The Tucson Roadrunners’ last road trip of the regular season is another doozy.
With a narrow edge in the race to earn a playoff spot, the Roadrunners face the Colorado Eagles in a two-game series starting Saturday.
The series against the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate starts a six-game, 12-day trip. Tucson’s TobyMac/Monster Jam road trip goes from Colorado to San Diego to Bakersfield and finally to Henderson, Nevada.
“It’s a lot of games verses a lot of good hockey teams, and we have to be ready for it,” Tucson forward Adam Cracknell said. “Especially a team like Colorado, going up there and playing, we obviously know what they’re capable of.
“It’s a big road trip for us. This could be a make-or-break trip for us with the playoff standings, so we have to go in there and do a job. We have to become road warriors.”
The Roadrunners’ annual gem-show road trip was seven games this year. It started in Bakersfield, then went to Ontario, was broken up by the All-Star break, and finished with Abbotsford, San Diego and Coachella Valley. Tucson went 1-6 over the 16-day trip.
The Roadrunners enter Saturday in the last playoff spot, three points ahead of the San Jose Barracuda, whom the Eagles just swept.
“It’s a lot of games in a short amount of time, and we gotta be strong,” Tucson coach Steve Potvin said. “We have to be aware of the circumstances and the scenarios that we’re in. We gotta do what we can to get points.”
Rocky Mountain low
Tucson’s first trip to Colorado this season also closes out the regular-season series against the Eagles, formerly a frequent rival.
Since Colorado joined the AHL in 2018-19, the Roadrunners are 12-21-2-3 against the Eagles.
With the addition of Coachella Valley and San Antonio moving to Henderson, the AHL’s Pacific Division has moved westward.
In 2018-19, Tucson and Colorado played 12 times; in 2021-22, they played eight times, Even in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, they played more than four games against each other — 10 and six respectively.
The Eagles defeated the Roadrunners in this season’s previous meetings: 2-1 on Jan. 6 and 6-1 the following night.
Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone, right, shown vs. Milwaukee on March 10, remains within range of the AHL scoring title. He trails by two points entering Saturday's game at Colorado.
Scorers’ race
In addition to the playoff implications, the Roadrunners’ midweek series with the Ontario Reign saw the league’s top two scorers trade blows in the stat sheet.
After months of Tucson forward Michael Carcone leading the league in scoring, Reign center T.J. Tynan slipped past the Roadrunner. After two assists in the series, Tynan leads the scoring race 72-70.
Carcone got a goal and an assist on Tuesday to keep pace.
“Those two are up there in the league, and they’re pretty electric and fun to watch from a fan’s perspective,” Potvin said. “It’s nice to see them go head to head, and we appreciate the level that Carcone brings us.”
Carcone is first among players who have played more than 21 games in points per game with 1.27, fifth in goals with a Tucson-record 27 and fifth in assists (43).
March/April madness
Although forward Josh Doan scored the first-ever goal at Mullett Arena and ASU’s last score of the season, the Sun Devils’ 2022-23 campaign was a frustrating one.
After going 18-21-0, ASU missed the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season. But one of the benefits of joining the Roadrunners for Doan is joining a playoff hunt.
“It’s super fun,” Doan said. “My year didn’t end the way I wanted (it) to at ASU, so back-to-back years not playing playoff hockey sucks. To be right into things is awesome.
“Obviously we’re a really good team and we have some really good players, so it’s fun to join the mix with them.”
Arizona Coyotes prospect Josh Doan, an Arizona native, ASU product and son of NHL great Shane Doan, scored his first professional goal Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in the second period of the Roadrunners' matchup with the Ontario Reign at Tucson Arena. Doan finished his NCAA career with the Sun Devils earlier this month after his sophomore season, signed his entry-level deal with the Coyotes last week, and was assigned to Tucson, where he's played in three games for the Roadrunners. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Prior to the Tucson Roadrunners matchup against the Calgary Wranglers on Saturday, March 18, 2023, the Tucson Police Department and Tucson Fire Department took the ice for a First Responders Day Game at the Tucson Arena. The Tucson Fire Department secured a 4-3 come-from-behind victory for their second-straight win over the Tucson Police Department. The Roadrunners followed up their local First Responders by wearing Specialty First Responders Jerseys for the series finale against the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, that saw Tucson defeat the Wranglers in a shootout by a final score of 3-2. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
