Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Merrick Madsen knows this trick all too well: When a team canβt get the puck past its opposing goaltender, odds are, of course, a win wonβt be in the cards.
While Madsen has posted four shutouts already this season β three with the Roadrunners and one with the ECHLβs Norfolk Admirals before his early-season American Hockey League call-up to Tucson β the first-year pro ended up on the other end of the coin Wednesday night, allowing only two goals but still seeing his Roadrunners fall, 2-0, to the Colorado Eagles at Tucson Arena.
The loss snapped the streak of eight straight games without a loss in regulation for the Roadrunners (15-6-2-1), and eight straight with at least one point added to their spot in the AHLβs Pacific Division standings.
βI didnβt really like how we played. I thought we were undisciplined. We were in the (penalty) box too much and then chasing the game,β Tucson head coach Jay Varady said. βI think if you go to the box that many times, guys play too many minutes, too many hard minutes on the (penalty kill).
βIt never felt like we played five on five tonight,β Varady added, referencing Tucsonβs eight penalties on the evening, including a pair of double minors that put ColoradoΒ (13-8-3-1) on the power play for four minutes each time.
Unlike a night earlier, when the Roadrunners defeated Colorado, 2-1, with the teams combining for 65 shots on goal, Madsen didnβt see a ton of action at his end of the ice Wednesday. He stopped 15 of 17 shots, while Coloradoβs Spencer Martin stopped all 22 Roadrunners shots he faced.
Down 1-0 in the third, Tucson defenseman Kyle Capobianco had arguably the clearest chance all night for the home team, winding up from point blank, square on with the Colorado goal. But his shot got lost in Martinβs left leg pad. The Roadrunners had multiple down-low chances with the line of Trevor Murphy, Laurent Dauphin and Nick Merkley attacking Martinβs goal crease.Β
The most positive news of the night for Tucson was Merkleyβs return to the lineup. Merkley, who scored 18 goals and tallied 39 points in 38 games for the Roadrunners last season, hadn't played since March 20Β β nearly nine full months ago β while rehabbing from knee surgery.
βItβs nice to be in a competitive environment again,β Merkley said. βBut obviously you want to win and I thought we had our chances tonight, (we) just couldnβt bury.β
Added Varady: βI thought (Merkley) was good. He looked like he was right in the swing of things. I didnβt notice anything out of the ordinary with him.β
WATCH: Roadrunners react to first regulation loss in nine games
Tucson captain Dakota Mermis said that while three wins in four games as Tucson wrapped up its homestand isnβt a bad thing, he felt like the Roadrunners let another one get away Wednesday.
βYeah, that one stings,β he said. βBut we look forward to getting to Chicago and trying to get two there.β
The Roadrunnersβ win over Colorado a day earlier put Tucson into a virtual tie for first place in the Pacific Division with the San Jose Barracuda.
With San Jose off Wednesday, the Roadrunners hit the road this weekend for a pair in Rosemont, Illinois, against the Chicago Wolves, still tied atop the division with 33 points.
The Wolves and Roadrunners drop the puck at Allstate Arena at 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Road-game viewing will be back at Brother Johnβs Beer Bourbon and BBQ, 1801 N. Stone Ave., this weekend, but for Saturdayβs game only.
After two more on the road in San Jose Dec. 21 and 22, the Roadrunners return to Tucson Arena again Dec. 28-29. Theyβll face the Stockton Heat, with the puck dropping both evenings at 7:05.
