't hear Kim Kim's announcement of who scored the goal.
You can go go to the website and check and
check that real quick. But anyway, I was looking at
the website. I was looking at the game Center and
it said that Ben McCartney he scored that first goal.
It was his thirteenth goal. I was like, oh no, wait,
it feels like he scored way more because he's just
he scores off. I guess it must be just he
scores a lot of touch goals, a lot of big goals,
(26:08):
so I expect him being that one of those guys
who was around twenty goals, but he was only thirteen.
But I was like, that's kind of surprising because I
thought he had to add more. And then right after
that he got an assist. And then the way it
works on the website is they have a parenthesis on
how many goals you have or how many assists you have,
and so I said fourteen assists. I was like, well,
I thought that was assists, not points, because I thought
those points. So it's find of funny at this point
(26:29):
where he had thirteen goals and then fourteen assists and
I thought that was points, so that that overall thing
was not points but goals. But so so that was finny.
But anyway, get him back to the third period where
color out scored that last goal and we talked about
a little bit already, but it was just like an
unlucky thing where Dyl couldn't see and then they kind of,
(26:50):
you know, Color capitalized where it was under him. He
couldn't tell if he stopped it or behind him or whatnot,
and color capitalized and kind of got it was really
kind of unlucky situation. Samuel Aker did score on that
score towards the end to get them close, and then
they also get that empty and that goal. But that
was a situation where the Puff bounses a little different
(27:10):
ways and maybe they do get they win on Sunday.
So if they do play Colorado again, then maybe it's
not just you know, don and you know, the obviously
did get that split at the end of the first
series of the year. So it's a situation where you know,
it's tough, tough to play in Colorado and colors are
the good team, but maybe to do play Colorado, then
they showed that they can compete with them, even even
(27:31):
when they do get swept over the weekend.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, and it's that's what's It's just so interesting, James,
because we saw that such a different perspective of the
playoffs last year, right We we saw it as the
top seed of the first round, the second seed, and
you think like, ah, we're gonna beat these Calgary guys.
They collapsed at the end of the year and it's yah,
Dustin Wolf, so what like we got this and then
(27:56):
it just it just didn't happen. We played two good
games and it just didn't happen. And it's so different
this year for us, right, it's a let's just make
it like I want to get in, you know, like
this team has had such an underdog mentality all year long,
and you feel and again I'm a full optimistist optimistic here,
you know, you know me, everybody knows me. I'm always
(28:18):
saying we can beat anyone, and we really can. And
you just feel that if you just get in the playoffs,
that's that seventh seed. You have that underdog mentality no
matter who you play in the first round and.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
It's just two games.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
That's what makes sim It's more pressure on the higher
seats and we learned the hard part of that last year.
It's more pressure on the higher seeds for that playoff
position for the first round because it's only three games.
We were one win away from being Coachella Valley two
years ago and they went on to all the way
to the Collar Cup and we just lost. We lost
(28:51):
two quick games against Calgary last season and then now
we might be on the other end of that once again,
either against Ontario or Abbotsford Ontario. I know we haven't
gone a lot of wins against Avis for we've actually
beaten them in the season series. But you just feel
like you get into the playoffs, you go into anyone's barn,
it's two games. The pressure is on them. It's not
on nuts, it's on them. We've been through so much already.
(29:12):
All you have to all we have to do is
just win two games on the road. For them there,
they have to win two games and from the whole
crowd of a crowd that expects them to to thump
us because there's just like, ah, that's seventh seed. They're
not gonna be just how we thought last year. So
that's what makes that's what's made this season just a
train ride of emotion and everything. There's been a lot
(29:32):
of rough stretches, but there's been good stretches too, And uh,
you win one of the rougher ones at the moment,
but there's only eleven games. It's gonna go by so quick.
Three of those games left on this road trip, uh,
and then we're back on for a four games swing
and then back and forth.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So yeah, anything could still happen.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
It's still everyone's game for those high other seeds, uh,
and then for us, it's it's still very much in
game with Bakersfield for that seventh seed of the Pacific Division.
And it can wind down to the very last game
of the season when we play Colorado, or which would
be nicer too if we do end up able to
be Baker's Field over the next three games and just
that chain of events to where it's like, Okay, we
(30:11):
clinched and now we play Colorado. Let's just see maybe
you turn that into a four game little series because
you can say, you know, we're gonna play Colorado in
a few weeks anyways, if you get past the second
round or past past the first round.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Excuse me.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
So yeah, that's what's made this game so this season
so interesting, so fun, because every single game is gonna
feel like a playoff one down this stretch and if
the road runs are able to win it, you're you're
underdog mentality and that can win you games.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Yeah, And at this point in the year and counter year,
one interesting thing to look out for is that with
the called season ending orly regal season ending, and then
the first round the tournament, the Mess Tournament taking place
this weekend. I'm probably gonna see some guys I'm called
guys during the road Runners, which you know, it's a
hard shit wuation to come in there and you know,
(31:01):
go go from college to the second best professional league
in the world. But you've seen a lot of last
few years, you've seen a lot of road owners step
in there, a lot of a lot of guys come
in and step in, throw on the road in some
sweaters and do well. I mean, Colin Tyson did really
well when he came over from ASU. Josh Done obviously
played played really well when he came over from a
SU even Michael Lombardi, who he according to the Hockey DV,
(31:25):
he's only played one one one pro game, but he
came by ahead a great story where he he was
fresh off Winnipec winning the national title, him and Sam
Lipkoln they won and a week later he scored. He
scored for two soon and so he has that kind
of crazy Hockey DV where his is the stat line
as he's played one professional game, but he sees scored
a goal in that game, so that that was wild.
(31:46):
That's a great story, So that's something to look out
for too. Maybe they'll get some guys from you know,
they'll bring it some guys who are just playing college
and they'll get in the little boost.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I think they're already said.
Speaker 5 (31:56):
I think they have a great, great line up right now,
especially you know with he got guys coming back from injury.
Who was let me oh Peter Delarder del Barber, he
came back on over the weekend after he'd been gone
for a while, and can Cone and him been out
and you know, I dragazine even out. So getting they're
(32:17):
getting healthier, but they also might get that little boost
from getting in guys who are from playing college to.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, we'll we'll see who.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
We'll see who ends up coming on those on those
tryout contracts, just like how Josh Done came Sam Lipkin
last season as well with Connor Geeky uh Key eventually
traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning organization.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
But uh yeah, we'll see who was added.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
We'll have Montana on you Bucci back for tomorrow's game
as well, he was serving that three game suspension.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Uh Dill BATORI coming back, don't alight up.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Was nice to see, Uh you know, just one of
those situations where, uh, you know, we just have so
much depth at the defensive position that he just wasn't
getting playing time. But I thought he had a pretty
solid game, creating chances and the net that he's always
able to do. Agazino has been huge back in the lineup,
eleven points in about the I would say fourteen games
(33:09):
or so. He didn't get any points in that series
over the Colorado Egos, and that's what the Eagles did
so good on us as well as they they shut
down some of our you know, best players on the board,
but they definitely were not able to shut out shut
down Ben McCartney and Austin Bcganski. Butgansky had a really
good series against the Eagles. He finished off with one
(33:31):
goal and three assists for four total points. He had
three assists on the Sunday game, getting really contributing to
all three of the two song goals, second time this
year getting three assists in the game, the first time
since we played the Calgary Ranglers all the way back
on November twenty third, right before thanks Giving. Ben McCartney
also having a nice weekend against the Colorado Eagles, finished
(33:54):
Sunday's game with another multiple point game for himself with
a goal and the assists, yes five points in his
last four games overall, he's three points away from thirty.
