In terms of bonus hockey, Tucson Roadrunners fans have been getting their money’s worth of late.
On Saturday, Tucson (16-12-5-0) beat the Iowa Wild 5-4 in overtime to sweep the series. It was the Roadrunners’ second straight OT game.
Tucson has played in 12 overtime games so far this year, tied for second most in the NHL. The Roadrunners have gone 7-0-5-0 in those games.
Last year and the season before, the Roadrunners played in 10 overtime games, down from 14 in 2022-23 and 12 in 2021-22.
The Roadrunners’ record for overtime games is 18, set in their inaugural season of 2016-17.
Saturday’s extra time win came after the Roadrunners gave up three straight goals in the third period, but recovered to get the win.
“Some overtime wins are more special than the others, but I find that these are the hardest ones,” said Tucson head coach Steve Potvin. “So we've got to be really proud of it because, you know, when they score three unanswered goals in the third period to tie the game, it shows a lot of character and a lot of resilience to be able to win that game, to be able to let the past go and just go and attack the next moments that are in front of you. That’s pretty special, as well.
Sammy Walker (25) of the Tucson Roadrunners celebrates vs. Iowa Jan. 9, 2026. Tucson defeated the Wild 2-1.
“So, we're not going to critique these wins, they’re important to us and as we talked about, the Pacific Division is so tight,” he added. “We need every single point, so we're not going to critique it.”
The Roadrunners host the San Jose Barracuda (20-11-1-2) for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday. The Barracuda are the AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.
The baby Sharks have played three overtime games in a row, winning a pair, and two of those went to a shootout.
During the regular season, if the third period ends in a tie, then both teams receive at least a point. Then the teams play a five-minute sudden-death overtime.
If a team scores in overtime, it gets an additional point. Each team plays with three skaters and a goalie (provided there are not penalties).
If they remain tied after overtime, they go to a best of three shoot out. If they are still tied, it goes to sudden death for the right to get the extra point.
The AHL record’s order is: wins, losses, overtime losses and shootout losses, so with a 16-12-5-0 mark, Tucson has five overtime losses.
Tucson opened the season with overtime games in three of its first four. The Roadrunners won two of those, against the Ontario Reign and Calgary Wranglers, and dropped one to Calgary.
In the 13 games since Dec. 5, Tucson has played in seven overtime games.
“Obviously we would have liked to win in the regular time, but yeah, I think teams could be getting scared to play against us in overtime,” forward Julian Lutz said.
He said he likes the overtime format, he can use his speed, but you have to be careful with the puck with that much open ice, making it exciting for the fans
“I like to play overtime because I’m a really good skater, I just want to skate with the puck every time,” said Tucson defenseman Dmitri Simashev. “But to be honest, I just want to win the really calm game … of course, I want to win the every game, like 5-nothing. I just want to be like chill, every game.”
Tucson Roadrunners' Dmitri Simashev (26) battles with the Iowa Wild, Jan. 9, 2026.
Although they get two points for an overtime win, the negative with playing so many OT games is that first tie breaker is regulation wins. Last season, Tucson edged out Bakersfield for the last playoff spot because it had more regulation wins.
The Roadrunners are tied for the sixth most wins in the division, but are tied for eighth with nine regulation wins.
Tucson is on a four-game win streak and has won six of its last seven. The Roadrunners have earned points in their last seven games and in 11 of their last 13, going 8-2-3-0.
“I played in champion team last year and I just wanted to say the third period and in overtime, it’s about the character, how good can the players play under the pressure,” Simashev said. “That's the main point.”
The Russian won the KHL title last year with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv.
Slapshots
— Despite their recent run, the Roadrunners sit in the ninth spot in the Pacific Division, tied for eighth place and currently outside of the playoffs.
However, Tucson is one point out of a postseason spot, three points behind the fifth-place Coachella Valley Firebirds and 11 points behind the first-place Ontario Reign. The Roadrunners have five games in hand on the Firebirds and three on the Reign, so they could gain even more ground.
“The fight is real in the Pacific, it’s gonna require that we maintain our composure no matter what happens,” Potvin said. “You don’t get too high, it’s the same kind of like playoff mentality, you have to get right back at it.”
— Lutz and defenseman Max Szuber were considered for Germany’s Olympic team but didn’t make the cut.
Lutz, who is from Weingarten, Germany, said the national team coach and manager came to Tucson to see them. He said he was more disappointed that Szuber didn’t make it.
"We'll be there in the next four years,” Lutz said.
In 2022, former Roadrunners like Steven Kampfer (USA), Nathan Smith (USA), Ronald Knot (Czech Republic), Milos Keleman and Adam Cracknell (Canada) went to the Olympics, but this is the first time since 2014 that NHL players are going.
Tucson Roadrunners' Julian Lutz (43) gets up close with fans Jan. 10, 2026, at the team took on the Iowa Wild.
“It’s a lifetime goal to play in Olympic Games for Germany,” Lutz said. “I just have to work hard to be there next time.”
— On Sunday, Utah recalled center Kevin Rooney. It’s the fifth time the Mammoth have called him up, but as of press time, he’s only played in one NHL game this year.
— Friday is Mardi Gras Night, Tucson will wear Mardi Gras warm-up jerseys, and they will be auctioned via DASH starting Friday morning. Saturday is UA Night/College Night. The Roadrunners are offering a ticket package with a UA/Roadrunners hat included.
