Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
From road Runners Weekly. This is between the Benches. You're
all access brief you love the week ahead. We'll look
at the Roadrunners upcoming opponents, get the inside story, and
here directly from the voices and players that know them best,
with David Moradian and Patrick Moore.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to another edition of Tucson Roadrunners. Between the Benches
David Meridian, Patrick Moore joined by special guest James Mackie,
the voice of the Tucson Roadrunners. We've been talking all
season with broadcasters from visiting teams, so time to return
the favor and bring in our very own and James
should have some very helpful insights on the Tucson Roadrunners.
(00:42):
But the Bakersfield Condors coming to town not unfamiliar. The
Roadrunners just played them last week. They also played host
to them earlier in the season, so this will be
game number four and five against Bakersfield. We got some
fun promotions for each of those games, Comedy Night on Friday,
and we know James likes to the laughs. We'll see
how he incorporates that. And then Teddy Bear Toss on
(01:05):
Saturday with special guest Santa Claus. Some people's favorite. I
saw James get a big smile. There Santa in the
building at the Tucson Arena on Saturday, yep, And so anyway,
that will be a lot of fun. James, here's my
question comedy night on Friday? Are you I already told Kim.
I gave Kim some advice. I said, how about some
dad jokes down at the glass through the pa see
(01:28):
what people think? And she loved the idea. So I
ask you, what do you have in store for Friday?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Man, I have not been thinking of anything yet, but
now that you're challenging me, I think I can.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I think I can.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I think I get it's just gonna be. You know
how hard it is to incorporate a dad joke into
a hockey game, Like I can't. Hey David, I'm hungry,
and you go, Hi, Dad, Hi hungry. I'm like, I can't.
I can't do that. That's harder than it looks. But
I feel like if anyone could do it, it's me.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I'm there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Don't tell yourself. Sure, Patrick, any recommendations for James here?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
I don't know. I think he brings the laughs every
game in the studio.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
And are you saying he's funny without trying to be
just by existing your angle.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Here, it looks it's okay, a funny guy as liking
Good Fellows. Funny guy, I appreciate that. I appreciate that well.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Either way, a very exciting weekend in store. And so
last weekend Tucson Roadrunners playing in San Jose. San Jose
had their Teddy Bear Toss. For those that are not familiar, Basically,
the first goal scored by the home team brings the fury, right,
that's when the Teddy Bears start flying over the glass.
They make their way onto the ice and James, I
understand the fourteen to fifty broadcast tried to predict when
(02:45):
exactly that was going to happen in the game. Who
did well then? Did you have any success there? And
what's the plan on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah, our PR guy Chase put up two and a
half minutes as his guests, and that was the closest
it was. I think under Technically, I don't really know
how we're how we're scoring this. We'll go over it
again on Friday, but no, we're gonna do the same
thing Saturday. I think one of us can get relatively close.
And honestly, Ben gis Listen said it best on the
Iowa Wild broadcast last week. The forecast is calling for
(03:15):
Teddy Bear rain on Saturday night in the TCC, So
I'm really looking forward to who scores it. I know
last year our player play Guy Johnny, he predicted Austin
Paganski to score it and then literally in the same
clip that Flow posted on their Instagram page, he scores it.
So I'm really hoping that we get a moment like
(03:35):
that and maybe, you know, maybe a Titulio or Miko
Matika scores it. Maybe you never know, maybe Scott Prunovich
gets his first of the year to score it. We
don't know what could happen. This weekend is full of
opportunity and things that are yet to happen, So I'm
looking forward to whatever comes Therefore, Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
How about cloudy with a chance of Teddy Bears. By
the way, Scott Prunovich, he's somebody where it just feels
like any minute that first goal has got to be coming,
right because he's so often, I mean he's on the
ice basically every power play, right, so that alone is
ample opportunity. But he's such a great facilitator. He's in
the mix on so many rushes and opportunities. It just
(04:16):
feels like in inevitability that he's going to get that
first goal, but it hasn't happened yet, and maybe Teddy
Bear toss Knight would be the perfect opportunity for that
to happen. All right, Roadrunners playing host to the Bakersfield
Condors seven o'clock on both games, James, we just saw
the Condors and it was unfortunate timing for the Roadrunners, right,
not necessarily, I think a reflection of these two teams.
(04:40):
I think Tucson was caught in a storm there with
Boot and Lamberue going up pretty much right before the
matchup team maybe a little bit in limbo. So I
think this is a completely different opportunity, and we saw
Tucson play a lot better once they were able to
plant their feet and evaluate the current team that they
have and move on from there. A very impressive showing
(05:00):
up in San Jose. Do you think the road Runners
will be better prepared and in a different mold here
against Bakersfield this weekend than what we saw Wednesday?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, I mean you and I talked about it pretty
extensively over the weekend, and it was you know, we
started really the conversation on Wednesday that you know, when
you have your top two producers pretty much get get
the boot. You know, no pun intended. You know, it's
hard to step into a role in less than you know,
(05:30):
six hours and be like, all right, I'm going to
be the guy that produces. And then when you get
you know, embarrassed by San Jose to say, at least
on Friday, and then you come back Saturday you're ready
to beat them. It's hard to.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Hard.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
I think for this team it's hard to be in
the position that they're in and not find somebody who's
willing to step up and be that guy. I think
the roster is full of depth all the way up
and down. It's just going to be a matter of
who puts it together best. I like this Top Power
play and we have rolling Kevin Rooney filling in for
Deneel on it and he Big and Pirunovich and McCartney,
and you know, I think we have that unit looks good.
(06:09):
I think there's just a matter of what guys can
step into it. And honestly, I like some of the
lineup jumbling we've been seeing going on. I like that
breakup of that top line we've seen all season, McCartney, Paganski,
and he Big. I think moving those guys up and down.
And I've had a lot of conversations with head coach
Steve Popman about this. It's about cycling production across all
(06:30):
four lines. You have a four line group of guys
that are willing to produce on your forward unit. How
do you force them all to start working together and producing.
Cycle your top three guys who are all at double
digit points to start doing it and kind of moving
them around. Plus Rooney's in this lineup now to a
guy who produced, you know, was going off at a
point per game pace before he got called out the
first time. So I think we're in the point now
(06:51):
where they've cycled the lineup enough to where we've seen
the guys that can drive production and the guys that
can produce, and now they're going to start pairing them
the guys there right. I think this weekend we're going
to see a couple of different lineup changes. I think
maybe a Lard gets off that fourth line moves up
to line three with you know, like an Agazino, maybe
a Hebig. I think I think I'm looking for the
(07:11):
most to what the lineup looks like. And I'm really
honestly expecting a group of guys put on the ice
and this this four groups of forwards that's really just
going to blow up, blow the socks off everybody in
the house. I think we're going to finally see that
production kind of ramp up from from boot In lamber Leaving.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
And the one thing that Steve Podvin will say whenever
we kind of are like, hey, coach, you got a
couple of your top guys up at the AHL. Who's
got to step up here, who's got to fill in
the shoes, He won't give you a name because he
says it's got to be the entire team. It has
to be the collective. He wants to see, you know,
the Roadrunners play as one and everybody's got to continue
to improve and that it's not just a burden that
falls on one player. So he won't give me a name. Certainly,
(07:54):
we've been speculating on some of the players we'd like
to see a little bit more from, but he always
stresses he says, hey, everybody can can continue to improve
and play a little bit better. You mentioned the power
play unit for the Roadrunners. I want to mention the
power play unit for the opponent here, the Bakersfield Condors,
because they're a team on specials. James, that is special.
I mean, I'm not trying to be cliche about that,
(08:14):
but they are really solid on both fronts twenty seven
percent on the power play this season and on the
penalty kill eighty one percent. So those are two really
really good marks. And some people, some analytics junkies, they
like to say, well, let's just see if you add
up the two if you're above one hundred percent. Well,
they're almost that one hundred and ten percent. So their
(08:35):
special teams are really really efficient and it should make
for a good challenge for the Roadrunners on both sides.