He has had a really good late season jump Julian
Lutz for CIST in his last six games overall as well,
Kylie Yamamoto continues to be a point per game player,
and for Cameron Hebig and Sokolov, it's been a bit
(34:17):
of a rougher patch for them.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
They haven't had many points combined.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
They were on that line together on Sunday to try
to maybe spark it a little bit, So, you know,
it's nice to see guys step up well other guys
just you know, just get a little bit unlucky with
the score sheets. But you know, it's it's all about
all coming together at the right time, and you know,
maybe some maybe we can see he Big and Sokolov
have good runs at the end of the season with
the combination of how Agazino, McCartney and mcgansky have been
(34:44):
playing with Kylie Yamamoto as well. We just saw Curtis
Douglass go on that run over the home stand too,
So guys are stepping up at the right time. But
you just it would be great to see if you
see it all come together at once in these last
eleven games to really help the road Runners get into
that playoff Plus.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
Yeah, that's a thing that they would really help out
and get the get them to get a deep playoff
front is to get a lot of a lot more depth.
And it seems like they've been for the most for
the most part of the year. They've been guys who'd
just been like on fire, just scoring a lot, and
the other guys kind of step back and not getting
a lot of points. But another guy who who who's
been playing really offensively of late, still still playing on
(35:23):
on deepen the event obviously, and we talked about the
guys in the blue line scoring, but arm do the
got got a goal his his fourth of season on
on Sunday, which if you look back, he's he's had
points in through last four getting a couple of sists
in the San Jose series. So that's another situation where
they continue to get a lot of points from the
(35:43):
guys from the blue line.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
And that's another kind of.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Wild interesting situation is Charles Barron hadn't been able to
get in a fight and then that's recently, but he
did finally get one on Sunday, and there's a good
fight where they were kind of battling and to wrestle
them down where he kind of he didn't have the
advantage early on, but then he he came back and
wrestled down the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
So that was really interesting.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
So really kind of seeing a lot of guys being active,
a lot of guys, you know, doing not just scoring points,
but making big say, making big blocks. I'm diving to
get big blocks, you know, getting in those fights. You
know I'm getting those big hits, you know, getting those
big checks and everything. So it's been a situation where, yeah,
they're not you're not seeing so Clo often he maig
(36:31):
scores as much as we're east I'm seeing. But we're
seeing a lot of guys, a lot of a lot
of guys getting involved lately.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
So that's been interesting.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Yeah, it's been really good. That's a good point, ar dude.
I had also had a really good weekend against Colorado
before that series. Maximilian zuber Was has been huge as
as one of the point guys on the power play
for the road Runners. Going into that Colorado series. He
had six power play points in the last six games.
Seven points in total was held off the score sheet
for those two games against Colorado, but still doesn't change
(37:00):
that he had a really good run going into that series.
So you just feel like it can come together all
at the right time for the Roadrunners as well. Let's
get to our one and only interview of this week's episode,
talking with the captain Osabaganski after Saturday's five to three
loss against the Colorado Eagles. Paganski three assists in that
(37:21):
matchup four points overall on the on the weekend, and
interesting enough, astop Baganski now has had statistically is his
best season. Today, he has surpassed his season high in
points from last year at thirty three total. He has
thirteen goals with twenty assists. He has two assists away
from the most assists he's had in a single season
(37:43):
Dowll came in his first fall season in the American
Hockey League with the San Antonio Rampage. He's one goal
away from matching his season high from last year in
a single season with the two Soon Roadrunners as well,
as he scored fourteen that year thirteen at the moment
right now, so Paganski having a nice life, best season
of his career statistically as the Roadrunners captain. Now first
(38:04):
time he served as a as a full captain of
a team in his career, So all good for Paganski.
Talking with him after Sunday's five to three loss against
the Colorado Eagles, as he ended the night with three points, Austin,
you know, overall with the loss, I really liked our
game tonight. It was it was a good rebound. It
showed a lot of character of our team. And sometimes
(38:26):
you have a good game plan and it just doesn't
work out. But what are your takeaways from tonight and
how do we just continue to move forward?
Speaker 6 (38:32):
Yeah, I know it's a good team over there. I
got to give them a lot of credit. I like
her fight both games. We were able to continue the
will and keep with our game plan throughout the whole
game and not give up. So we got to give
a guys credit for that. But at the end of
the day, we gotta get some wins here, so we'll
look to regroup and take care of business next game.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Yeah, and I know the loss sucks, but for you
got a three point nine your second time this season
doing so what was just working for you with with
that line of Ben McCarty with Yamamoto and Artem Dude
as well.
Speaker 6 (38:58):
Yeah, I know I was playing with the m L
obviously he's a privilegy mix makes plays out an over
and Ben was a spark plug for us. He's foust,
he wins his battles, he gets the nets. So it's
a good group effort and hopefully you can keep that going.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Thanks Austin, I appreciate thank you. Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Say for Ben McCartney, he's kind of a spark plug,
right and he's earned he's earned that first line spot
with Paganski and Yamamoto. Now as see Pavin kind of
shifted the lineups around in game number two of that series.
So uh, and it'll be interesting to see what what
the game plan is for Wednesday. Who's gonna be paired
with who? You know, it's some guys have just been
(39:34):
held off the scoresheet a bit as of late, such
as Cameron he get big in the igor So club.
But you know they're gonna find their game again. You
know that guys like Agazino, McCartney and Pagansky with Yamamoto
or get keep things consistent with the back end as
well with Arnolduda and Maximilian Zueber, with Robbie Russo heating
up as well. And you know, though Matthew Vilalta has
allowed the combined rate of ten goals in his last
(39:55):
two games, you know he's gonna be able to bounce
back as well, especially against his former team tomorrow. So
you know, though those though those two games against Colorado
didn't go as much as you would hope for Tucson,
you still feel really good about the team moving down
to stretch.
Speaker 5 (40:10):
Yeah, a great, great interview with Austin. He's also a
guy who we talked about the new captain, but he's
also a guy that also plus I was just about
to say that he's also a guy who came up
from college. He came up from you know, went straight
he went to North Dakota and went to San Antonio
who was in the league back then. But he's the
guy who has a ton of experience, you know, and
(40:31):
not just you know, he brings in that captain and
brings that leadership, but he also one thing to remember
that he's he's the guy who's been in the playoff,
playing playoffs a bunch of times, you know, he's been
in the league for seven years or seventh year. You know,
he was only when he came up from college and
playing four games for San Antonio in twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
I'm twenty seventeen, eighteen. But he's the guy who played.
Speaker 5 (40:50):
He's played a ton of playoff games and for different teams,
different different situations. Obviously, he played played for Manto five games,
and he played for Tucson last year. But he was
on Coachella that year, that their first year when they
when they made that great run and almost from the
Calder Cup. He played twenty four games that that postseason.
So he's the guy who knows knows how to go
(41:11):
deep in the playoffs, knows how to make the playoffs,
and he's the guy who he is a great example
for for the younger guys and not just you know,
obviously is regular leadership that he provides that we're all
used to, but now that we're getting down the stretch,
he can provide the other leadership of how to get
to the playoffs and how to go deep in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, it's it's all mentorship.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
This has been a great veteran led team with Puganski,
uh Agasino Baron and McCartney, with Cannadon as well leading
the way for our you know, our captain's group. They've
done a good job with everything that this team has
gone through, you know, with that longer losing streak we
saw right before the Gems show trip. Uh, you know,
the the way this team has responded in a lot
(41:52):
of these games this season. And there's one thing about
this team, James, it has fight all the way the
full game.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (41:57):
This team never just backs down and just neverpt no
matter what the score is. I mean, we're down four
to nothing on the Saturday game score two in the
third period, came down swinging as well with a couple
of fights at the end, and responded well on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
So that shows a lot of character of this team.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
And that is why, you know, and again I'm full optimistic,
but that's just who I am. That's just why you know,
when you if you feel like the Sea makes the playoffs,
you just have that underdog mentality of look, we've been
through this before, We've been through the losses, We've been
through these tough games like it's nothing new to us.
