Tucson Roadrunners’ goaltender Matthew Villalta’s wild ride continues this week. The first-year Roadrunner and recent AHL All-Star is expected to be recalled by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.
Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram suffered an injury in a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild Wednesday night in Tempe, with Coyotes coach André Tourigny saying he expects Ingram to be out seven to 10 days.
That means Villalta went from possible back up with Tucson, to All-Star to potentially making his NHL debut in the coming days — all since October.
“Very exciting. Obviously kind of a whirlwind of emotions, if you will,” Villalta said Thursday. “You never like to see a fellow goalie, especially a guy like Connor Ingram — you see how well he’s playing this year — get hurt like that.
“Hopefully he gets back — back in action — as soon as he can and because obviously he’s been playing great but looking at the opportunity here is definitely something pretty cool and something you dream of as a little kid.”
Tucson head coach Steve Potvin said when they announced it to the Roadrunners every guy came up and hugged him.
“We’re extremely proud of him,” Potvin said. “When you have good humans get the opportunity to go up, we’re really happy for him.”
Potvin said they’re happy for both Villalta and new Tucson No. 1 goaltender Dylan Wells (4-2-2-1 in the AHL). Wells has a .907 save percentage and 2.75 goals against average in Tucson, having initially joined the Roadrunners on a professional tryout contract in November.
The 2023-24 campaign is Wells’ fifth season where he’s seen AHL action after he started the season playing for the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads.
“Wellsie’s been awesome,” Villalta said. “He’s a heck of a guy. He’s awesome. We get along great. We can talk to each other about anything and everything and he’s just a very laid back and chill guy, so he makes it very easy coming to the rink.”
Villalta stepped into Tucson’s starting role in place of former Roadrunner Ivan Prosvetov, who the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche claimed off of waivers just before the season started before the Coyotes could send Prosvetov to Tucson.
The Avalanche sent Prosvetov to its AHL affiliate recently; he cleared waivers allowing the NHL club to assign him to the Colorado Eagles. Prosvetov has responded by going 3-0-0-0 in the AHL, helping the Eagles soar to third place in the Pacific Division since the All-Star break.
Tucson Roadrunners players Austin Poganski, Steven Kampfer, Jan Jenik, and Justin Kirkland celebrate a late third period goal from Jan Jenik on Jan. 31 at Bakersfield. Jenik’s goal gave Tucson the 3-2 lead which the Roadrunners would hold onto for the final six and a half minutes to secure the victory.
Gem of a road trip
The Roadrunners picked up a point on Saturday at the Iowa Wild to secure their best ever gem show road trip.
The Roadrunners (28-14-2-1) went 3-1-1-0 on their road trip, which included three games in California and then two at Iowa on the second leg, after the All-Star break. They had 20 days between home games.
Last year the Roadrunners went 1-6-0-0 on the gem show trip; in 2022 they were 2-4-0-0; 2-4-0-1 in 2020; 2-3-0-1 in 2019; 4-2-0-0 in 2018; and 1-5-0-0 in 2017.
Tucson opened the road trip with three wins over division rivals in four days to secure its second-ever gem show road trip winning record.
“I think the big picture is a good road trip before the All-Star break — getting those three games, it was nice to get those,” Tucson center Cameron Hebig said, “and then post All-Star break it wasn’t our best hockey but I think we can learn from that.”
Runners ready to rumble with Reign (again)
Tucson hosts the Ontario Reign to start a four-game home stand Friday after a feisty series last month.
It’s also a potential playoff preview as Tucson is in second (one point out of first as of press time) place in the Pacific Division and Ontario (22-18-3-2) is seventh.
They split a series in Tucson in the Roadrunners’ last two home games on Jan. 27 and 28. The series featured 188 penalty minutes from both sides.
There were four fights on the Friday and Saturday’s game ended with a brawl that featured pretty much all the players on the ice when the horn sounded and nine penalties at the 20:00 mark in the second period.
Tucson left wing Milos Kelemen and defenseman Patrik Koch were suspended for the Roadrunners’ next game, a 3-2 win at Bakersfield.