The only positive Bakersfield commits more penalties than anybody else
in the Pacific Division. They've been shorthanded ninety five times
this season, so perhaps that Roadrunners power play can get
some opportunities, and like we said, that's a unit that
continues to improve and they should have a chance to
(08:58):
showcase that. Patrick, you want to jump in here anything
James and I have been touching on the last couple
of minutes.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Yeah, I just think with Bakersfield and how good they've
been offensively, Quinn Hudson, you know, leading the leading the
Condors in pretty much almost every category that I think
if they can limit a lot of those mistakes like
what happened last Wednesday for the Roadrunners, I think. I mean,
James on Of, I mean you commented you call the
(09:24):
game on last Wednesday. I mean that that one goal
that Quinn Hudson scored off that really weird bounce. I
feel like if those like miss those mistakes or those
bad bounces go away, I feel like I just think
that like the road Runners will be able to find
a way to limit it, because I feel like the
road Owners are like neck and neck with the Condors.
I feel like during the game it was just bad
(09:45):
bounces that led. So I think if they can limit
the penalties and not have Bakersfield go on the power play,
I think the road Owners can be able to define
their opportunities.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
When you're when you have a PK unit that's ticking,
like we've seen two Sons take all season, it's kind
of hard to sit here and be like, well, you know,
they could do this better, they could do that better.
The PK Union is immaculate. I think what we need
to really look at is the fact that in points
for rookies in the American hockeyagu Quin Hudson's second to
Nick Lartis in Rockford. You know, thirteen goals, eleven assists.
(10:17):
Quinn Hudson's having a flying season. Daniel Boots still on
this list at eleventh, is inactive right now. So I think,
you know, it's hard to keep guys like that quiet,
rookies especially. We've known that a lot of the last
couple of years draft classes have been super highly touted.
A lot of the guys coming out of the draft
(10:37):
classes have been super hot and kind of start ripping
once they get in the league. And you know, Quinn Hudson,
Cole Hudson's brothers is no is no separate. I think
we're just really kind of at the I say, the
word I'm looking for is escaping me. We're at the
you know, we're at the mercy of what their product
(11:00):
of Quinn Hudson drives, but also not just Quentin Huntson
Eric quin Hudson, It's it's the rest of their lineup,
right It's you know, Villami, Mariala, It's guys like their
Pittlick brothers, it's you know, Josh Brown, who's a veteran defenseman.
Cam deneen, is he going to play this weekend? You know,
they they're just so deep all the way around, and
it's hard to say that, like, you know, they have
(11:21):
one week spot, but at the same time, when you're
cycling Matt Tompkins in an NHL caliber goaldie like Connor Ingram,
there really is no weak spot on this lineup. Their
forward units are strong. They put four strong forward units
on the ice every night. They've got three really good
defensive pairings, and then that goaltending pairing really kind of
helps that. I mean, if anything, the biggest thing is
just going to be finding what one group of guys
(11:44):
they can isolate and then isolating them to the best
of their ability. And I think we're at the point
now where you know, we have the same story. It's
the same thing all the way up and down our
lineup two where you know there's guys, younger guys. Tu
Leo for example, not in the lineup very often, but
when he is, he's a point McCartney we see out often.
You know, Perunovic on the deep pairing. We just got
(12:04):
Shimyschev back what is he going to do this weekend?
And now he's kind of got his feet wet, he'll
be at home for the first time on the season.
What is that going to look like? You know, Julian
Lutz is stepping in his own Allard's doing the same.
Like it's it's the youth on the lineups that we're
really seeing kind of take that jump up in production
and be what what coaches are looking for. But it's
(12:24):
really going to depend on how well it's pace for
pace with these guys Quinn Hudson. How well does you
know Shimyshev go pace for pace with him? But then
on the flip, how well does Bakersfield's D unit go
pace for pace with the forward unit that two sound
throws on the ice?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And Quinn Hudson This season he has been the catalyst
for the Bakersfield Condors. Thirteen goals eleven assists this season,
two very impressive marks across the boarder. The other thing
I was impressed by personally James that contest on Wednesday
is we talk about Steve Potvin and he wants to
see all of the lines producing and carrying the load
for the road Runners. It was the fourth line of
(12:59):
four forwards that really impressed me. For Bakersfield, it was Petrov,
Pittlick and Pitlock and those three guys. They were making
stuff happen on the ice. I don't know if the analytics,
if there's a category for ms H make stuff happen,
but they were leading the way as far as I
saw it, and that's exactly what you want from if
you're the coach, right if you're leading the Bakersfield Condors,
(13:21):
there you see four lines producing specifically or fourth line.
I don't have to say leading the way because that's inaccurate,
but certainly carrying their fair share that is winning hockey,
and they've been doing a lot of that recently. But
look the Roadrunners that they've got to be feeling good,
and I think that they should be very satisfied with
the effort they put forward in San Jose. And that
(13:42):
brings me to this, James. I think the single most
positive thing about the season so far is when Tucson
has gone up against the top teams in their division,
they have looked like they belonged. And certainly, across any sport,
there are some teams that have pretty good records that
clean up against the teams that aren't aren't so good.
They win all their freebies and then when they go
(14:03):
up against the top of the top, they get out classed.
And that has not been the road Runners this year.
I was talking about this with Kim on Tuesday. I'm happier.
I said, if you want to look at it, look
at it negatively. You could say, against teams like Abbotsford
or some of the contests, you think that they should
be decisively winning, they're not. But hey, those top teams,
the Roadrunners belong. They play very competitive on the same level.
(14:25):
Two and two against Colorado, three points up in San Jose.
How do you feel about Tucson's performance against the top
teams this year?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
It's the room league for escaping me. It's amazing comes
to mind, but it's just so I mean, we talked
about it last week. It's the AHL, It's the anything
can happen League, right. These are guys that are all
in the spot where they do it. This is a
developmental league, and I've I've I've had a lot of
conversations with a lot of people about that. But it's like,
(14:54):
you know, this is this is a league where everybody
on this roster wants you play at the next level.
And maybe it's not realistic that they're all going to
get a chance, because if you look at Utah's roster,
they're not going to be plagued with injuries where they
need our entire roster. But you know, Kim Hebig at
the end of the year last year, got that call
up and he deserved it. You know, he was there
(15:15):
for part of it. Mav Lameru, you know deserves it too.
Like these are guys that you know, everybody wants to
be at the next level. And to be honest with you,
the three to two to win one record against top
teams in the league, in the division, the top two teams,
specifically Colorado. Splitting a series in Colorado's hard to do.
(15:35):
Splitting a series over four games with Colorado's hard to do.
But it's it's the trap games. Right, we all were
big college football guys. We know what that means. It's
the trap games that really burn. And when you lose
a trap game like Abbitsford, you get I mean obliterated
is a term that comes to mind. In Game two,
five goals against from Abbitsford. Yes, they're in the middle
(15:57):
of cycling goaltenders Yuri patur maybe wasn't someone too was
expecting to see in that game. But it's not the
it's not the performances against the top two teams that
are really going to do this team in. It's the
performances against the bottom two teams that are really going
to hurt them. Iowa we talked about, is that very
good this year? They split with Iowa. Stauberg gets that shutout.
You know, this series against Manitoba comes to mind very heavily.
(16:19):
You can't get swept by a team like that. It's
just really going to depend on what this team can
do when they play the bottom teams as opposed to
the top teams. Because when you play a team at
the top, case in point, the Blackhawks and the Rangers
last night, Right, the Hawks put up three on the Rangers.
The Rangers are a bottom team in the league, but
you want to step up to play those teams, right,
that's how that works. But when you play a top
(16:41):
team Utah and Florida last night, for example, Utahs down
three to two in period number two, they come back
to tie it up at three to three. They take
it to the final minutes of regulation with forty seven
seconds left, Florida gets a cheap one. When you play
a top team in the league, you want to drive
your production up to match the level that they're playing at,
and this team does really well of doing it. It's
those games in the teams below them that seem to
(17:01):
really cost them. So I think are really middle of
the middle of the playoff race right now for Bakersfield
in this division. Is really going to show us what
this team's made of, because then you can kind of
play at that even keel level, right you know, these
are games you have to win. You're in the American
Hookey League. You know you're gonna have to sweep at
least one or two weekend series to get into a
playoff spot. The years young, but Steve Potkin's already talking
(17:22):
about playoffs, so clearly there's some hope here that it happens.
But I think when you're in the middle of the
playoff race, when you're in the middle of the standings,
the top two teams are important, but the bottom two
teams are also important. But that's that middle pack that's
really going to show us what this team's made of.