Let's just go in and play our game and it
will come to us. So all excitement coming up for
the road Runners, including excitement and including a guy who's
(42:34):
also a big veteran leader of this team, not a captain,
but just a guy that everyone looks up to in
the locker room. Cameron Hebig, who again has had a
career season most points in a single season for himself
this year with the twenty one goals, the thirty nine
points in fifty six games played. Tomorrow's game will mark
(42:55):
if he's in the lineup, assuming he will be, it
will mark game number two hundred and seventy nine with
the Roadrunners. He will tie Dyson Mayo for the most
all time as a Tucson Roadrunner and and Friday and
San Diego. If he plays again, bearing nothing bad happens,
knock on wood, he will hit in the game number
two eighty and become the leader in the most games
(43:18):
played wearing a Tucson Roadrunner sweater. So big moments coming
from Cameron he Big. Tomorrow night, huge matchup for the
road Runners against the Ontario Rain and that big game
against Bakersfield on Saturday as well.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
It's great to see the guy like Cameron get that
get to that mousebone or hopefully you're not going, but
it's great to see him get the.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
Mayor of the Runner is mayor of Tucson.
Speaker 5 (43:46):
You know, he's a guy who's been so active in
the community, so active with fans, so so positive, such
a great guy to talk to that and not only
has he been doing that, got to that record, he's
obviously had that great career year. So it's a great
story and he's a great rep representative of not only
(44:06):
the organization but of literally the Roadrunners way, So that
that's exciting to say.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
Yeah, all exciting coming up for the Roadrunners. Eleven games
left to go of the twenty four to twenty five campaign.
Three games left to go of this five game road
trips starting tomorrow night at the Toyota Arena against the
Ontario Ray. My name is Jonathan Schaeffer. Alongside me as
always Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We appreciate you listening
to this podcast. We'll throw things out with lights to
(44:34):
Tucson has to push for the Calder Cup playoffs continue
for your two son, Roadrunners.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Gotta see the lines the two song. Gotta bet gotta
see the lines of two song.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
You coming back.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Just been my little rooms there and city Candy isn't
mess with the kid, but Tucson. My heart is a
yearning like Bronson.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
My wheels are turning.
Speaker 5 (45:24):
Can't we be there with her in the Catalina's.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
The lights of too sun shining, and her.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
Illo be aloner, the neversona he it.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
Isn't reaching the sky. You gotta see the lions of Tucson.
I got it back. Get gotta see the lions of
Tucson coming back.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
You get all.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
You gotta see the lights too, So I got it back.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
The moon, Get the moon. You gotta see the light.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
It's too soon coming back.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
Will you get the ball
When you want more Roadrunners, We've got more road Runners.
This is the twoson Roadrunners Insider Podcast with a voice
of the Roadrunners Jonathan Shaefer.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Drink a lot of water. It's pretty odd.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
And your new best friend, my best friend. Arizona Daily
Stars James Kelly. The guys are already talking, so let's
join them right here on your two son Roadrunners Insider Podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Two games down, three left to go of this five
game road trip, eleven games left to go of the
twenty four to twenty five season as the Roadrunners continue
to push on for the Calder Cup playoffs.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Welcome to this week's Insider podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
My name is Jonathan Schaeffer, aslongside as me as always
Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We have a lot to
recap this past weekend against the Colorado Eagles. We're gonna
be hearing from Captain Austin mcganski after these two recent
games in Loveland, as the Roadrunners now face off the
Ontario Rain coming tomorrow night here in Ontario, California. I'm
(01:02):
at my hotel right now, James, you're back in Tucson,
and yeah for the Roadrunners.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It was a tough series. Tough series against the Eagles.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
There's a reason why they're the best team in the
Pacific Division at the moment. They really banked in some
points against us right now. Luckily for US, Bakersfield got
swept by San Jose as well, so the Barracuda doing
us some favors. So we're still kind of in the
same spot. You know, it's starting to kind of become
that grasp of it might be seventh seed or nothing.
(01:34):
Because San Jose, though they did us a lot of favors,
we didn't really help ourselves kind of staying with them,
right So for now it's still the seventh seed to
lose for Tucson. We have some huge games coming up
on the schedule. Every game is huge up to this point,
but one more against Ontario tomorrow to try to just
get another win against them, and then we have San
Diego coming on Friday, and then the biggest game of
(01:57):
this entire road trip Bakersfield on set. But let's get
into the Colorado series. First, tough one for the Roadrunners,
losing both games in regulation. Lost the first matchup by
a score of six to two on Saturday, five to
three on Sunday. Sunday's game was much better than Saturdays,
but Tucson just just couldn't handle the Eagles. They're the
best team in the Pacific Division for a reason. It
(02:19):
was a tough two games for the Roadrunners, especially in
that barn with the quick turnarounds. In addition to that
against Sunday's game was much better. Tucson even led in
Sunday's game. In addition to that, they found ways to
you know, get back their lead and then just couldn't
you know, cleaning it back once the Eagles got their
(02:41):
second lead of the night. So all on that Sunday
game and then Saturday's game was just a tough one
two Song was down four nothing, ended up losing six
to two, scoring two goals in that third period. Still
saw some guys have pretty good weekends overall. Dylan Wells
was back in net for the Roadrunners, made some crazy
saves on that Sunday game, but just couldn't get the
win as well. But James, you know, it's, uh, it's
(03:03):
been kind of weird. It seems that every time the
Roadrunners win games, Bakersfield wins games, and they've been able
to stay within two points from us for really a
few weeks now, and then it seems like whenever we.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Lose games, they lose games as well.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
So we got swept in regulation, they got swept in regulation,
and we're pretty much still back to square one, two
points ahead of the Condors, still continuing on this five
game road trip.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
It's the road owners are for, you know, after getting
that game swept there four or five one and zero
in their last ten and then Bakersfield's for six zero
zero in their last ten, So it's a it was
kind of a weird, weird week for the road owners
and Bakersfield, you know, because Bakersfield had those two games
in Colorado, which honestly retrospect I didn't say on the
pod it probably should have, but I was like, I
(03:48):
knew they were gonna Colora was going to blow at
least one of those games against Bakersfield because because they
had that two game series and Bakersfield won the first one,
Calor did come back when the second one, but seeing
color on the weekend, like, wow, there's no nor I
can't imagine. I didn't see the game that game against Bakersfield,
that second game, but I'm in that first game was
I can't imagine how they lost because he just looks
so good.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Color look just looks looks so good. But but good.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
News for their owners is that the San Jose who
had they did they did recover from this from the
tuc Soun's series by by being in San Diego. But
they were STI kind scuffling a bit after they got
swept in Tucson. So kudos to them for getting that
sweep against Pakersfield, which was a home and home series,
not not like like games justin San Jose or just
in Bakersfield.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
So so that was cool, cool for them.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
And again we're kind of back to where they've been
for for the last few weeks or last couple of
weeks or so, where the Roaders are two points ahead
of Bakersfield, but they're way ahead in the tiebreakerd so
really it's three points basically because they can't. They have
to they have to jump Arizona, they have to jump
over Tucson. And with those two games that they played
in Colorado, Bakersfield is now only have one game in
(04:57):
hand on Tucson. So it's things are looking good for
the Runners, and I think if they continue to take
to take care of business. You obviously, if if they
lose to biggers Field at home or on the road
and in this road trip and then they have that
home series against Bakersfield, bigger Sfield could obviously still do
the wild jump over them. But right now the Runners
are looking like that they're gonna in a driver's seat
(05:19):
to get that seven seed, that last seed, the last
spot for the playoffs. And if you're thinking like, well,
it's it's rough, you know, they they're gonna have to
go and play a team in the first round like
I'm Colorado or Ontario or something like that, and they're
gonna have to sweep them. Well, it's not actually the case,
because it's it's just remember it's a three game series
in the first round, so they only have to win
two out of three. They don't have to sweep them,
(05:39):
and they have to and there's obviously breaks in between.
