From Thanksgiving weekend until the last home stand of the regular season, the Tucson Roadrunners failed to win back-to-back games on home ice.
In the past three weeks, the Roadrunners have performed that task twice, first sweeping San Diego to close out the regular season, then beating San Jose two times at home to win the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Roadrunners’ ability to flip the script at home surely played into the team’s decision to open in Tucson this week as it faces Texas in the second round.
The Roadrunners face the Texas Stars in a best-of-seven series beginning Wednesday at Tucson Arena. Tucson will host Game 2 on Friday night before playing the next two or three on the road.
Last week Tucson gave all fans in attendance white T-shirts as part of a white-out promotion the team is running throughout the postseason. The Roadrunners will be handing out a white-out themed giveaway for the second round as well.
Roadrunners head coach Mike Van Ryn credited the white-out after Game 3 of the San Jose series for giving the team an extra push.
“With all that white stuff the rink seems a lot brighter,” Van Ryn said. “The fans are great. No matter what all year, this is a louder building than what you think. I hope people see what the games can be like and how much fun the games are.”
History with Texas indicates tight matchup
Tucson’s last homestand against the Stars came on the weekend of March 9-10, when the Roadrunners won the first game of the series 2-1 before dropping the second 4-3.
Those outcomes are not necessarily an indication of the Roadrunners’ present group, as Tucson forward Dylan Strome was playing with the Arizona Coyotes at that time.
Since returning to Tucson, Strome has regained his spot as the Roadrunners’ top offensive catalyst.
Strome is tied with Syracuse’s Matthew Peca for the league lead in postseason points at eight. Strome has three goals and five assists in four games.
Tucson’s lone road trip to face the Stars in the regular season resulted in a pair of Roadrunners wins.
The series took place on Feb. 9-10 when Tucson won the first game 5-2 and followed with a 2-1 victory. The Stars play in Cedar Park, Texas, just north of Austin.
Central favorite is upset
The Chicago Wolves served as Tucson’s tightest competition to the win Western Conference regular-season title, but there will be no chance of a postseason matchup.
The Wolves of the Central Division were ousted in three games by Rockford in the biggest upset of the playoffs’ opening round.
The winner of the Grand Rapids — Manitoba series will face Rockford in the second round. Whoever wins that series will take on either Tucson or Texas in the Western Conference finals.