And I think they're going to perform really well this weekend,
but I think the way they play against San Jose
and Colorado's gonna help bolster that.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
No, I agree, James. I mean some of the best
hockey they've played have been against Colorado, has been against
sant today, And I don't know, And as a former
player myself, I think it's I think it's always hard
when you're playing with those lower division place teams. You're like,
you don't know what's gonna happen. You know, if you're
just gonna roun them early on, or you're just could
be like man, their goaltenders standing on his head, like
(18:03):
you know, why isn't going in for us? And then
then it's in under the back of our net. So
I think there's been times this season where they've played
really well and maybe not gotten rewarded. But at the
same time, like Manitoba, now they're they're in second place
in the Central So I don't think that at the
time it looked bad, but now I think it's more
of a Okay, we just didn't play our best. I
(18:23):
think the one that I think still hurts is Abbotsford
because of just how their situation they've been in the
bottom since the beginning of the season, and I know
they're going through a lot of changes because you know
this goaltending and injuries in the big club. But I
think overall, it's just the games between San Diego, Coachella
Valley and Bakersfield. These are the ones that you have
(18:44):
to win because when we get towards the new year
and we get to February March, that's when teams pick
it up. That's when pace of play gets better. And
you know, we saw it last year the Roaderners. You know,
they weren't they weren't doing well at the time. They
were out of the playoffs, so they kind of were
battling for a spot and that's when they came live
and we're able to get the last spot last year.
So I think it takes time, but also the clock
(19:07):
is ticking, and as you said, it's anything happens, like
you never know what's gonna happen. You know, you know,
a lot of us thought, oh, after we're gonna come
in sweep them and we'll maybe get on fire. Didn't happen.
So I think it's it's it's about timing and it's
about you know, where this team can go and I
think if they can get points out of this series,
maybe even two wins, who knows. Who knows where the
(19:30):
Roaders can take themselves, and I think it would maybe
mav and all those guys come back. Who knows. If
they get on fire, it's gonna be dangerous hockey team
because I've We've seen it against Colorado, We've seen it
against San Jose, and the potential is there. It's just
it just the bounces have to go their way. And
I think Baker Shield is a perfect example. I thought
they played great in the first half of the game
(19:52):
and then things just kind of go out of hand.
So we'll see what happens this weekend. David, I don't
know if you want to jump in here, but what
do you how do you feel assessing from James and
ice points.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I think this is an opportunity. Look, Tucson just saw
this team, right, I'm pretty big into that. And for
two periods they were on the same level. But the
third period, the most consequential one did not go their way.
So I think that they I'm not saying revenge has
to be on their mind, but there's a clear area
for improvement, right, there's an objective criteria that they can
(20:26):
improve on, and I think it's a great opportunity for
this new group to show the progress that they've made
in a short time, and so I think they're going
to relish that opportunity. Look, I think both goaltenders are
playing well. Matthew Volata very steady this year. Jackson Stobber
getting better and better as the season progresses. We've certainly
seen I think a different level of performance from him
(20:46):
in the month of December and even late November than
we did out of the gate. So I think that
there are some positives here. And really one of the
things we've been talking about this season is how can
the team ride momentum, ride momentum throughout the court of
the game and throughout the course of the season. In
a game context, Hey, you just killed the power play
for the other team. You just had a great kill.
(21:08):
Go translate that into you know, maybe a breakaway or
a scoring opportunity, or you scored on a power play,
keep it going right, anything like that, and that maybe
has been a little bit of a struggle and you
got an opportunity to do that in your season. You
just had a great showing up in San Jose build
on it against one of your contemporaries. I mean, Bakersfield
is a team that we expect to be right next
to two some this year in the standings. So there's
(21:29):
a real opportunity here to make up some ground and
beat up on one of those teams in the middle
of the division. And I hope that they relish that
and capitalize.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I would just like to point out this happens perennially.
Right this I've been I've worked with this organization for years,
even when they were previous with the Coyotes. The injury
bug hits and it hurts because it hits like a
mac truck. The Big Club is hurt right now. Logan
Coolly just went down. They're missing a couple guys on
the forward unit. They're missing a couple of guys on
(21:58):
that d unit. This is that time of year that
the resilience, right David, You and I talk about that
a lot. How coaches love that word resilience. I think
in each interview we've done with Steve Potvin, if it's
not us saying it, it's him saying it at some
point in you know, the time that we have with him.
But I think when you look at the list of
what every season tends to be, like, it's that middle
(22:21):
of the year, it's December to like February, when you
have guys that are with the big club because the
injury bug hit the big club. That really shows what
you're made of. And it's it's understandable that Wednesday, Friday, Saturday,
this team was playing on their heels, right because Wednesday
Friday especially, you're on the road, you're away from home,
you just lost to your biggest offensive producers. Who's going
(22:41):
to step up, right, And it's not like the d'anil
boot call up should have hurt them. Still, that was
Wednesday morning. It was that mav Lamberu call up that
I feel like really kind of caught him because it
was like late Wednesday afternoon while we were getting ready
for the game, Like I was in the middle of
prepping when that call up came. You know, I think,
now they've had time to sit in. Now you go
to practice with these guys. They didn't have much practice
(23:02):
time because when Tuesdays of travel Day Wednesday they play,
Thursdays of travel Day, Friday Saturday they play, right, so
they haven't had a time to put this unit on
ice all together on practice. But now that you've had
a couple of days to do that, right, you've had
the week to do that. I think we're really going
to see what this team's made of, and we're really
going to kind of find out what pieces are substitutable
in and out of that lineup. We may see Taa
(23:24):
Goldsmith play again this weekend, we don't know. We may
see Canonton getsat once, Layton Moore takes a step up
he produced last series. When you have guys like that,
Robbie Russo found his production as well. When you have
guys like that in this lineup, where you understand that
this is the middle of the year, the Big Club's
going to be injury plague. That's an eighty two game season.
You're going to have to substitute guys in and out.
(23:44):
When those guys come back healthier for the Big Club,
and then we get Boot and Lambero back, or maybe
we get another guy from the Big Club, maybe Yamamoto
comes back. We don't really know. There's an opportunity on
the board to be like, all right, look, we're okay
to lose games during November, December, January, February, but it's
that last push that half of February after the All
Star break really that you have to play your foot
(24:05):
down and be like, all right, look, we have our roster,
we have the group of guys we want to move
forward with. Let's make this unit work. And I think
now judging what the end of the season is going
to look like, it's just so hard to do because
we have no idea what the end of the season
looks like. How many more guys get to call? Is
the Neil Boots production still up when he if he
comes back? Does Boot put up four tomorrow night against
whoever Utah plays like? There's so many questions that are
(24:27):
askable in this situation. It's just so hard to speculate
what the end of the season looks like up as
of right now. And again remembering that this is a
trend with a lot of teams. Abbotsford's plagued right now
because Vancouver's plagued with injuries. Abbitsford got Lekermackie back, he
scored in that game against US. They sent him right
back up the next night in LA because they needed
a guy right now. They get the younger of the two,
(24:50):
Elias Petterson's back what does Abbotsford's lineup look like when
you shuffle him in?
Speaker 4 (24:54):
What is?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
What is?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
What is?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
You know, goaltending production step up to be? If v
Tech Vantacheck or Carol Vimlico goes down, we're gonna lose
one of our two guys, right, Can Welsey from the
East step up into the role he's been in before? Like,
it's a matter of understanding that. Like it's so early
in the season. That sounds cliche, but there's so fifty
games left to play. We have no idea what the
rest of the.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Year looks like.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
We don't know what injuries are gonna do to that team.
We don't know what they're gonna do to our team.
So it's just a matter of kind of managing expectation
right now. And I feel like once they get to
the realm of Okay, we got boot back, we got
Lambaroue back, we feel like this is a group we
could run with. I think this team's really gonna step
up and they're gonna catch fire and just take off.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
And the last point to die is just you know,
and I agree with everything you said. The Pacific is
so really tight. I mean, I don't know if anyone's
going to catch Colorado. I think the only team that
really can catch them is either Ontario and maybe Samsan Calgary.