So it's a lot of different than playoffs and you know,
looking at you know, not not getting at points. Obviously,
it is tough for the Runners in terms of trying
to get a you know, trying to get home ice
advantage in the first round. So they're probably kind of
probably if you're reading realistic. Probably they need to focus
on They're probably what they're gonna be going for is
getting into the playoffs, not getting uh, you know, getting
(06:01):
a home ice advantage. Because in the fourth for slot
is Coachella Valley. Who are They're tied with Abbotsford who
sent me three points and behind them San Jose sent
me too, So San Jose is a is a contender
to get get that home mis advantage in the first round.
But you know that that puts your owners with sixty
three points ten points back of that that that fourth spot.
(06:22):
So it's it's it's probably gonna be pretty tough, you know,
obviously with eleven games left, but you know, anything is doable, obviously,
but it's still still gonna be really tough. So good
road owners have a chance to get some points at
the end of this road trip.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, didn't start off the way they wanted to.
But it's just a brutal road trip.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Honestly, you go to Colorado, it has to be the
toughest road trip in the league. I mean, if you
think about it, I mean, if you look at it, well,
I guess you know, Laval has more points and her
she has more points, but to get six, to get
eighty two points in this division is really impressive. And
then there, you know, you look at it. Maybe Texas
is more remote, but honestly, when you go to Texas,
you probably fly to Austin any drive to all where
(07:03):
your hotel is, whereas in Colorado it's not. It's it's
about our way from Denver, so you have to go
to Denver and fly and drive there or maybe find
a flight to Loveland or whatever. But so that's that's
another part. It's remote. And obviously they have really good fans.
They really good fans support. We saw them in the
series and they've been allowed every time I've seen them.
They headed the packed house. And the other part of
(07:24):
it is it obviously a plain alttitude. It's not quite
a mile high. It's a little bit lower, but it's
still almost mile high. So it's a really it's a
really big big altstude adjustment. So it's just a really
tough road tip overall going to Carlado.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yeah, Colorado's rough.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I don't I don't think some people realize it's like, well, yeah,
we got there, uh you know, a nice early time.
We had two nights in Colorado before the games. But
that's not enough time to adjust the altitude. It takes
weeks to adjust to that altitude. Even in Loveland, which
is not as high. Uh it's around five thousand feet
or so, that's still an adjustments. So I think Colorado
(08:01):
the Eagles are always going to have an advantage. Even
when they're back, you know, playing at California, they still
get that advantage because they're so used to having their
their lungs, you know, be more compressed. Not using that
as an excuse, but it does definitely gives them that advantage.
And yeah, it was just, uh, it's a tough atmosphere
to play in that arena, James. I mean, you you've
(08:21):
seen it on the broadcast, how loud it gets, how
packed it is. It's a small barn, but they they
really they really pack it in and it is loud,
and you're you're our broadcast booth is right next to
the stands. So I like two sons of game. Second
game much better than the first. The first game was
kind of just a wash. Second game we really did
battle in that one was down one to nothing, we
(08:43):
scored two unanswered and then we just couldn't handle them.
And you watched the Eagles live in play, and the
last time we played them, we were about the same record,
and they they did beat us twice in that series too.
It was back at home early part of January, coming
back from the holiday break, and you know, you knew
there were still a good team. But now they've been
(09:04):
the best team in the Pacific Division really in this
back half of the season hence forth wide. They're in
the first place spot at the moment. They're seven to
oh to one the last three game or the last
ten games, three and oh in the last three games
as well, and they have six points over the Ontario
Rain and they've played the same amount of games, so
there's no of that game's played in hand sort of thing.
(09:28):
A lot of these teams have either eleven or ten
or eleven games left. Bakersfield has the most games left
to play in the Pacific Division, but only by one.
With the twelve we have eleven games left to go
in James, I like that point. It's not really two points,
it's three, because you're right, we have the tiebreaker over
the Condors with more of the regulation wins. That's the
first tiebreaker between two teams with the same amount of points.
(09:51):
And again it's not a for sure thing. We're just
gonna have the seventh seed, but it's just more and
more looking like that because San Jose has found their way.
They have points in the last four games Coachella Valley.
They've they've scuffled a tiny bit, but they're still gonna be,
you know, fighting for that for all mice advantaged. San
Jose is right behind them in points as well, so
(10:11):
maybe San Jose gets home ie advantaged, who knows. And
then we have the Calgary Ranglers who are who now
dropped from first place all the way down to six
plays and they're still losing games. They have a solid
amount of points over us as well, at about eight total.
So with that being said, we still do have them
on this docket when we come back home, but we
just got to control on desty. You know, you look
(10:33):
at these teams ahead of us and you say like, okay,
well we can catch up to them when we play them,
but it's like, well, you gotta beat these other teams first.
So uh, you're just hoping for a good rebound against
Ontario tomorrow won't be easy. As always, we only have
one win this season against Ontario that did that one
win did come at the Toyota Arena in our previous
road trip a few weeks back, which we finished that
(10:55):
trip two in one. And if Tucson wants to have
a winning road trip, you gotta win the next three.
And you got Ontario, San Diego and Bakersfield, and still
that Bakersfield series will or really that singular game will
will be the biggest one of this entire road trip.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Really, I mean, at this point in the season, when
it's really late in the season, a lot of teams
are you know, forward watching and stuff like that. But
the Runners have the luxury of not having to do that.
I mean, I think you should do that.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So it's fun.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
But the Runners just win when they'll take care of
business and they'll get into the tournament. But they're probably
it's gonna be hard for them to move up even
the seventh even the sixth spot, because you talked about Calgary.
Maybe they'llboys stuffling and tumble more, but it's still in
that eight game gap, so that that's gonna be interesting.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
And the other interesting thing.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
About Colorado is they're not like the colorad Rockies or
something where they're just really good at home, or they
have good numbers at home, but then when when they
leave the friendly confines of the altitude, they struggled there,
they would be you know, if if you were to
change the schedule, I mean we were to change the
standings just still way away points and not just home points,
it would they would be in third still. So they
(12:05):
obviously and most teams do better at home, obviously, but
that they're still a former team away from home, and
we saw that.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
So honestly, I think they'll.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Probably they'll probably win the when the you know, they'll
I'm sure they'll they'll win the division. And for them,
it's not just competing for getting that buying in the
first round again in the regular season title for the
for the Pacific Division. But for for them, it's competing
get home mis advantage in the conference finals, get home
miss advantage, protecting the Colder Cup. They're competing against LaVall
(12:33):
rocket hershey Bears for you know in Texas, all the
Texas a little behind them, But they're competing with those
types of teams that have already clinched playoff spots for
that but best spent most points in the in the league.
You know, Hershey, they they actually clinched their playoffs spot
on last Sunday and then the other day, I'm Texas
and Milwaukee both quitch their playoff spots or he started
(12:55):
to see those exes and the standings, so that's always interesting.
