Although he led the Tucson Roadrunners to home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs β an accomplishment that will bring the βwhite outβ to Tucson Arena for the first time in six seasons β head coach Steve Potvin said he wonβt go the route of famed college basketball coach Rick Pitino.
Pitino, now with St. Johnβs, has become known for occasionally wearing all-white suits for βwhite outβ matchups.
βNo chance. No chance,β Potvin said with a laugh. βI got white underwear and a white T-shirt but thatβs it. Iβm not wearing that on the bench.β
For home playoff games, Roadrunners fans wear white, a tradition they inherited from the Arizona Coyotes, who brought it with them to Arizona when they moved from Winnipeg.
The Roadrunners (41-23-3-2) swept the Colorado Eagles over the weekend with 2-1 and 4-3 wins to clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The entirety of the best-of-three series will be in Tucson.
βI think the guys were all playing great out there and if we keep playing like that, weβre gonna have a good chance of getting some silverware at the end of the season,β Tucson forward Ben McCartney said.
Tucson Roadrunners forwards Hunter Drew, left, and center Curtis Douglas (28) congratulate goaltender Matthew Villalta (31) after holding on for a 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday at Tucson Arena.
McCartney scored the game-winning goal on Saturday off an assist from left wing Travis Barron. Center Nathan Smith scored Tucsonβs first goal on the power play with wingers Aku RΓ€ty and left John Leonard carding assists.
The Roadrunners playoff push comes amid the ongoing saga of a likely sale and move of the teamβs parent club, the NHLβs Arizona Coyotes, to Salt Lake City. An announcement on a sale and move is expected as early as mid-week. That transaction has implications on the Southern Arizona franchise, too, with recent reports indicating the Roadrunners might leave Tucson for Tempe after this season.
Potvin said the Roadrunners players and staff and trying to be as laser-focused on possible on the tasks in front of them: continuing to win games.
βOur guys love to play the game,β he said. βSo weβre going to make the right choice and do the best we can with our opportunity. The only way you can do that is you just stay focused ... be as much as we can in the present.β
Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta makes a kick-save on a close-range shot by Colorado Eagles forward Callahan Burke in the third period Saturday at Tucson Arena.
Last season, the Roadrunners played in a multi-game playoff series for the first time since 2018. But with Tucson the lower seed, the entire first round was at Coachella Valley, where the Firebirds beat Tucson, two games to one, in the three-game set.
βGoing to Coachella last year, we found out the hard way itβs hard to play in another teamβs building,β McCartney said. βI think just having the opportunity to play in front of our great fans we build the energy. We want to make them all proud up there and you know what, itβs nice just to be sleeping in your own bed too.β
Tucson goalie Matthew Villalta outdualed Colorado netminder Ivan Prosvetov, who played for the Roadrunners in four seasons until 2022-23, making 21 saves. Prosvetov, who was the AHLβs Goaltender of the Month for February, lost both games in his return to the Old Pueblo.
The Roadrunners have won four games in a row and five of their last six. Tucson has the second seed in the Pacific Division playoffs with three games to go in the regular season.
While Potvin served as the Roadrunners head coach during the COVID-shortened 2021 season, he stepped back to an assistantβs role in 2019. But upon taking over again last season, heβs now led the Roadrunners to the AHL playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history.
βWe learned a lot last year,β Potvin said.
Potvin noted how the Eaglesβ parent club, the Colorado Avalanche, won the Stanley Cup two years ago after nine years of build-up. He wondered if an AHL team could follow that same path.
βIt can change from year-to-year depending on who you bring in, how committed the guys are,β he said. βWe just wanted to do the best we could to keep growing on our experiences.
βIt was important to go through last season and build on it.β
Going into the series, Colorado (37-24-5-2) was two points behind Tucson. Now Tucson is up six points on the Eagles, tied with the Ontario Reign for second place in the AHLβs Pacific Division. Depending on how the next three games end up, Tucson and Colorado may see each other in Tucson for that three-game playoff series. There are numerous possibilities of who Tucson could play host to, with the Calgary Wranglers, Bakersfield Condors, Abbortsford Canucks and Eagles all in the mix.
βThatβs a well-fought series by both teams,β Potvin said. βWhen it comes down to inches like that itβs so important that you have a team that has a collective mindset because at that point youβre not leaving it to hope.β
Up next for the Roadrunners: Tucsonβs last road game until the division semifinals (should they advance). They play at division-leading Coachella Valley (44-14-6-4) Wednesday night before closing out the regular season at home with a pair against the San Jose Barracuda.
The 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs will begin for the Roadrunners on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Game 2 is Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. and if necessary, a third game will be Sunday, April 28, also at 7. Single-game playoff tickets and discounted multi-game βplayoff passesβ are currently on sale.
Slap shots
The Roadrunnersβ penalty kill has not given up a goal in the last five games, going 17-for-17 in that stretch. Tucson was perfect on the penalty kill against the Eagles in the regular season, stopping all 10 of Coloradoβs power plays.