But from five to to nine, any of those teams
could get really hot, get really cold, and miss out
(25:57):
on the playoffs. I mean, as you said, it is
so early onnests that haven't played fifty games yet. Rodans
are one of those teams. But I think it's just
it is just so darn close that who knows, who
knows what's going to happen in a couple of weeks,
in a couple of days, guys might get called down
from other teams. So I just don't know what just
(26:21):
to see, honestly. I mean, it's been such a weird year.
You know, normally in the Pacific, there's obviously a few
teams that the eight and nine and ten slots, you
know that they're probably not gonna make in the playoffs.
Maybe the eight is always kind of pushing at the
last minute, but normally nine and ten are nowhere near close.
I think the ten, I mean Avatsford, they haven't really
shown anything. I mean, they've gotten a little bit better,
(26:41):
they've won a few games, but it's anyone's game. I
don't think Colorado is gonna collapse. I don't think any
of the top teams we lasted but five to nine
could miss the playoffs as we stand right now. So
but I think all the points you said, James is great.
I mean I think when this who knows if you talk,
gets even more hurt or more injury bug that it
(27:05):
just as I as I said, the identity of the team,
what is the identity who's going to show up every night?
It is Bevincartney gonna show up and is you know,
is own a large and to go out? You know,
you never know what's gonna happen in any of these games.
And that's why that's why the hl IS is such
a beautiful league, because you don't know who's going to
show up, Like who is this guy some seventh rounder
that comes out of nowhere and puts up three goals
(27:26):
and so we'll see. I don't know where where David went,
so he decided he was double this. I guess who's Yeah,
I don't know, But who do you? Who do you
if you had to pick anyone? And maybe he's kind
of been snake bitten a little bit, who's been kind
of Uh, you know, has been good so far at
the start of the season, but it's kind of struggled
(27:47):
a little bit. I wouldna say struggle is kind of
a negative word, but just you know, Puck has really
come to their stick. Who do you think uh could
step up big this weekend for Tusons.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I mean that's really gonna dependent on what the lineup
looks like, right Like, not to sound cliche, but you know,
Lipkin is in and out right now, Loots is there,
nor is their Mico's in and out right now, Tulio's
in and out right now. I think the guys that
are in and out, I think you want to play
the Knights, that you get your name on the sheet
and be like, all right, look, I'm here to play.
(28:19):
I want another night in the lineup. Ryan McGregor's done
that fantastically. I think he's a producer guy. They keep
him in the lineup. He's a veteran guy. They know
what he's capable of. His ability to drive play is
so fun to watch. I think, you know, if we're
talking guys that I could see realistically producing. Mitka has
already got one on the season. He told me at
(28:40):
the beginning of the year. I asked him, I said, Miko,
would he most look forward to goes scoring goals? And
I think he's on the verge of that. Robbie Russo
led this team in points and games played last season.
He's already up to assists. There's your production from Russo
kind of stepping back up. I think Robbie Russo gets
on the sheet maybe once or twice in the next
couple of games. I think the guys that are cycled
(29:01):
then you're on the lineup religiously are going to be
the guys we see step up. What does Lip can
do to get his name on the sheet nightly? Does
Matika find his stride? Maybe nol Lord is like, Hey,
you know what, I'm playing right wing online three. This
is where I want to be. Here's their production I
can drive. I think it's just so there's just so
many names on the list that giving you one or
two is hard. But I think it's the guys that
(29:23):
are in the lineup actively nightly, night in, and night
out that I think we're really going to see step
up And I'm excited to see what production those guys
can help drive on the ice this weekend against Bakersfield
it's a short series, but it's a long season, and
then you hit the road to Habits for next weekend.
I think, put yourself in the best position possible. Then
maybe go in and sweep babbits right, and we feel
(29:45):
like momentums, Hi, there's no way you beat that Sanose
eight team five to two after they score their first
goal on you in the first period and then just
fall off right. Keep the momentum high. The vibe as well.
If you ride that wave, you're up right now, keep it,
keep going, keep climbing it, and then fall down when
you feel like you're gonna need to. But if they
can continue to ride the momentum and keep that high
(30:07):
vibe into this weekend, I think we might we might
have a really good weekend.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
I agree to you. I think the Lipkin you mentioned
Sam Lipkin, he was someone in the Iowa series all
the way back to the start of November where I
mean he the game where they shut out Iowa in
the first game, he had like he led the team
in shots. I know, obviously they won three to nothing,
but you know, he was always that Lipkin line in
that series was kind of always like I noticed it
from watching it with my with my boss Chase, but
(30:34):
he's kind of been out of the lineup mostly so.
But David, since since you've joined back, re directed a
little bit, who is someone going to stand out for
you this weekend? Because James and I touched on a
little bit, who do you think is going to step up? Who?
Who someone that you're looking for? Maybe who has a
little bit snake be in for Tucson this week against
(30:55):
the biggest oil conovers.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Well, you think about Andrew Agazino, right, he had a
big game a couple of weekends ago. But he's somebody
that playing in the NHL, you would think, grab the
team by the horns here and lead the way, right.
You want him kind of be Rudolph to use a
Christmas metaphor, you want him at the front there. He's
the one that stands out. And I'm not gonna say
that you know, anything negative, but look, he's somebody that
(31:18):
that was in the NHL at the beginning of the season.
I think that there's certainly more production that could be
extracted from him, and that this he's a veteran here
to steady the ship through this kind of turbulent part
of the season where like James said, there's lots of injuries,
so I think he's got a lot of potential there
to to really captivate and and and get the team
going in the right direction. So that's my pick there, Agasino,
(31:40):
who'd you guys go with?
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Well, save Lipkin?
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Yeah, I think both of us were going to see
on Lipkin.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
There you go, he's gonna get on the ice first.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
Right right. But if I had to pick, if I
had to pick someone to kind of go on my own, uh,
Michael Kons who's been playing really well. I think that's
that's a guy. Also, Titulo, we mentioned Kevin Rooney. Those
guys right there are just my picks because I feel
like they've been playing really good and so yeah, I
(32:10):
think they're just gonna ride a wave going this weekend.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
I got one last question for our guests here, James
or do you want to jump in there? James?
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah, I wasna say.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Rooney keeps getting cycled along around the lines one to
three because he drafts production, and I think Kontz thrives
off that as well. I think I think I can
I think I like that Mikhail Koontz pick. I think
he's finding his footing and he's I feel like he's
kind of settling into his own and he could be
something really good for this team. He could be very scary.
I think Mikail Koontz is good. Pack Patrick, it's going,
(32:40):
thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
James is on board. Last question for me, James, So
we have different guests. On a lot of times we
check in see how they're doing from other teams. So
you're about two months into this operation. Maybe just over that,
how does it feel to be the play by play
broadcaster for the Tucson road Runners? Just maybe one takeaway?
One thing you really enjoyed this year?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Yeah, I mean I've I've enjoyed working with everybody. Michael
has been very hospitable and he's helped me out every
every time I needed it. Chase has been great, He's
he's a he's a stat funnel. I feel like our
phones are always going off in the booth and having
you know, my my computer up to watch the game.
In that little text pops up that says, okay, he
(33:21):
picks two goals away from tying. You know, Michael bunting
all the time. That helps. I think I think it's
it's a whole staff effort. Am I allowed to ripe
about one person in particular?
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Is that? Are we allowed to do that?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Here? Got ahead, my my broadcast partner is in and
out of the booth, and it kind of hurts me. Now,
I'm not going to call anybody out, but you know,
family is more important whatever during the holidays. No, you
and I I think work well together, David and we
I feel like we thrive in the booth. We thrive
(33:53):
on on chaos, I think is what you and I
do really well together. So just come to the rink
this weekend as abstract and dishoveled as possible, and let's
have a good call.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
I love it and.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I'll be there for both games. Looking forward to the
series again. Comedy Night on Friday Night, Roadrunners in the
Bakersfield Condoors seven o'clock, puck drop pregame six forty five
on Fox Sports fourteen fifty and HLTV on Flow Sports
same time on Saturday. Different promotion. Teddy Bear, Toss and
Santa Claus making a showing. I don't know if I
should spoil that, but he's making a little bit of
(34:25):
a detour in the desert before he's got to get
back up to the North Pole next week, so that's
what's on tap. We hope to see you at the
Tucson Arena. Thank you so much for listening to between
the benches.