But again for the road and they have that huge
series against Ontario coming up, I'm wondering, I'm kind of
you know, you're expecting Matt Valta to get that start,
you know, with his history and how well he played
against Ontario last you know, last on the last road
trip where he came up and had got that big win,
(13:17):
ending that kind of losing streak they had against the Rain.
And but the other good thing about the you mentioned
it briefly, but Dan Well's got a lot of time
in the in the Colorado series, he came in and
got the last about half of the third period in
and then he got the he got the start on
on Sunday that did end up end his perfect record.
He was too and no before that, you know, in
(13:40):
an any HL this year. But it's good to see
him get in there because he's a guy who at
this point, I think it's kind of safe to say
that Jackson starvar is gonna be with with Utah for
the rest of the year because you know, obviously the
Conoringham situation, and that's what that's what ever was expecting
that Jackson is gonna be up there for a while.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
So you at this point you want to build and
ready for these years.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
These arenaet your goals heading into the playoffs and heading
into the stretch run to try and get to the playoffs.
So you want to give dan Well some more time.
You know, obviously it's not gonna be an obviously a
fifty to fifty situation where he and where Maddie and
and Jackson were split fifty to fifty, but it's probably
going to be more like eighty five percent something Maddie.
But you do want to give Matt some breaks. You know,
(14:23):
he's the guy who we saw last year and we
saw this year. The more the more playing time he gets,
the better he gets. But you do want to keep
Dylan fresh in terms of game game action, where he's
a guy who he showed in the first two starts
this year that he can he can win even though
he's not playing regularly in the NHL. But you do
want to kind of at that point, like you know,
give get him ready so he so Matt can get
(14:45):
get spells, you know, get some breaks, or maybe he
gets banged up a little bit. Dylan can come in
there and give them, give them that break. But then
you want to give Dylan some time so he can
really be more prepared to be in there. And and
he he showed well you and he made some He's
a guy who he's always in the last couple years
when he's been in tow Song, he's the guy who's
he was putting good numbers and they got wins. But
(15:05):
he's also but Maddie has been kind of the goalie
that we talked about, makes those big spectaculo saves that
those highlight reel saves that Steve would say that really
fires up the team. But on Saturday and on Sunday
more on Sunday obviously because he played more. But you
saw some really amazing saves by Dylan and highlight reel
saves that can you know, can't kind of high fire
(15:26):
up the team. And they look back and they see
their goalie making these saves for them like that, they
want to they want to get up there and they
want to get them goals.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
They want to get them shots on the other side.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
So that's been really impressive and it's been I think
it's really good development for their owners to see you don't
get get some more time like that.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, like I said earlier, the Sunday game was much
better than the Saturday game, and dyl Wells made some
crazy saves in the first few minutes of that Sunday game,
and you started to think like, okay, like you know,
you got to use these big saves as some momentum, right,
And then they got the one nothing lead, but you
still fell It's like it's okay, let's let's kind of
(16:02):
I'll try to bury this a little bit and just
keep pushing forward. Then we tied it up at the
end of the period, took a two to one lead
in a second and I really thought and we got
some power play opportunities when with the lead, I really
thought we were gonna, you know, not run away with
the game, but at least get like one more goal
and make it three to one and hold on to
the win. And then I don't know what it is,
but you can't just you just can't stop that Colorado
(16:22):
shorthanded goal opportunity. They have fourteen now in the season,
I think that's the most. It's definitely the most of
the Pacific Division. They've scored a short handed goal three
games in a row, their last game against Bakersfield and
then two against US, so that that was just an
issue for us to handle as well.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
And then even near the end of the game, James,
you saw it.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
It was three to two, if you know, few about
maybe two minutes or so left on the clock, and
you're like, okay, well this is gonna get pulled here soon.
But you've liked the pressure, You like what you saw.
We out shot Colorado sixteen to five in that third period,
and then the Eagles shoot off the face up, it
just gets through Doan Wells, he doesn't see it, and
the Eagles just tap it in for the open that goal.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
It's four two.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
We did score on at the end from Sammy Walker,
but it just wasn't enough. There's still plenty of time remain,
But then they they ended up getting the empty netteran
to eventually win the game five to three. So there
were moments in that game where you really thought like, Okay,
let's let's try to tie it up at least take
it to overtime or something. But you know, it's it's
all about the response, right, And we'll play the interview shortly,
(17:27):
but we're talking with Austin mcganski. It seemed that the
guys were, you know, still pretty happy of how they
at least responded on the Sunday game. But James, you
gotta find ways to start getting these wins right. You know,
you lost to against the Ontario rain for a home
stand to start off. You got to back with the
San Jose Barracuda, you know, five hundred hockey in that
home stand, but then you lose to here, they're two
(17:50):
and four now in the last six games, if you
want to call it at that you just mentioned with
the four and five or so record in the last
ten games for the road Runners four or five to
one and zho to be exact, and yeah, it can
get you that playoff spot, but you know it's just
three points and anything can happen. You can lose two
games and Bakers who can win to two and all
(18:11):
of a sudden they're in the final seed and you're not.
And we've we've had that final seed since that one
game we beat them in that gym show trip We've
had the seventh seed for weeks now, more than a month,
but for what we've seen in this division, any seed
can be lost, any seed can be gained, And at
this point you know you couldn't get the job done
in Colorado, but just have opportunities to get some wins
(18:33):
here with Ontario coming up, San Diego and Bakersfield later
on this trip, and then you're back at home for
that final long homestand so eleven games left to go
in the season. Gotta you feel like you need to
at least finish these last eleven games with a winning record,
and the doubt gets you into the playoffs, especially big
key here three of these next eleven games against the Condors.
(18:56):
We have a four to one record against them, and
maybe if you win the least those three games, that
is the way to barry Bakersfield, especially in our third
and or our last few home games left before we
go to Rockford for our last two away games near
the the end of that home stand. I will be
next week, next Saturday and Sunday. If you sweet Bakersfield
(19:17):
in that series and you win this game later this
week for the last game of the road trip, I
think I want to say it, but I think you
can say that that could potentially clinch a playoff spot
for Tucson.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Yeah, it's they're not literally obviously double point games you
need to play against Bakersfield, but they're kind of in
a way because you could get points. You win in
regulation against Bakersfield, you get two points, and you not
only get those two points, but you prevent Bakersfield from
any points. So they're kind of worth double almost. You
know those games against Bakersfield, and you know it's tough
(19:52):
for them to have to go to Ontario because they
have a tough they've had a tough time against Ontario.
But you remember last last time with the road trip
where they in the California part of the road trip
where they actually get the whole trip was California except
for that one stop in Henderson. But they've actually kind
of fared well again in California. It's it's been when
(20:12):
they went on road trips, it's been a tough part
where they have to go go up to Abbotsford or
go to Calgary or something like that, or in this case,
go to Colorado. So the Runners have done well obviously
in California, and it's a place that a lot of
those a lot of the guys are used to.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I mean, you talked about it.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Was it actually I don't remember if you talked to
him on the broadcast or on Happy Hour, but there's
a kind of situation. Oh no, he was happier where
a lot of the guys I just they just love
staying in the Pacific Division. I talked about because you know,
going back and forth, and he thought like, well, maybe
you know, maybe the Parloskuill cut come in and so
from day or whatever. But it's just it's just a
(20:48):
division where it's it's it's fun to I mean, obviously
it's fun to go to live in town in California
or nevad or Tucson or whatever. So guys from Canada,
guys from the Midwest, guys from the Northeast, they're like, oh, yeah,
this is a great place to come. Let's go live here.