Roadrunners defenseman Montana Onyebuchi said the Reign are going to come ready to battle.
“We play them too many times for it to be a one night thing,” Onyebuchi said. “I think it just kinda stays with us through out the whole series of the year.
“We know those guys, they know us, you know what I mean; some bad blood right now, so it’s gonna be a really exciting game.”
Kids’ jersey night
Saturday is Family Night as the Roadrunners are giving out free “kachina” jerseys to the first 1,000 fans ages 12 and under at Tucson Arena.
Tucson’s stars
Villalta and Tucson forward Josh Doan helped their division and conference sweep All-Star weekend earlier this month
First, the Western Conference won the AHL All-Star Skills Competition 18-13.
Villalta made seven saves in the rapid fire competition and stopped all three shots he faced in the pass and score.
Doan got a goal in the pass and score and the breakaway relay.
“It was cool. It was a great couple of days up in San Jose and to get to experience that with Josh Down was even better,” Villalta said.
Then the Pacific won the All-Star Challenge for the second straight season. The Pacific went 2-0-2 in the 3-on-3 tournament of the league’s four divisions.
Doan scored a goal, a shootout goal and had an assist in the tourney. Villalta made five saves and gave up four goals.
VIDEO: Playing in his first AHL All-Star Classic, Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta, in net for the Pacific Division All-Stars, makes the second of his two saves (on three attempts against) in a shootout during the event's 3-on-3 tournament on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The Pacific Division, which featured Villalta and Tucson forward Josh Doan, won the 2024 All-Star Classic in San Jose, California. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta is introduced on the ice as part of the Pacific Division All-Star team ahead of the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in San Jose, California. Villalta, who was joined at the event by his teammate and Tucson forward Josh Doan, was playing in his first-career All-Star event. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Doan is introduced on the ice as part of the Pacific Division All-Star team ahead of the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in San Jose, California. Doan, who was joined at the event by his teammate and Tucson goaltender Matthew Villalta, was playing in his first-career All-Star event. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Playing in his first AHL All-Star Classic, Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta, in net for the Pacific Division All-Stars, makes the first of his two saves (on three attempts against) in a shootout during the event's 3-on-3 tournament on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The Pacific Division, which featured Villalta and Tucson forward Josh Doan, won the 2024 All-Star Classic in San Jose, California. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Playing in his first AHL All-Star Classic, Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Doan, skating for the Pacific Division All-Stars, buries a shootout goal during the event's 3-on-3 tournament on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The Pacific Division, which featured Doan and Tucson goaltender Matthew Villalta, won the 2024 All-Star Classic in San Jose, California. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Playing in his first AHL All-Star Classic, Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Doan, skating for the Pacific Division All-Stars, scores the game-tying goal in the championship of the event's 3-on-3 tournament on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The Pacific Division, which featured Doan and Tucson goaltender Matthew Villalta, won the 2024 All-Star Classic in San Jose, California. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta and forward Josh Doan were introduced on the ice prior to the beginning of the AHL All-Star skills competition Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in San Jose, California. This is the first All-Star selection for both players as the Roadrunners entered the All-Star break in first place in the AHL's Pacific Division. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta impresses during the pass-and-score event as part of the AHL All-Star Skills competition Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 in San Jose, California. Villalta, a first-time AHL All-Star in 2024, leads all league goalies in minutes played, saves and wins at the All-Star break playing for first-place Tucson. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Down scores a goal during the pass-and-score event at the AHL All-Star skills competition Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 in San Jose, California. Doan, a first-time All-Star, leads first-place Tucson with 17 goals at the All-Star break. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta competes in the rapid fire event as part of the AHL All-Star Skills competition Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 in San Jose, California. Villalta, a first-time AHL All-Star in 2024, leads all league goalies in minutes played, saves and wins at the All-Star break playing for first-place Tucson. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Down scores a goal during the breakaway relay event at the AHL All-Star skills competition Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 in San Jose, California. Doan, a first-time All-Star, leads first-place Tucson with 17 goals at the All-Star break. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