From road Runners Weekly. This is between the Benches. You're
all access brief you love the week ahead. We'll look
at the Roadrunners upcoming opponents, get the inside story, and
here directly from the voices and players that know them best,
with David Moradian and Patrick Moore.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to another edition of Tucson Roadrunners. Between the Benches
David Meridian, Patrick Moore joined by special guest James Mackie,
the voice of the Tucson Roadrunners. We've been talking all
season with broadcasters from visiting teams, so time to return
the favor and bring in our very own and James
should have some very helpful insights on the Tucson Roadrunners.
(00:42):
But the Bakersfield Condors coming to town not unfamiliar. The
Roadrunners just played them last week. They also played host
to them earlier in the season, so this will be
game number four and five against Bakersfield. We got some
fun promotions for each of those games, Comedy Night on Friday,
and we know James likes to the laughs. We'll see
how he incorporates that. And then Teddy Bear Toss on
(01:05):
Saturday with special guest Santa Claus. Some people's favorite. I
saw James get a big smile. There Santa in the
building at the Tucson Arena on Saturday, yep, And so anyway,
that will be a lot of fun. James, here's my
question comedy night on Friday? Are you I already told Kim.
I gave Kim some advice. I said, how about some
dad jokes down at the glass through the pa see
(01:28):
what people think? And she loved the idea. So I
ask you, what do you have in store for Friday?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Man, I have not been thinking of anything yet, but
now that you're challenging me, I think I can.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I think I can.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I think I get it's just gonna be. You know
how hard it is to incorporate a dad joke into
a hockey game, Like I can't. Hey David, I'm hungry,
and you go, Hi, Dad, Hi hungry. I'm like, I can't.
I can't do that. That's harder than it looks. But
I feel like if anyone could do it, it's me.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I'm there.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Don't tell yourself. Sure, Patrick, any recommendations for James here?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
I don't know. I think he brings the laughs every
game in the studio.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
And are you saying he's funny without trying to be
just by existing your angle.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Here, it looks it's okay, a funny guy as liking
Good Fellows. Funny guy, I appreciate that. I appreciate that well.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Either way, a very exciting weekend in store. And so
last weekend Tucson Roadrunners playing in San Jose. San Jose
had their Teddy Bear Toss. For those that are not familiar, Basically,
the first goal scored by the home team brings the fury, right,
that's when the Teddy Bears start flying over the glass.
They make their way onto the ice and James, I
understand the fourteen to fifty broadcast tried to predict when
(02:45):
exactly that was going to happen in the game. Who
did well then? Did you have any success there? And
what's the plan on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah, our PR guy Chase put up two and a
half minutes as his guests, and that was the closest
it was. I think under Technically, I don't really know
how we're how we're scoring this. We'll go over it
again on Friday, but no, we're gonna do the same
thing Saturday. I think one of us can get relatively close.
And honestly, Ben gis Listen said it best on the
Iowa Wild broadcast last week. The forecast is calling for
(03:15):
Teddy Bear rain on Saturday night in the TCC, So
I'm really looking forward to who scores it. I know
last year our player play Guy Johnny, he predicted Austin
Paganski to score it and then literally in the same
clip that Flow posted on their Instagram page, he scores it.
So I'm really hoping that we get a moment like
(03:35):
that and maybe, you know, maybe a Titulio or Miko
Matika scores it. Maybe you never know, maybe Scott Prunovich
gets his first of the year to score it. We
don't know what could happen. This weekend is full of
opportunity and things that are yet to happen, So I'm
looking forward to whatever comes Therefore, Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
How about cloudy with a chance of Teddy Bears. By
the way, Scott Prunovich, he's somebody where it just feels
like any minute that first goal has got to be coming,
right because he's so often, I mean he's on the
ice basically every power play, right, so that alone is
ample opportunity. But he's such a great facilitator. He's in
the mix on so many rushes and opportunities. It just
(04:16):
feels like in inevitability that he's going to get that
first goal, but it hasn't happened yet, and maybe Teddy
Bear toss Knight would be the perfect opportunity for that
to happen. All right, Roadrunners playing host to the Bakersfield
Condors seven o'clock on both games, James, we just saw
the Condors and it was unfortunate timing for the Roadrunners, right,
not necessarily, I think a reflection of these two teams.
(04:40):
I think Tucson was caught in a storm there with
Boot and Lamberue going up pretty much right before the
matchup team maybe a little bit in limbo. So I
think this is a completely different opportunity, and we saw
Tucson play a lot better once they were able to
plant their feet and evaluate the current team that they
have and move on from there. A very impressive showing
(05:00):
up in San Jose. Do you think the road Runners
will be better prepared and in a different mold here
against Bakersfield this weekend than what we saw Wednesday?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, I mean you and I talked about it pretty
extensively over the weekend, and it was you know, we
started really the conversation on Wednesday that you know, when
you have your top two producers pretty much get get
the boot. You know, no pun intended. You know, it's
hard to step into a role in less than you know,
(05:30):
six hours and be like, all right, I'm going to
be the guy that produces. And then when you get
you know, embarrassed by San Jose to say, at least
on Friday, and then you come back Saturday you're ready
to beat them. It's hard to.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Hard.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
I think for this team it's hard to be in
the position that they're in and not find somebody who's
willing to step up and be that guy. I think
the roster is full of depth all the way up
and down. It's just going to be a matter of
who puts it together best. I like this Top Power
play and we have rolling Kevin Rooney filling in for
Deneel on it and he Big and Pirunovich and McCartney,
and you know, I think we have that unit looks good.
(06:09):
I think there's just a matter of what guys can
step into it. And honestly, I like some of the
lineup jumbling we've been seeing going on. I like that
breakup of that top line we've seen all season, McCartney, Paganski,
and he Big. I think moving those guys up and down.
And I've had a lot of conversations with head coach
Steve Popman about this. It's about cycling production across all
(06:30):
four lines. You have a four line group of guys
that are willing to produce on your forward unit. How
do you force them all to start working together and producing.
Cycle your top three guys who are all at double
digit points to start doing it and kind of moving
them around. Plus Rooney's in this lineup now to a
guy who produced, you know, was going off at a
point per game pace before he got called out the
first time. So I think we're in the point now
(06:51):
where they've cycled the lineup enough to where we've seen
the guys that can drive production and the guys that
can produce, and now they're going to start pairing them
the guys there right. I think this weekend we're going
to see a couple of different lineup changes. I think
maybe a Lard gets off that fourth line moves up
to line three with you know, like an Agazino, maybe
a Hebig. I think I think I'm looking for the
(07:11):
most to what the lineup looks like. And I'm really
honestly expecting a group of guys put on the ice
and this this four groups of forwards that's really just
going to blow up, blow the socks off everybody in
the house. I think we're going to finally see that
production kind of ramp up from from boot In lamber Leaving.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
And the one thing that Steve Podvin will say whenever
we kind of are like, hey, coach, you got a
couple of your top guys up at the AHL. Who's
got to step up here, who's got to fill in
the shoes, He won't give you a name because he
says it's got to be the entire team. It has
to be the collective. He wants to see, you know,
the Roadrunners play as one and everybody's got to continue
to improve and that it's not just a burden that
falls on one player. So he won't give me a name. Certainly,
(07:54):
we've been speculating on some of the players we'd like
to see a little bit more from, but he always
stresses he says, hey, everybody can can continue to improve
and play a little bit better. You mentioned the power
play unit for the Roadrunners. I want to mention the
power play unit for the opponent here, the Bakersfield Condors,
because they're a team on specials. James, that is special.
I mean, I'm not trying to be cliche about that,
(08:14):
but they are really solid on both fronts twenty seven
percent on the power play this season and on the
penalty kill eighty one percent. So those are two really
really good marks. And some people, some analytics junkies, they
like to say, well, let's just see if you add
up the two if you're above one hundred percent. Well,
they're almost that one hundred and ten percent. So their
(08:35):
special teams are really really efficient and it should make
for a good challenge for the Roadrunners on both sides.