So you have a lot of guys here state who
go in the division, state the division, so they have
a lot of familiarity with the Barnes in Ontario and
(21:08):
the the over at Bakersfield and whatnot. So it's a
it's a road trip, but it's very familiar one that
they're used to, so they could be well prepared for this.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, and interestingly enough to James, and again, it's anything
can happen in these in these next eleven games, eleven
to ten games for each of these teams in the
Pacific Division. But this could be the last time the
Roadrunners are in California, maybe the entire season. So this
is all hypothetical here, right, But Colorado I think they're
gonna win the Pacific Division. They're six points ahead of
(21:42):
the Ontario Rain with eleven games left. They would really
have to fall apart if they were to lose that
spot because Ontario is starting to find some ground again,
but they've they had first place for a bit too,
and they've lost it as well.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
And then Calgary they're they're not coming back at all.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
So there is an instance too, because Abbotsford's only three
points behind Ontario and Abbotsford's won their last seven games
in a row that they're right now the hottest team
in the entire Pacific Division. So there's there could be
a situation where Abbotsford takes Ontario's second seed and then
the Roadrunners stay at seventh and then all of a sudden,
we were talking about, oh, we're gonna either go play
(22:18):
Ontario or maybe Coachella Valley or Colorado for the first round.
And then now it's like, whoa, we could end up
in Abbotsford, And then if you end up in Abbotsford,
then you would be playing you would be playing Colorado
for the next round, which would be the Division semi
finals and then the Division finals as well. So that's
two rounds with potentially not playing in California for the Roadrunners,
(22:42):
that could potentially happen considering other things that can change,
or at least it would be you wouldn't play in
California for a while, So this could be the last
time we're we're here, last time we can enjoy this weather,
you know, considering how the rest of the seeding goes.
But yeah, that's what made that series against Colorado tough too, right,
you know, the message in the locker room was this
is a team you're gonna have to go through eventually
(23:04):
to get to that Pacific Division final round, which is
still the best of five series. But if Colorado wins
the Pacific Division, which I do think they will, we
stay in seventh, that we win that first round, that
we're going to Colorado regardless for that best of five series.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, if the road Owners do stay seventh, you know,
which is kind of expecting me. We talked about that,
then they would have to probably play Colorado eventually. You know,
I do think I'd agree with you. I think Colorado
was going to win the Vision, not just because of
the points of advantage, but they just look so good.
I mean, they didn't even have TG Tynan in there,
and he's been he was the MVP of the league
in twenty one and twenty two, so they when they
(23:40):
get him back, they'll they'll be really really strong. You know,
they were you know, they just looked really good. I
mean the road Owners didn't play, uh they didn't play
that great on Saturday obviously, but they played well on Sunday.
But it was just Colorado just played really well. So
I just think Colorad's going to take the division. And
but the way the playoffs work is that if they
receded every round, So if you mentioned it, but if
(24:02):
if Tucson wins that mixed it out of the first round,
then then as the lowest seed or or worst seed,
I guess, you know, because that that's kind of weird
here when you see the you see stuff like that's
the highest seed lowes seed. I was like, well is
number one higher? Is number number seven higher? You know whatever,
So it should be like worst seed versus best seed whatever.
That's how they should put it. That's how I've been
putting in. But anyway, that's a little round. But if
(24:24):
if they do make it to the second round, then
the as the worst seed, they have to play the
best seed, you know, because because of how they just
the structure it so they would have to play them again.
But if you're if you're Tucson, you're looking at that.
It was a weekend where they did show some stuff.
I mean obviously they you I forget if if it
(24:45):
was you or Chaser or maybe somebody else who said
that they go down fighting or they go down swing
and they learned did that? They they had that tough
that fourth goal on Sunday that this Sunday, the whole game,
it really looked like the Runners were either if not
when that game is gonna be maybe go to overtime
or something. I mean, especially when I was I was
(25:05):
at the time I was I was, I was watching
the the UFA softball game because covering that one because
I had to be done that the story done right
after the game. So I was watching the game on
you know the ones PM plus. I was watching that game,
and on I was watching the Roader Nurse game on
on the game center thing, which is a cool thing.
If you're not if you're not familiar with that, if
you're f that's a cool website to check out. Just
(25:26):
go to the h h l's website, which is the
EHL t h g HL dot com And during the
games they have the watch it. Before the games they
do also they have the kind of stats before the games,
like records against on certain teams. But during the games
they have the game the game center thing which you
can track how many shots on goal they had, where
the dots are from all the stats and stuff like that.
So it's really nice. Maybe you're in the bathroom, you
(25:47):
don't hear Kim Kim's announcement of who scored the goal.
You can go go to the website and check and
check that real quick. But anyway, I was looking at
the website. I was looking at the game Center and
it said that Ben McCartney he scored that first goal.
It was his thirteenth goal. I was like, oh no, wait,
it feels like he scored way more because he's just
he scores off. I guess it must be just he
scores a lot of touch goals, a lot of big goals,
(26:08):
so I expect him being that one of those guys
who was around twenty goals, but he was only thirteen.
But I was like, that's kind of surprising because I
thought he had to add more. And then right after
that he got an assist. And then the way it
works on the website is they have a parenthesis on
how many goals you have or how many assists you have,
and so I said fourteen assists. I was like, well,
I thought that was assists, not points, because I thought
those points. So it's find of funny at this point
(26:29):
where he had thirteen goals and then fourteen assists and
I thought that was points, so that that overall thing
was not points but goals. But so so that was finny.
But anyway, get him back to the third period where
color out scored that last goal and we talked about
a little bit already, but it was just like an
unlucky thing where Dyl couldn't see and then they kind of,
(26:50):
you know, Color capitalized where it was under him. He
couldn't tell if he stopped it or behind him or whatnot,
and color capitalized and kind of got it was really
kind of unlucky situation. Samuel Aker did score on that
score towards the end to get them close, and then
they also get that empty and that goal. But that
was a situation where the Puff bounses a little different
(27:10):
ways and maybe they do get they win on Sunday.
So if they do play Colorado again, then maybe it's
not just you know, don and you know, the obviously
did get that split at the end of the first
series of the year. So it's a situation where you know,
it's tough, tough to play in Colorado and colors are
the good team, but maybe to do play Colorado, then
they showed that they can compete with them, even even
(27:31):
when they do get swept over the weekend.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Yeah, and it's that's what's It's just so interesting, James,
because we saw that such a different perspective of the
playoffs last year, right We we saw it as the
top seed of the first round, the second seed, and
you think like, ah, we're gonna beat these Calgary guys.
They collapsed at the end of the year and it's yah,
Dustin Wolf, so what like we got this and then
(27:56):
it just it just didn't happen. We played two good
games and it just didn't happen. And it's so different
this year for us, right, it's a let's just make
it like I want to get in, you know, like
this team has had such an underdog mentality all year long,
and you feel and again I'm a full optimistist optimistic here,
you know, you know me, everybody knows me. I'm always
(28:18):
saying we can beat anyone, and we really can. And
you just feel that if you just get in the playoffs,
that's that seventh seed. You have that underdog mentality no
matter who you play in the first round and.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
It's just two games.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
That's what makes sim It's more pressure on the higher
seats and we learned the hard part of that last year.
It's more pressure on the higher seeds for that playoff
position for the first round because it's only three games.
We were one win away from being Coachella Valley two
years ago and they went on to all the way
to the Collar Cup and we just lost. We lost
(28:51):
two quick games against Calgary last season and then now
we might be on the other end of that once again,
either against Ontario or Abbotsford Ontario. I know we haven't
gone a lot of wins against Avis for we've actually
beaten them in the season series. But you just feel
like you get into the playoffs, you go into anyone's barn,
it's two games. The pressure is on them. It's not
on nuts, it's on them. We've been through so much already.