The Roadrunners improved their home record to 21-11-1-1, while their road record is not far off at 20-12-2-1.
Tucson Roadrunners forward Ben McCartney scores what turned out to be the game-winning goal in Tucson's 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Photos: Roadrunners earn first round playoff home ice with 2-1 win over Colorado, AHL hockey
Roadrunners' goaltender Matthew Villalta (31) makes a kick save on a close range shot by Colorado's forward Callahan Burke (68) in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024. The Roadrunners sealed first round hosting privileges with a 2-1 win over the Eagles.
Colorado's forward Jean-Luc Foudy (93), left, tries to haul Roadrunners' defenseman Patrik Koch (64) off of Colorado's forward CΓ©dric ParΓ© (65) during a post game skirmish in their AHL match, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024. Both teams scuffled around for several minutes after the final horn following a dust-up in the Roadrunner crease in the last seconds.
Roadrunners' forward Ben McCartney (22) pokes home the game winner past Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) late in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's defenseman Keaton Middleton (67) picks up a boarding penalty on Roadrunners' forward Milos Kelemen (21) in the first period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's forward Spencer Smallman (38), left, and Roadrunners' forward Milos Kelemen (21) chase down the puck in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' left wing John Leonard (43) picks his way past two Colorado defenders in the second period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunnersβ forward Sam Lipkin (38) takes the low road and slips under Colorado's forward D.J. Busdeker (28) in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' defenseman Victor Soderstrom (77) pokes the puck away from Colorado's forward Jean-Luc Foudy (93) and out from behind the Tucson net in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' forward Ben McCartney (22) skates along the bench after slotting home the eventual game-winner against Colorado in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' defenseman Patrik Koch (64) bodies Colorado's forward Jean-Luc Foudy (93) off the puck defending behind the net in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' defenseman Patrik Koch (64) gets shoved back on top of goaltender Matthew Villalta (31) and into the net during Coloradoβs last frantic stab to tie the game in the final seconds of the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' right wing Hunter Drew (36), left, and center Curtis Douglas (28) congratulate goaltender Matthew Villalta (31) after holding on for win against Colorado in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) uses his blocker to deflect a Roadrunnersβ shot in the second period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' right wing Austin Poganski (41) canβt quite deflect the puck past Colorado's forward Spencer Smallman (38) and goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) in the second period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) butterflies to save a Roadrunners shot in the second period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' forward Colin Theisen (63) and Colorado's center Chris Wagner (14) get tangled up near mid-ice in the second period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' forward Colin Theisen (63) fires right at Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) in the first period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' right wing Austin Poganski (41) shoots wide past Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) in the first period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Roadrunners' defenseman Patrik Koch (64), left, and Colorado's forward Peter Holland (71) eye a loose puck in the first period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (1) makes a blind kick-save on Roadrunners' left wing Travis Barron (26) in the first period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's center Chris Wagner (14) attempts to skate past the pressure of Roadrunners' defenseman Cameron Crotty (5) in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
Colorado's forward CΓ©dric ParΓ© (65) takes a last ditch stab at slowing down Roadrunners' defenseman Max Szuber (55) in the third period of their AHL game, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
A Roadrunner fan dances and sings in the intermission before the third period of the game against Colorado, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
A Roadrunners' fan gets his cowbell, and hair, the full shake as the team comes out of the locker room for the second period againstt Colorado, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
A pair of Roadrunners fans get their hair ready in the moments before the start of the crucial game against Colorado with home ice on the line for the upcoming AHL playoffs, Tucson, Ariz., April 13, 2024.
The Tucson Roadrunners close out their 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Tucson Arena to clinch home ice for the first round of the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Nathan Smith scores the first of Tucson's two goals in a 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
The Tucson Roadrunners close out their 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners defenseman Steven Kampfer scores the first of his two goals in Tucson's 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners defenseman Steven Kampfer scores the second of his two goals in Tucson's 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta makes a sprawling save during the Tucson Roadrunners 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Milos Kelemen scores in Tucson's 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Cam Hebig scores in Tucson's 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles on Friday, April 12, 2024, at Tucson Arena. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Info boxWhite out at TCCThe Roadrunners have three regular-season games left, then will host the entirety of a best-of-three first-round playoff series at Tucson Arena. Hereβs whatβs on tap for Tucson these next two weeks:
<&rule>
Wed., April 17: Tucson at Coachella Valley (7 p.m.)
</&rdp>
Fri., April 19: San Jose at Tucson (7 p.m.)
</&rdp>
Sat., April 20: San Jose at Tucson (7 p.m.)
</&rdp>
Wed., April 24: TBD at Tucson (7 p.m.)*
</&rdp>
Fri., April 26: TBD at Tucson (7 p.m.)*
</&rdp>
β’Sun., April 28: TBD at Tucson (7 p.m.)*^
<&rule>* = Calder Cup Playoffs
^ = if necessary