The only positive Bakersfield commits more penalties than anybody else
in the Pacific Division. They've been shorthanded ninety five times
this season, so perhaps that Roadrunners power play can get
some opportunities, and like we said, that's a unit that
continues to improve and they should have a chance to
(08:58):
showcase that. Patrick, you want to jump in here anything
James and I have been touching on the last couple
of minutes.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
Yeah, I just think with Bakersfield and how good they've
been offensively, Quinn Hudson, you know, leading the leading the
Condors in pretty much almost every category that I think
if they can limit a lot of those mistakes like
what happened last Wednesday for the Roadrunners, I think. I mean,
James on Of, I mean you commented you call the
(09:24):
game on last Wednesday. I mean that that one goal
that Quinn Hudson scored off that really weird bounce. I
feel like if those like miss those mistakes or those
bad bounces go away, I feel like I just think
that like the road Runners will be able to find
a way to limit it, because I feel like the
road Owners are like neck and neck with the Condors.
I feel like during the game it was just bad
(09:45):
bounces that led. So I think if they can limit
the penalties and not have Bakersfield go on the power play,
I think the road Owners can be able to define
their opportunities.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
When you're when you have a PK unit that's ticking,
like we've seen two Sons take all season, it's kind
of hard to sit here and be like, well, you know,
they could do this better, they could do that better.
The PK Union is immaculate. I think what we need
to really look at is the fact that in points
for rookies in the American hockeyagu Quin Hudson's second to
Nick Lartis in Rockford. You know, thirteen goals, eleven assists.
(10:17):
Quinn Hudson's having a flying season. Daniel Boots still on
this list at eleventh, is inactive right now. So I think,
you know, it's hard to keep guys like that quiet,
rookies especially. We've known that a lot of the last
couple of years draft classes have been super highly touted.
A lot of the guys coming out of the draft
(10:37):
classes have been super hot and kind of start ripping
once they get in the league. And you know, Quinn Hudson,
Cole Hudson's brothers is no is no separate. I think
we're just really kind of at the I say, the
word I'm looking for is escaping me. We're at the
you know, we're at the mercy of what their product
(11:00):
of Quinn Hudson drives, but also not just Quentin Huntson
Eric quin Hudson, It's it's the rest of their lineup,
right It's you know, Villami, Mariala, It's guys like their
Pittlick brothers, it's you know, Josh Brown, who's a veteran defenseman.
Cam deneen, is he going to play this weekend? You know,
they they're just so deep all the way around, and
it's hard to say that, like, you know, they have
(11:21):
one week spot, but at the same time, when you're
cycling Matt Tompkins in an NHL caliber goaldie like Connor Ingram,
there really is no weak spot on this lineup. Their
forward units are strong. They put four strong forward units
on the ice every night. They've got three really good
defensive pairings, and then that goaltending pairing really kind of
helps that. I mean, if anything, the biggest thing is
just going to be finding what one group of guys
(11:44):
they can isolate and then isolating them to the best
of their ability. And I think we're at the point
now where you know, we have the same story. It's
the same thing all the way up and down our
lineup two where you know there's guys, younger guys. Tu
Leo for example, not in the lineup very often, but
when he is, he's a point McCartney we see out often.
You know, Perunovic on the deep pairing. We just got
(12:04):
Shimyschev back what is he going to do this weekend?
And now he's kind of got his feet wet, he'll
be at home for the first time on the season.
What is that going to look like? You know, Julian
Lutz is stepping in his own Allard's doing the same.
Like it's it's the youth on the lineups that we're
really seeing kind of take that jump up in production
and be what what coaches are looking for. But it's
(12:24):
really going to depend on how well it's pace for
pace with these guys Quinn Hudson. How well does you
know Shimyshev go pace for pace with him? But then
on the flip, how well does Bakersfield's D unit go
pace for pace with the forward unit that two sound
throws on the ice?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
And Quinn Hudson This season he has been the catalyst
for the Bakersfield Condors. Thirteen goals eleven assists this season,
two very impressive marks across the boarder. The other thing
I was impressed by personally James that contest on Wednesday
is we talk about Steve Potvin and he wants to
see all of the lines producing and carrying the load
for the road Runners. It was the fourth line of
(12:59):
four forwards that really impressed me. For Bakersfield, it was Petrov,
Pittlick and Pitlock and those three guys. They were making
stuff happen on the ice. I don't know if the analytics,
if there's a category for ms H make stuff happen,
but they were leading the way as far as I
saw it, and that's exactly what you want from if
you're the coach, right if you're leading the Bakersfield Condors,
(13:21):
there you see four lines producing specifically or fourth line.
I don't have to say leading the way because that's inaccurate,
but certainly carrying their fair share that is winning hockey,
and they've been doing a lot of that recently. But
look the Roadrunners that they've got to be feeling good,
and I think that they should be very satisfied with
the effort they put forward in San Jose. And that
(13:42):
brings me to this, James. I think the single most
positive thing about the season so far is when Tucson
has gone up against the top teams in their division,
they have looked like they belonged. And certainly, across any sport,
there are some teams that have pretty good records that
clean up against the teams that aren't aren't so good.
They win all their freebies and then when they go
(14:03):
up against the top of the top, they get out classed.
And that has not been the road Runners this year.
I was talking about this with Kim on Tuesday. I'm happier.
I said, if you want to look at it, look
at it negatively. You could say, against teams like Abbotsford
or some of the contests, you think that they should
be decisively winning, they're not. But hey, those top teams,
the Roadrunners belong. They play very competitive on the same level.
(14:25):
Two and two against Colorado, three points up in San Jose.
How do you feel about Tucson's performance against the top
teams this year?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
It's the room league for escaping me. It's amazing comes
to mind, but it's just so I mean, we talked
about it last week. It's the AHL, It's the anything
can happen League, right. These are guys that are all
in the spot where they do it. This is a
developmental league, and I've I've I've had a lot of
conversations with a lot of people about that. But it's like,
(14:54):
you know, this is this is a league where everybody
on this roster wants you play at the next level.
And maybe it's not realistic that they're all going to
get a chance, because if you look at Utah's roster,
they're not going to be plagued with injuries where they
need our entire roster. But you know, Kim Hebig at
the end of the year last year, got that call
up and he deserved it. You know, he was there
(15:15):
for part of it. Mav Lameru, you know deserves it too.
Like these are guys that you know, everybody wants to
be at the next level. And to be honest with you,
the three to two to win one record against top
teams in the league, in the division, the top two teams,
specifically Colorado. Splitting a series in Colorado's hard to do.
(15:35):
Splitting a series over four games with Colorado's hard to do.
But it's it's the trap games. Right, we all were
big college football guys. We know what that means. It's
the trap games that really burn. And when you lose
a trap game like Abbitsford, you get I mean obliterated
is a term that comes to mind. In Game two,
five goals against from Abbitsford. Yes, they're in the middle
(15:57):
of cycling goaltenders Yuri patur maybe wasn't someone too was
expecting to see in that game. But it's not the
it's not the performances against the top two teams that
are really going to do this team in. It's the
performances against the bottom two teams that are really going
to hurt them. Iowa we talked about, is that very
good this year? They split with Iowa. Stauberg gets that shutout.
You know, this series against Manitoba comes to mind very heavily.
(16:19):
You can't get swept by a team like that. It's
just really going to depend on what this team can
do when they play the bottom teams as opposed to
the top teams. Because when you play a team at
the top, case in point, the Blackhawks and the Rangers
last night, Right, the Hawks put up three on the Rangers.
The Rangers are a bottom team in the league, but
you want to step up to play those teams, right,
that's how that works. But when you play a top
(16:41):
team Utah and Florida last night, for example, Utahs down
three to two in period number two, they come back
to tie it up at three to three. They take
it to the final minutes of regulation with forty seven
seconds left, Florida gets a cheap one. When you play
a top team in the league, you want to drive
your production up to match the level that they're playing at,
and this team does really well of doing it. It's
those games in the teams below them that seem to
(17:01):
really cost them. So I think are really middle of
the middle of the playoff race right now for Bakersfield
in this division. Is really going to show us what
this team's made of, because then you can kind of
play at that even keel level, right you know, these
are games you have to win. You're in the American
Hookey League. You know you're gonna have to sweep at
least one or two weekend series to get into a
playoff spot. The years young, but Steve Potkin's already talking
(17:22):
about playoffs, so clearly there's some hope here that it happens.
But I think when you're in the middle of the
playoff race, when you're in the middle of the standings,
the top two teams are important, but the bottom two
teams are also important. But that's that middle pack that's
really going to show us what this team's made of.
