The Tucson Roadrunners wrapped up a two-game midweek homestand with a 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose on Wednesday night.
San Jose’s Jacob Middleton scored the game winner 2:07 into the overtime period. The defeat wasn’t a total loss for Tucson, which came back from a two-goal deficit to earn a crucial point in the standings.
San Jose grabbed a 1-0 lead 8:47 into the game on a goal by Brandon Mashinter. Twenty seconds later, Colby McAuley of the Barracuda scored to make it 2-0.
“We knew they were going to come at us hard,” Roadrunners coach Mike Van Ryn said. “We weren’t ready. Our starts have been a bit of a struggle for our team.”
Tucson got on the board early in the second period when Mike Sislo scored off an assist by Dakota Mermis.
San Jose regained a two-goal lead on a power-play score by Manuel Wiederer nine minutes into the second period.
Tucson outshot San Jose by a 12-3 margin in the second period.
Five minutes into the third period, the Roadrunners cut the lead to 3-2 on a goal by Joel Hanley with an assist by Michael Bunting and Mario Kempe.
The goal was Hanley’s first score of the season.
Carter Camper tied the game with 1:17 remaining in regulation.
“It’s nice that we clawed our way back but I didn’t think we played with enough desperation,” Van Ryn said. “I think if we played with the same desperation in the last half of the game, if we start that way, maybe it’s a different game.”
Tucson's Adin Hill started at goalkeeper for the second night in a row after recording a shutout Tuesday.
Roadrunners defenseman Kyle Capobianco returned to the ice Wednesday after missing the past 12 games with a lower body injury.
Tucson was without Nick Merkley, who suffered an upper body injury in the Roadrunners' Tuesday 4-0 win over San Jose on Tuesday.
The Roadrunners entered the night with a firm grip on first place in the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division. With just nine games remaining in the regular season, Tucson looks all but a lock to make the postseason.
Tucson can enhance its chances of earning the top seed in the Pacific Division with a successful stretch on its upcoming four-game road trip.
The Roadrunners travel to California this weekend, where they’ll take on Bakersfield and San Jose. The team flies to Iowa the following weekend for two more games.
Tucson has four home games left this season.
