Roadrunners roar back from 3-goal deficit to force OT again, but fall 5-4 in shootout at Henderson as playoff race tightens

On a night when the two closest oppositions for an AHL playoff spot both secured victories, the Tucson Roadrunners’ shootout magic ran out Wednesday night.

But every single AHL standings point means something this time of year, and the Roadrunners managed to do just that — that is, earn a single point. They turned a 4-1 first-period deficit into a 4-4 tie through the end of regulation and overtime, before the Henderson Silver Knights defeated Tucson, 5-4 in a shootout.

After trailing by three and the end of one, the Roadrunners (30-30-7-1) roared back in the second and third period.

Curtis Douglas getting one back 3:31 into the period for Tucson, with assists from Cameron Hebig and Cameron Crotty. Then, Adam Cracknell cut the lead to one midway through the middle frame on his goal assisted by Josh Doan and Bokondj Imama.

Ryan McGregor, who scored Tucson’s first period goal during Henderson’s opening-period onslaught, notched his second of the night, unassisted, midway through the third period to tie the game at four. It would stay that way through regulation and the five-minute overtime period.

But Henderson (26-36-0-5) finished the job in a shootout, with two of Tucson’s three shootout participants failing to even get a shot off.

With the San Jose Barracuda defeating the last-place San Diego Gulls Wednesday, the Barracuda inched a point closer to Tucson. The Roadrunners now lead San Jose by four points for the seventh and final playoff spot out of the AHL’s Pacific Division. The Roadrunners also fell four points back of the Bakersfield Condors, who also won Wednesday, for the sixth spot.

Both Tucson and San Jose have four games remaining, including two against each other at Tucson Arena next week to close out the regular season.

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Brandon Hickey, Cold Conrad, Sakari Manninen and Kaedan Korczak scored in the opening period Wednesday for Henderson, with McGregor’s marker, assisted by AHL scoring leader Michael Carcone and the resurgent Jan Jenik, serving as Tucson’s only goal in the first.

David Tendeck stood out in goal for Tucson, taking the ice to start the second period in relief of Tyler Parks in net. Parks gave up those four first period goals on nine shots, yielding to Tendeck who stopped all 19 of shots on net he faced through OT while playing the second and third periods and the additional period.

Tendeck was solid in the shootout, too, stopping two of three Henderson attempts. But the Silver Knights needed just won to secure it.

The Roadrunners have now played into overtime or a shootout in four of their last five games, five of eight, and six of 11 outings. While Tucson is 1-7 in games that end in the five-minute overtime period this season, the Roadrunners lost in a shootout for the first time this year; they’re now 1-3 in shootouts.

Wednesday marked the Roadrunners’ final road game of the regular season, with all four games to go on their schedule set for Tucson Arena over the next two weekends.

First, it’s the Central Division-leading Texas Stars, who come to Southern Arizona Friday and Saturday for a pair of 7 p.m. faceoffs. Saturday’s tilt will also be televised locally on the CW Tucson (KWBA-TV, Channel 8/58). Then, on Friday, April 16 and Saturday April 17, Tucson plays host the Barracuda, with the Pacific’s final Calder Cup playoff spot likely on the line.