Roadrunners' goalie Matthew Villalta relishing more time on the ice

Last week’s call-up of goalie Jaxson Stauber seems to be a win-win-win for the Tucson Roadrunners.

On Wednesday, the Utah Hockey Club recalled Stauber on an emergency basis. Then, over the weekend, Tucson goalie Matthew Villalta led the Roadrunners to a pair of wins.

Previously, he and Stauber had been splitting time in the net.

Going into the series with the Calgary Wranglers, first place in the AHL at the time, Villalta had a 1-5 record.

“It feels great; I think from a team standpoint, I thought we played very well these two games against Calgary,” Villalta said. “I thought in the D zone we were great, our special teams were very good, guys were putting their body on the line blocking shots and ultimately they were putting the puck in the net, so when you score goals like that it makes things a little bit easier for myself and I just tried going in there and just playing my game, trusting my game, believe in myself and that’s like that’s the biggest thing.”

Utah HC goalie Connor Ingram is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Villalta had a 3.58 goals against average and a 0.886 save percentage this season before the series. In Friday’s 5-3 win over Calgary, he made 19 saves, and in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Wranglers, he had 34.

“Obviously the start’s not ideal for myself and obviously I have expectations and standards and I feel like I’ve been working hard and working on my process and the results just weren’t coming,” Villalta said. “I tried to show up every day with a smile on my face, be a great teammate and work as hard as I can; it’s nice to be on the other side of it this weekend.”

The Roadrunners (8-7) continue their home stand when they host the Coachella Valley Firebirds (9-5-0-1) on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Last season, Villalta finished first in the AHL in wins with 31 and tied for first in most games played, 51. The games played and wins were Roadrunner single-season records.

“He needed those wins, right?” said Tucson head coach Steve Potvin about the Calgary sweep. “I think he had played some real good games and wasn’t rewarded with wins and there were some other games where I think he’d want some of those sequences back, but there were some nights that I don’t think we gave him our best starts either and it’s just he’s been on the on the receiving end a little bit, but it was nice to seeing him get a couple wins here for sure.”

Last season, Villalta made the AHL all-star team and his NHL debut.

“It’s huge,” said Tucson captain Austin Poganski about Villalta getting the wins. “Matty’s our rock back there. Every time he’s in the net we have a chance and I think it was it was great that we were able to help him out a little bit.”

Before the series, Potvin said he expected Villalta to benefit a lot from Stauber’s call-up, getting a chance to play more.

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In each two-game series Tucson had played before the Wranglers, Villalta and Stauber each played a game.

Villalta said if a goalie doesn’t play every night, he just has to keep working hard, keep a positive mindset and get “1% better every day.”

“I love playing a lot of games, you kinda get into rhythm,” Villalta said. “Obviously, a situation like this weekend where I get to play both you get moving and grooving, and you’re just playing the game.

“I find when you sit for a while, it’s harder to find your groove and I’m a guy who likes to play a lot,” he added.

Stauber hasn’t played yet for Utah in the three games he’s been back in the NHL. He previously played six games for the Chicago Blackhawks, going 5-1 with a 2.81 GAA and a .911 SV%.

Stauber is 5-2 for Tucson this season with a 2.29 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. He is tied for eighth in wins and save percentage and 13th in goals against in the AHL.

“He’s been playing great with us when he was down here, as well,” Villalta said. “He’s a great teammate and he works very hard and he deserves that opportunity big time.”

After Stauber got called up, Tucson recalled goalie Dylan Wells from their ECHL affiliate, the Allen Americans, to team up with Villalta again.

Last year, Wells was 10-5-3-1 with a 3.28 GAA and .898 SV%, setting AHL career highs in games played and wins for the Roadrunners.

“It opens up an opportunity for Wellsie to get back up here, and Wellsie’s a hell of a teammate,” Villalta said. “He’s a great friend and we just have a lot of fun together showing up to the rink every day and we chat about everything.

“So I’m definitely happy to see his face back here and I’m excited for the journey ahead with him,” he added.

Slap shots

For its “Thanksgiving Game,” the team is giving out 1,250 Roadrunners-themed oven mitts. It posted a video on social media of Villalta using it to catch a puck in front of a goal.

The Firebirds are the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.