(29:12):
All you have to all we have to do is
just win two games on the road. For them there,
they have to win two games and from the whole
crowd of a crowd that expects them to to thump
us because there's just like, ah, that's seventh seed. They're
not gonna be just how we thought last year. So
that's what makes that's what's made this season just a
train ride of emotion and everything. There's been a lot
(29:32):
of rough stretches, but there's been good stretches too, And uh,
you win one of the rougher ones at the moment,
but there's only eleven games. It's gonna go by so quick.
Three of those games left on this road trip, uh,
and then we're back on for a four games swing
and then back and forth.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So yeah, anything could still happen.
Speaker 4 (29:50):
It's still everyone's game for those high other seeds, uh,
and then for us, it's it's still very much in
game with Bakersfield for that seventh seed of the Pacific Division.
And it can wind down to the very last game
of the season when we play Colorado, or which would
be nicer too if we do end up able to
be Baker's Field over the next three games and just
that chain of events to where it's like, Okay, we
(30:11):
clinched and now we play Colorado. Let's just see maybe
you turn that into a four game little series because
you can say, you know, we're gonna play Colorado in
a few weeks anyways, if you get past the second
round or past past the first round.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Excuse me.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
So yeah, that's what's made this game so this season
so interesting, so fun, because every single game is gonna
feel like a playoff one down this stretch and if
the road runs are able to win it, you're you're
underdog mentality and that can win you games.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Yeah, And at this point in the year and counter year,
one interesting thing to look out for is that with
the called season ending orly regal season ending, and then
the first round the tournament, the Mess Tournament taking place
this weekend. I'm probably gonna see some guys I'm called
guys during the road Runners, which you know, it's a
hard shit wuation to come in there and you know,
(31:01):
go go from college to the second best professional league
in the world. But you've seen a lot of last
few years, you've seen a lot of road owners step
in there, a lot of a lot of guys come
in and step in, throw on the road in some
sweaters and do well. I mean, Colin Tyson did really
well when he came over from ASU. Josh Done obviously
played played really well when he came over from a
SU even Michael Lombardi, who he according to the Hockey DV,
(31:25):
he's only played one one one pro game, but he
came by ahead a great story where he he was
fresh off Winnipec winning the national title, him and Sam
Lipkoln they won and a week later he scored. He
scored for two soon and so he has that kind
of crazy Hockey DV where his is the stat line
as he's played one professional game, but he sees scored
a goal in that game, so that that was wild.
(31:46):
That's a great story, So that's something to look out
for too. Maybe they'll get some guys from you know,
they'll bring it some guys who are just playing college
and they'll get in the little boost.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
I think they're already said.
Speaker 5 (31:56):
I think they have a great, great line up right now,
especially you know with he got guys coming back from injury.
Who was let me oh Peter Delarder del Barber, he
came back on over the weekend after he'd been gone
for a while, and can Cone and him been out
and you know, I dragazine even out. So getting they're
(32:17):
getting healthier, but they also might get that little boost
from getting in guys who are from playing college to.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, we'll we'll see who.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
We'll see who ends up coming on those on those
tryout contracts, just like how Josh Done came Sam Lipkin
last season as well with Connor Geeky uh Key eventually
traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning organization.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
But uh yeah, we'll see who was added.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
We'll have Montana on you Bucci back for tomorrow's game
as well, he was serving that three game suspension.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Uh Dill BATORI coming back, don't alight up.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Was nice to see, Uh you know, just one of
those situations where, uh, you know, we just have so
much depth at the defensive position that he just wasn't
getting playing time. But I thought he had a pretty
solid game, creating chances and the net that he's always
able to do. Agazino has been huge back in the lineup,
eleven points in about the I would say fourteen games
(33:09):
or so. He didn't get any points in that series
over the Colorado Egos, and that's what the Eagles did
so good on us as well as they they shut
down some of our you know, best players on the board,
but they definitely were not able to shut out shut
down Ben McCartney and Austin Bcganski. Butgansky had a really
good series against the Eagles. He finished off with one
(33:31):
goal and three assists for four total points. He had
three assists on the Sunday game, getting really contributing to
all three of the two song goals, second time this
year getting three assists in the game, the first time
since we played the Calgary Ranglers all the way back
on November twenty third, right before thanks Giving. Ben McCartney
also having a nice weekend against the Colorado Eagles, finished
(33:54):
Sunday's game with another multiple point game for himself with
a goal and the assists, yes five points in his
last four games overall, he's three points away from thirty.
He has had a really good late season jump Julian
Lutz for CIST in his last six games overall as well,
Kylie Yamamoto continues to be a point per game player,
and for Cameron Hebig and Sokolov, it's been a bit
(34:17):
of a rougher patch for them.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
They haven't had many points combined.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
They were on that line together on Sunday to try
to maybe spark it a little bit, So, you know,
it's nice to see guys step up well other guys
just you know, just get a little bit unlucky with
the score sheets. But you know, it's it's all about
all coming together at the right time, and you know,
maybe some maybe we can see he Big and Sokolov
have good runs at the end of the season with
the combination of how Agazino, McCartney and mcgansky have been
(34:44):
playing with Kylie Yamamoto as well. We just saw Curtis
Douglass go on that run over the home stand too,
So guys are stepping up at the right time. But
you just it would be great to see if you
see it all come together at once in these last
eleven games to really help the road Runners get into
that playoff Plus.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
Yeah, that's a thing that they would really help out
and get the get them to get a deep playoff
front is to get a lot of a lot more depth.
And it seems like they've been for the most for
the most part of the year. They've been guys who'd
just been like on fire, just scoring a lot, and
the other guys kind of step back and not getting
a lot of points. But another guy who who who's
been playing really offensively of late, still still playing on
(35:23):
on deepen the event obviously, and we talked about the
guys in the blue line scoring, but arm do the
got got a goal his his fourth of season on
on Sunday, which if you look back, he's he's had
points in through last four getting a couple of sists
in the San Jose series. So that's another situation where
they continue to get a lot of points from the
(35:43):
guys from the blue line.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
And that's another kind of.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
Wild interesting situation is Charles Barron hadn't been able to
get in a fight and then that's recently, but he
did finally get one on Sunday, and there's a good
fight where they were kind of battling and to wrestle
them down where he kind of he didn't have the
advantage early on, but then he he came back and
wrestled down the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
So that was really interesting.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
So really kind of seeing a lot of guys being active,
a lot of guys, you know, doing not just scoring points,
but making big say, making big blocks. I'm diving to
get big blocks, you know, getting in those fights. You
know I'm getting those big hits, you know, getting those
big checks and everything. So it's been a situation where, yeah,
they're not you're not seeing so Clo often he maig
(36:31):
scores as much as we're east I'm seeing. But we're
seeing a lot of guys, a lot of a lot
of guys getting involved lately.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
So that's been interesting.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Yeah, it's been really good. That's a good point, ar dude.
I had also had a really good weekend against Colorado
before that series. Maximilian zuber Was has been huge as
as one of the point guys on the power play
for the road Runners. Going into that Colorado series. He
had six power play points in the last six games.
Seven points in total was held off the score sheet
for those two games against Colorado, but still doesn't change
(37:00):
that he had a really good run going into that series.
