Do-or-die? Facing elimination, AHL's Tucson Roadrunners regroup for Game 2 Friday vs. Calgary Wranglers

The Tucson Roadrunners’ season, and perhaps existence in Southern Arizona, has come down to one do-or-die game.

And if the Roadrunners win Friday, it won’t be the last time they face that exact same uncertain scenario.

After 73 games, the second-seeded Roadrunners (43-24-4-2) look to stave off elimination and pull even in their AHL Calder Cup first-round best-of-three playoff series against the seventh-seeded Calgary Wranglers (36-28-6-3) Friday at 7 p.m. at Tucson Arena.

“I think the guys are all aware of it,” Tucson head coach Steve Potvin said. “We practiced hard and played hard all season long for these types of moments.

“Guys don’t let up very much and they look forward to these types of challenges so there’s not much that we have to say to them.”

The game is another Whiteout at Tucson Arena, with the Roadrunners giving out white T-shirts to fans.

Tucson’s postseason continues as the Roadrunners’ future in the Old Pueblo remains in doubt. If Tucson wins Friday, a Sunday rubber match would carry the same implications.

Upon selling the hockey-related assets of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes last week, Roadrunners’ owner Alex Meruelo has said he wants to explore moving the team to Tempe in the wake of the state losing its NHL team.

Tucson needs to win to prolong the best-of-three series after falling 2-0 to the Wranglers Wednesday despite outshooting them 46-35. Calgary scored late in the second and then added an empty-net goal to seal it.

“It’s pretty much do or die so the intensity better be high and we better be leaving it all on the ice for our fans,” Tucson goalie Matthew Villalta said. “I think that’s pretty good motivation as it is.

“So just gotta find a way to regroup and give it 110%.”

Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf made 46 saves in Game 1. He won the AHL’s most valuable player award last year and has extensive playoff experience, playing in 23 AHL postseason games.

Tucson forward Josh Doan said the Roadrunners don’t need to be alarmed.

“There’s no reason for us to panic right now. It’s one game. It’s best of three so it’s nice and short,” Doan said. “Obviously it will be a focal point on getting shots on him again but at the end of the day we liked the way that we played and if we get back to that then we’ll be fine.”

Tucson has gone 1-2-0-0 0 against Wolf this season, scoring a total of two goals. Tucson left wing John Leonard scored on a penalty shot against Wolf but he was a scratch on Wednesday.

Villalta, for his efforts, held his own, making 33 saves on 34 shots faced Wednesday.

“He’s been a rock for us all year,” Doan said. “Their goalie’s good ... but we got just as much confidence in ours and come Friday we’re going to have just as much confidence in him again to help us and help us get a win.”

In his own return to the Roadrunners’ line, Doan played on a line with Dylan Guenther and Jan Jenik. The trio combined for 61 NHL games this season, where they got 45 points, led by Guenther’s 18 goals and 17 assists in 45 games.

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Doan said the Roadrunners’ game plan wasn’t entirely for naught in Game 1.

“Obviously it worked (Wednesday) night. We almost had 50 shots on goal; it’s not really a sustainable way to defend,” Doan said. “If you’re going to give up 50 you’re not going to win too many games.”

Wednesday’s attendance of 4,823 was a Roadrunners record for a weeknight playoff game.

“It’s so good to be in front of the fans. They bring a lot energy and a lot of excitement and our guys feed off of it,” Potvin said. “You can tell that they want it to continue and that they gain energy from it.”

Villalta said the arena energy was noticeable Wednesday night.

“Seeing all the white shirts, white rally towels up there, it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty fun and I think our fans showed out (Wednesday) night and I can only imagine Friday’s gonna be even better,” he said. “I heard them chanting ‘let’s go Tucson’ at certain points of the game and they were into it, so we’re gonna need that from them again on Friday.”

Slap shots

Fliers tied to a fan-generated petition circulated throughout Tucson Arena Wednesday — the ask being for digital signatures in support of keeping the Roadrunners in Southern Arizona.

Meruelo, who sold the Coyotes’ hockey assets for $1.2 billion last week but held on to the Tucson AHL club in his portfolio, stated multiple times last week his interest in exploring a move to Mullett Arena, on ASU Tempe campus, for the Roadrunners.

It’s been reported that such a relocation proposal would need to be presented to the AHL’s Board of Governors for approval. Those running the petition, which had more than 1,900 signatures by Thursday afternoon, hope to share it with the board prior to a league vote for relocation.

Photos: Roadrunners open the Calder Cup play-offs with a 2-0 loss to Calgary, AHL playoffs