And I think they're going to perform really well this weekend,
but I think the way they play against San Jose
and Colorado's gonna help bolster that.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
No, I agree, James. I mean some of the best
hockey they've played have been against Colorado, has been against
sant today, And I don't know, And as a former
player myself, I think it's I think it's always hard
when you're playing with those lower division place teams. You're like,
you don't know what's gonna happen. You know, if you're
just gonna roun them early on, or you're just could
be like man, their goaltenders standing on his head, like
(18:03):
you know, why isn't going in for us? And then
then it's in under the back of our net. So
I think there's been times this season where they've played
really well and maybe not gotten rewarded. But at the
same time, like Manitoba, now they're they're in second place
in the Central So I don't think that at the
time it looked bad, but now I think it's more
of a Okay, we just didn't play our best. I
(18:23):
think the one that I think still hurts is Abbotsford
because of just how their situation they've been in the
bottom since the beginning of the season, and I know
they're going through a lot of changes because you know
this goaltending and injuries in the big club. But I
think overall, it's just the games between San Diego, Coachella
Valley and Bakersfield. These are the ones that you have
(18:44):
to win because when we get towards the new year
and we get to February March, that's when teams pick
it up. That's when pace of play gets better. And
you know, we saw it last year the Roaderners. You know,
they weren't they weren't doing well at the time. They
were out of the playoffs, so they kind of were
battling for a spot and that's when they came live
and we're able to get the last spot last year.
So I think it takes time, but also the clock
(19:07):
is ticking, and as you said, it's anything happens, like
you never know what's gonna happen. You know, you know,
a lot of us thought, oh, after we're gonna come
in sweep them and we'll maybe get on fire. Didn't happen.
So I think it's it's it's about timing and it's
about you know, where this team can go and I
think if they can get points out of this series,
maybe even two wins, who knows. Who knows where the
(19:30):
Roaders can take themselves, and I think it would maybe
mav and all those guys come back. Who knows. If
they get on fire, it's gonna be dangerous hockey team
because I've We've seen it against Colorado, We've seen it
against San Jose, and the potential is there. It's just
it just the bounces have to go their way. And
I think Baker Shield is a perfect example. I thought
they played great in the first half of the game
(19:52):
and then things just kind of go out of hand.
So we'll see what happens this weekend. David, I don't
know if you want to jump in here, but what
do you how do you feel assessing from James and
ice points.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I think this is an opportunity. Look, Tucson just saw
this team, right, I'm pretty big into that. And for
two periods they were on the same level. But the
third period, the most consequential one did not go their way.
So I think that they I'm not saying revenge has
to be on their mind, but there's a clear area
for improvement, right, there's an objective criteria that they can
(20:26):
improve on, and I think it's a great opportunity for
this new group to show the progress that they've made
in a short time, and so I think they're going
to relish that opportunity. Look, I think both goaltenders are
playing well. Matthew Volata very steady this year. Jackson Stobber
getting better and better as the season progresses. We've certainly
seen I think a different level of performance from him
(20:46):
in the month of December and even late November than
we did out of the gate. So I think that
there are some positives here. And really one of the
things we've been talking about this season is how can
the team ride momentum, ride momentum throughout the court of
the game and throughout the course of the season. In
a game context, Hey, you just killed the power play
for the other team. You just had a great kill.
(21:08):
Go translate that into you know, maybe a breakaway or
a scoring opportunity, or you scored on a power play,
keep it going right, anything like that, and that maybe
has been a little bit of a struggle and you
got an opportunity to do that in your season. You
just had a great showing up in San Jose build
on it against one of your contemporaries. I mean, Bakersfield
is a team that we expect to be right next
to two some this year in the standings. So there's
(21:29):
a real opportunity here to make up some ground and
beat up on one of those teams in the middle
of the division. And I hope that they relish that
and capitalize.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I would just like to point out this happens perennially.
Right this I've been I've worked with this organization for years,
even when they were previous with the Coyotes. The injury
bug hits and it hurts because it hits like a
mac truck. The Big Club is hurt right now. Logan
Coolly just went down. They're missing a couple guys on
the forward unit. They're missing a couple of guys on
(21:58):
that d unit. This is that time of year that
the resilience, right David, You and I talk about that
a lot. How coaches love that word resilience. I think
in each interview we've done with Steve Potvin, if it's
not us saying it, it's him saying it at some
point in you know, the time that we have with him.
But I think when you look at the list of
what every season tends to be, like, it's that middle
(22:21):
of the year, it's December to like February, when you
have guys that are with the big club because the
injury bug hit the big club. That really shows what
you're made of. And it's it's understandable that Wednesday, Friday, Saturday,
this team was playing on their heels, right because Wednesday
Friday especially, you're on the road, you're away from home,
you just lost to your biggest offensive producers. Who's going
(22:41):
to step up, right, And it's not like the d'anil
boot call up should have hurt them. Still, that was
Wednesday morning. It was that mav Lamberu call up that
I feel like really kind of caught him because it
was like late Wednesday afternoon while we were getting ready
for the game, Like I was in the middle of
prepping when that call up came. You know, I think,
now they've had time to sit in. Now you go
to practice with these guys. They didn't have much practice
(23:02):
time because when Tuesdays of travel Day Wednesday they play,
Thursdays of travel Day, Friday Saturday they play, right, so
they haven't had a time to put this unit on
ice all together on practice. But now that you've had
a couple of days to do that, right, you've had
the week to do that. I think we're really going
to see what this team's made of, and we're really
going to kind of find out what pieces are substitutable
in and out of that lineup. We may see Taa
(23:24):
Goldsmith play again this weekend, we don't know. We may
see Canonton getsat once, Layton Moore takes a step up
he produced last series. When you have guys like that,
Robbie Russo found his production as well. When you have
guys like that in this lineup, where you understand that
this is the middle of the year, the Big Club's
going to be injury plague. That's an eighty two game season.
You're going to have to substitute guys in and out.
(23:44):
When those guys come back healthier for the Big Club,
and then we get Boot and Lambero back, or maybe
we get another guy from the Big Club, maybe Yamamoto
comes back. We don't really know. There's an opportunity on
the board to be like, all right, look, we're okay
to lose games during November, December, January, February, but it's
that last push that half of February after the All
Star break really that you have to play your foot
(24:05):
down and be like, all right, look, we have our roster,
we have the group of guys we want to move
forward with. Let's make this unit work. And I think
now judging what the end of the season is going
to look like, it's just so hard to do because
we have no idea what the end of the season
looks like. How many more guys get to call? Is
the Neil Boots production still up when he if he
comes back? Does Boot put up four tomorrow night against
whoever Utah plays like? There's so many questions that are
(24:27):
askable in this situation. It's just so hard to speculate
what the end of the season looks like up as
of right now. And again remembering that this is a
trend with a lot of teams. Abbotsford's plagued right now
because Vancouver's plagued with injuries. Abbitsford got Lekermackie back, he
scored in that game against US. They sent him right
back up the next night in LA because they needed
a guy right now. They get the younger of the two,
(24:50):
Elias Petterson's back what does Abbotsford's lineup look like when
you shuffle him in?
Speaker 4 (24:54):
What is?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
What is?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
What is?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
You know, goaltending production step up to be? If v
Tech Vantacheck or Carol Vimlico goes down, we're gonna lose
one of our two guys, right, Can Welsey from the
East step up into the role he's been in before? Like,
it's a matter of understanding that. Like it's so early
in the season. That sounds cliche, but there's so fifty
games left to play. We have no idea what the
rest of the.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Year looks like.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
We don't know what injuries are gonna do to that team.
We don't know what they're gonna do to our team.
So it's just a matter of kind of managing expectation
right now. And I feel like once they get to
the realm of Okay, we got boot back, we got
Lambaroue back, we feel like this is a group we
could run with. I think this team's really gonna step
up and they're gonna catch fire and just take off.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
And the last point to die is just you know,
and I agree with everything you said. The Pacific is
so really tight. I mean, I don't know if anyone's
going to catch Colorado. I think the only team that
really can catch them is either Ontario and maybe Samsan Calgary.
