After playing only two games over a span of 14 days, the Tucson Roadrunners are busy again.
Tucson (5-5) travels to California to play the Ontario Reign (4-6) on Wednesday night, then goes to Nevada to play the Henderson Silver Knights (3-8) for a Friday and Saturday series.
“This is what we long for, we wanna play games, we’ve had enough practice now and we wanna get into the trenches and get into a rhythm of playing,” said Tucson head coach Steve Potvin. “When that happens, usually you can get into pretty good flow and you can start building momentum in your season.”
The Roadrunners had one game last week but four this week.
Potvin said they practiced a lot during the gap between games and let the players settle into the Old Pueblo after a busy start to the season.
“We had a lot of practice time last week,” said Tucson center Andrew Agozzino. “Obviously the schedule will pick up a little more here, which I think is what most players like, you get a little more of a rhythm.”
The Tucson Roadrunners defeated the San Diego Gulls 5-2 on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Roadrunners had 10 days without games between their 5-2 win at Abbotsford on Oct. 30 and their 5-2 home victory over San Diego on Nov. 9.
“Uh, I mean, honestly, kind of lost track of days, so whenever we play, I’m ready to go and we’re ready to go, but yeah, we had a great week of practice this week,” said Tucson forward Sam Lipkin.
Tucson has started the season 3-3 at home and 2-2 on the road, having gone to Colorado and Abbotsford, which is near the border with the U.S. and Vancouver.
Action Jaxson
New Roadrunners goalie Jaxson Stauber has shined in his five games for Tucson.
Stauber (4-1) has a 2.39 goals-against-average and a .931 save percentage. Meanwhile, Matthew Villalta (1-4), who was an AHL all-star last year and made his NHL debut in 2024, has a 3.47 GAA and .890 save percentage.
The two have alternated, each playing one game of a series but on Wednesday the Roadrunners have their first solo game. Stauber started the first game of the San Diego series after Villalta started the first game of the previous four series.
Potvin said Stauber hasn’t become the No. 1 netminder for the Roadrunners.
“No, I mean, I think he’s done an outstanding job, but we’ve got two outstanding goalies,” Potvin said. “Unfortunately, Matty hasn’t gotten the results that he’s earned because, frankly, he hasn’t really gotten a lot of the run support when he’s been in, and he’s played some really great games.
“I look back and he probably made three or four errors in some of those games, but he’s a heck of a goalie and Jaxson is also a good goalie and when they’re starting they’re giving us an opportunity to get to our identity, and that’s all we can ask for from both goalies.”
Roadrunners goalies Jaxson Stauber and Matthew Villalta have alternated, each playing one game of a series but on Wednesday the Roadrunners have their first solo game.
Utah Hockey Club signed Stauber to a one-year, two-way after the Wayzata, Minnesota, native played for the Chicago Blackhawks and their AHL side, the Rockford IceHogs.
Free clinic for kids
The Roadrunners, along with Tucson Ball Hockey, EMPowerplay and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson will host a free ball hockey clinic on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon.
It will be at the Boys & Girls Club at 3155 E. Grant Road and is open to all all ages. For more information, go to tucsonroadrunners.com.
NCAA rules top junior CHL players eligible
The players from the Canadian Hockey League will be coming to NCAA hockey.
The NCAA Division I council voted to allow CHL players to compete at the Division I level if they aren’t “paid more than actual and necessary expenses as part of that participation.”
CHL is made up of the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and is the major juniors level.
“I think it’s an opportunity for guys to continue their growth,” said Potvin, who coached youth hockey before coaching pros. “A lot of times, unfortunately, when they finish junior, there’s not an avenue for them, so they go and still continue playing at a high level and I think it probably strengthens the junior circuit; players aren’t necessarily gonna have to jump ship right away.
“They can decide to play junior and then have the option to play college hockey, so it just prolongs an individual’s career and I think it’s good for hockey.”
Regina Pats forward Braxton Whitehead became the first CHL player to commit to an NCAA school, picking ASU in September before the decision.