So you just feel like it can come together all
at the right time for the Roadrunners as well. Let's
get to our one and only interview of this week's episode,
talking with the captain Osabaganski after Saturday's five to three
loss against the Colorado Eagles. Paganski three assists in that
(37:21):
matchup four points overall on the on the weekend, and
interesting enough, astop Baganski now has had statistically is his
best season. Today, he has surpassed his season high in
points from last year at thirty three total. He has
thirteen goals with twenty assists. He has two assists away
from the most assists he's had in a single season
(37:43):
Dowll came in his first fall season in the American
Hockey League with the San Antonio Rampage. He's one goal
away from matching his season high from last year in
a single season with the two Soon Roadrunners as well,
as he scored fourteen that year thirteen at the moment
right now, so Paganski having a nice life, best season
of his career statistically as the Roadrunners captain. Now first
(38:04):
time he served as a as a full captain of
a team in his career, So all good for Paganski.
Talking with him after Sunday's five to three loss against
the Colorado Eagles, as he ended the night with three points, Austin,
you know, overall with the loss, I really liked our
game tonight. It was it was a good rebound. It
showed a lot of character of our team. And sometimes
(38:26):
you have a good game plan and it just doesn't
work out. But what are your takeaways from tonight and
how do we just continue to move forward?
Speaker 6 (38:32):
Yeah, I know it's a good team over there. I
got to give them a lot of credit. I like
her fight both games. We were able to continue the
will and keep with our game plan throughout the whole
game and not give up. So we got to give
a guys credit for that. But at the end of
the day, we gotta get some wins here, so we'll
look to regroup and take care of business next game.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Yeah, and I know the loss sucks, but for you
got a three point nine your second time this season
doing so what was just working for you with with
that line of Ben McCarty with Yamamoto and Artem Dude
as well.
Speaker 6 (38:58):
Yeah, I know I was playing with the m L
obviously he's a privilegy mix makes plays out an over
and Ben was a spark plug for us. He's foust,
he wins his battles, he gets the nets. So it's
a good group effort and hopefully you can keep that going.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Thanks Austin, I appreciate thank you. Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Say for Ben McCartney, he's kind of a spark plug,
right and he's earned he's earned that first line spot
with Paganski and Yamamoto. Now as see Pavin kind of
shifted the lineups around in game number two of that series.
So uh, and it'll be interesting to see what what
the game plan is for Wednesday. Who's gonna be paired
with who? You know, it's some guys have just been
(39:34):
held off the scoresheet a bit as of late, such
as Cameron he get big in the igor So club.
But you know they're gonna find their game again. You
know that guys like Agazino, McCartney and Pagansky with Yamamoto
or get keep things consistent with the back end as
well with Arnolduda and Maximilian Zueber, with Robbie Russo heating
up as well. And you know, though Matthew Vilalta has
allowed the combined rate of ten goals in his last
(39:55):
two games, you know he's gonna be able to bounce
back as well, especially against his former team tomorrow. So
you know, though those though those two games against Colorado
didn't go as much as you would hope for Tucson,
you still feel really good about the team moving down
to stretch.
Speaker 5 (40:10):
Yeah, a great, great interview with Austin. He's also a
guy who we talked about the new captain, but he's
also a guy that also plus I was just about
to say that he's also a guy who came up
from college. He came up from you know, went straight
he went to North Dakota and went to San Antonio
who was in the league back then. But he's the
guy who has a ton of experience, you know, and
(40:31):
not just you know, he brings in that captain and
brings that leadership, but he also one thing to remember
that he's he's the guy who's been in the playoff,
playing playoffs a bunch of times, you know, he's been
in the league for seven years or seventh year. You know,
he was only when he came up from college and
playing four games for San Antonio in twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
I'm twenty seventeen, eighteen. But he's the guy who played.
Speaker 5 (40:50):
He's played a ton of playoff games and for different teams,
different different situations. Obviously, he played played for Manto five games,
and he played for Tucson last year. But he was
on Coachella that year, that their first year when they
when they made that great run and almost from the
Calder Cup. He played twenty four games that that postseason.
So he's the guy who knows knows how to go
(41:11):
deep in the playoffs, knows how to make the playoffs,
and he's the guy who he is a great example
for for the younger guys and not just you know,
obviously is regular leadership that he provides that we're all
used to, but now that we're getting down the stretch,
he can provide the other leadership of how to get
to the playoffs and how to go deep in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, it's it's all mentorship.
Speaker 4 (41:31):
This has been a great veteran led team with Puganski,
uh Agasino Baron and McCartney, with Cannadon as well leading
the way for our you know, our captain's group. They've
done a good job with everything that this team has
gone through, you know, with that longer losing streak we
saw right before the Gems show trip. Uh, you know,
the the way this team has responded in a lot
(41:52):
of these games this season. And there's one thing about
this team, James, it has fight all the way the
full game.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (41:57):
This team never just backs down and just neverpt no
matter what the score is. I mean, we're down four
to nothing on the Saturday game score two in the
third period, came down swinging as well with a couple
of fights at the end, and responded well on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
So that shows a lot of character of this team.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
And that is why, you know, and again I'm full optimistic,
but that's just who I am. That's just why you know,
when you if you feel like the Sea makes the playoffs,
you just have that underdog mentality of look, we've been
through this before, We've been through the losses, We've been
through these tough games like it's nothing new to us.
Let's just go in and play our game and it
will come to us. So all excitement coming up for
the road Runners, including excitement and including a guy who's
(42:34):
also a big veteran leader of this team, not a captain,
but just a guy that everyone looks up to in
the locker room. Cameron Hebig, who again has had a
career season most points in a single season for himself
this year with the twenty one goals, the thirty nine
points in fifty six games played. Tomorrow's game will mark
(42:55):
if he's in the lineup, assuming he will be, it
will mark game number two hundred and seventy nine with
the Roadrunners. He will tie Dyson Mayo for the most
all time as a Tucson Roadrunner and and Friday and
San Diego. If he plays again, bearing nothing bad happens,
knock on wood, he will hit in the game number
two eighty and become the leader in the most games
(43:18):
played wearing a Tucson Roadrunner sweater. So big moments coming
from Cameron he Big. Tomorrow night, huge matchup for the
road Runners against the Ontario Rain and that big game
against Bakersfield on Saturday as well.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
It's great to see the guy like Cameron get that
get to that mousebone or hopefully you're not going, but
it's great to see him get the.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
Mayor of the Runner is mayor of Tucson.
Speaker 5 (43:46):
You know, he's a guy who's been so active in
the community, so active with fans, so so positive, such
a great guy to talk to that and not only
has he been doing that, got to that record, he's
obviously had that great career year. So it's a great
story and he's a great rep representative of not only
(44:06):
the organization but of literally the Roadrunners way, So that
that's exciting to say.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
Yeah, all exciting coming up for the Roadrunners. Eleven games
left to go of the twenty four to twenty five campaign.
Three games left to go of this five game road
trips starting tomorrow night at the Toyota Arena against the
Ontario Ray. My name is Jonathan Schaeffer. Alongside me as
always Arizona Daily Stars James Kelly. We appreciate you listening
to this podcast. We'll throw things out with lights to
(44:34):
Tucson has to push for the Calder Cup playoffs continue
for your two son, Roadrunners.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Gotta see the lines the two song. Gotta bet gotta
see the lines of two song.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
You coming back.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Just been my little rooms there and city Candy isn't
mess with the kid, but Tucson. My heart is a
yearning like Bronson.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
My wheels are turning.
Speaker 5 (45:24):
Can't we be there with her in the Catalina's.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
The lights of too sun shining, and her.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
Illo be aloner, the neversona he it.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
Isn't reaching the sky. You gotta see the lions of Tucson.
I got it back. Get gotta see the lions of
Tucson coming back.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
You get all.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
You gotta see the lights too, So I got it back.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
The moon, Get the moon. You gotta see the light.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
It's too soon coming back.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
Will you get the ball
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