But from five to to nine, any of those teams
could get really hot, get really cold, and miss out
(25:57):
on the playoffs. I mean, as you said, it is
so early onnests that haven't played fifty games yet. Rodans
are one of those teams. But I think it's just
it is just so darn close that who knows, who
knows what's going to happen in a couple of weeks,
in a couple of days, guys might get called down
from other teams. So I just don't know what just
(26:21):
to see, honestly. I mean, it's been such a weird year.
You know, normally in the Pacific, there's obviously a few
teams that the eight and nine and ten slots, you
know that they're probably not gonna make in the playoffs.
Maybe the eight is always kind of pushing at the
last minute, but normally nine and ten are nowhere near close.
I think the ten, I mean Avatsford, they haven't really
shown anything. I mean, they've gotten a little bit better,
(26:41):
they've won a few games, but it's anyone's game. I
don't think Colorado is gonna collapse. I don't think any
of the top teams we lasted but five to nine
could miss the playoffs as we stand right now. So
but I think all the points you said, James is great.
I mean I think when this who knows if you talk,
gets even more hurt or more injury bug that it
(27:05):
just as I as I said, the identity of the team,
what is the identity who's going to show up every night?
It is Bevincartney gonna show up and is you know,
is own a large and to go out? You know,
you never know what's gonna happen in any of these games.
And that's why that's why the hl IS is such
a beautiful league, because you don't know who's going to
show up, Like who is this guy some seventh rounder
that comes out of nowhere and puts up three goals
(27:26):
and so we'll see. I don't know where where David went,
so he decided he was double this. I guess who's Yeah,
I don't know, But who do you? Who do you
if you had to pick anyone? And maybe he's kind
of been snake bitten a little bit, who's been kind
of Uh, you know, has been good so far at
the start of the season, but it's kind of struggled
(27:47):
a little bit. I wouldna say struggle is kind of
a negative word, but just you know, Puck has really
come to their stick. Who do you think uh could
step up big this weekend for Tusons.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I mean that's really gonna dependent on what the lineup
looks like, right Like, not to sound cliche, but you know,
Lipkin is in and out right now, Loots is there,
nor is their Mico's in and out right now, Tulio's
in and out right now. I think the guys that
are in and out, I think you want to play
the Knights, that you get your name on the sheet
and be like, all right, look, I'm here to play.
(28:19):
I want another night in the lineup. Ryan McGregor's done
that fantastically. I think he's a producer guy. They keep
him in the lineup. He's a veteran guy. They know
what he's capable of. His ability to drive play is
so fun to watch. I think, you know, if we're
talking guys that I could see realistically producing. Mitka has
already got one on the season. He told me at
(28:40):
the beginning of the year. I asked him, I said, Miko,
would he most look forward to goes scoring goals? And
I think he's on the verge of that. Robbie Russo
led this team in points and games played last season.
He's already up to assists. There's your production from Russo
kind of stepping back up. I think Robbie Russo gets
on the sheet maybe once or twice in the next
couple of games. I think the guys that are cycled
(29:01):
then you're on the lineup religiously are going to be
the guys we see step up. What does Lip can
do to get his name on the sheet nightly? Does
Matika find his stride? Maybe nol Lord is like, Hey,
you know what, I'm playing right wing online three. This
is where I want to be. Here's their production I
can drive. I think it's just so there's just so
many names on the list that giving you one or
two is hard. But I think it's the guys that
(29:23):
are in the lineup actively nightly, night in, and night
out that I think we're really going to see step
up And I'm excited to see what production those guys
can help drive on the ice this weekend against Bakersfield
it's a short series, but it's a long season, and
then you hit the road to Habits for next weekend.
I think, put yourself in the best position possible. Then
maybe go in and sweep babbits right, and we feel
(29:45):
like momentums, Hi, there's no way you beat that Sanose
eight team five to two after they score their first
goal on you in the first period and then just
fall off right. Keep the momentum high. The vibe as well.
If you ride that wave, you're up right now, keep it,
keep going, keep climbing it, and then fall down when
you feel like you're gonna need to. But if they
can continue to ride the momentum and keep that high
(30:07):
vibe into this weekend, I think we might we might
have a really good weekend.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
I agree to you. I think the Lipkin you mentioned
Sam Lipkin, he was someone in the Iowa series all
the way back to the start of November where I
mean he the game where they shut out Iowa in
the first game, he had like he led the team
in shots. I know, obviously they won three to nothing,
but you know, he was always that Lipkin line in
that series was kind of always like I noticed it
from watching it with my with my boss Chase, but
(30:34):
he's kind of been out of the lineup mostly so.
But David, since since you've joined back, re directed a
little bit, who is someone going to stand out for
you this weekend? Because James and I touched on a
little bit, who do you think is going to step up? Who?
Who someone that you're looking for? Maybe who has a
little bit snake be in for Tucson this week against
(30:55):
the biggest oil conovers.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Well, you think about Andrew Agazino, right, he had a
big game a couple of weekends ago. But he's somebody
that playing in the NHL, you would think, grab the
team by the horns here and lead the way, right.
You want him kind of be Rudolph to use a
Christmas metaphor, you want him at the front there. He's
the one that stands out. And I'm not gonna say
that you know, anything negative, but look, he's somebody that
(31:18):
that was in the NHL at the beginning of the season.
I think that there's certainly more production that could be
extracted from him, and that this he's a veteran here
to steady the ship through this kind of turbulent part
of the season where like James said, there's lots of injuries,
so I think he's got a lot of potential there
to to really captivate and and and get the team
going in the right direction. So that's my pick there, Agasino,
(31:40):
who'd you guys go with?
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Well, save Lipkin?
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Yeah, I think both of us were going to see
on Lipkin.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
There you go, he's gonna get on the ice first.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
Right right. But if I had to pick, if I
had to pick someone to kind of go on my own, uh,
Michael Kons who's been playing really well. I think that's
that's a guy. Also, Titulo, we mentioned Kevin Rooney. Those
guys right there are just my picks because I feel
like they've been playing really good and so yeah, I
(32:10):
think they're just gonna ride a wave going this weekend.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
I got one last question for our guests here, James
or do you want to jump in there? James?
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah, I wasna say.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Rooney keeps getting cycled along around the lines one to
three because he drafts production, and I think Kontz thrives
off that as well. I think I think I can
I think I like that Mikhail Koontz pick. I think
he's finding his footing and he's I feel like he's
kind of settling into his own and he could be
something really good for this team. He could be very scary.
I think Mikail Koontz is good. Pack Patrick, it's going,
(32:40):
thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
James is on board. Last question for me, James, So
we have different guests. On a lot of times we
check in see how they're doing from other teams. So
you're about two months into this operation. Maybe just over that,
how does it feel to be the play by play
broadcaster for the Tucson road Runners? Just maybe one takeaway?
One thing you really enjoyed this year?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Yeah, I mean I've I've enjoyed working with everybody. Michael
has been very hospitable and he's helped me out every
every time I needed it. Chase has been great, He's
he's a he's a stat funnel. I feel like our
phones are always going off in the booth and having
you know, my my computer up to watch the game.
In that little text pops up that says, okay, he
(33:21):
picks two goals away from tying. You know, Michael bunting
all the time. That helps. I think I think it's
it's a whole staff effort. Am I allowed to ripe
about one person in particular?
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Is that? Are we allowed to do that?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Here? Got ahead, my my broadcast partner is in and
out of the booth, and it kind of hurts me. Now,
I'm not going to call anybody out, but you know,
family is more important whatever during the holidays. No, you
and I I think work well together, David and we
I feel like we thrive in the booth. We thrive
(33:53):
on on chaos, I think is what you and I
do really well together. So just come to the rink
this weekend as abstract and dishoveled as possible, and let's
have a good call.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
I love it and.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I'll be there for both games. Looking forward to the
series again. Comedy Night on Friday Night, Roadrunners in the
Bakersfield Condoors seven o'clock, puck drop pregame six forty five
on Fox Sports fourteen fifty and HLTV on Flow Sports
same time on Saturday. Different promotion. Teddy Bear, Toss and
Santa Claus making a showing. I don't know if I
should spoil that, but he's making a little bit of
(34:25):
a detour in the desert before he's got to get
back up to the North Pole next week, so that's
what's on tap. We hope to see you at the
Tucson Arena. Thank you so much for listening to between
the benches.
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.