Forward Michael Carcone had a relatively unique night Saturday for the Tucson Roadrunners: he didn't score a point.
But even still, Carcone, the third-year Roadrunner in his eighth American Hockey League season, had done enough until Saturday that he won the AHL's 2022-23 scoring title outright with 85 points.
Alex BarrΓ©-Boulet of the Syracuse Crunch finished second with 84 after a two point night Saturday, and T.J. Tynan of the Ontario Reign was third with 80.
Carcone set Tucson club records for goals, assists and points this season, becoming the first 30/50/80 player in Roadrunners history. That feat had previously been accomplished only twice in the AHL in the last decade.
Carcone was the only AHL player to finish in the league's top 5 in goals (he was tied for fifth with 31), assists (third with 54) and points, while also finishing ninth in the league with 127 penalty minutes. Carcone becomes the first AHL scoring champ in at least the last 20 seasons to record more than 100 penalty minutes in the same year.
It's possible the AHL could announce the winner of the 2022-23 Les Cunningham Award, given each season to the league's most valuable player, this week. Carcone's output this season puts him clearly on the short list, withΒ BarrΓ©-Boulet, Tynan, and Calgary Wranglers' goaltender Dustin Wolf also likely candidates.
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone gives Tucson the 2-1 come-from-behind overtime victory Sunday, March 26, 2023 over the Colorado Eagles. Carcone was central to Tucson scoring the game-tying goal inside 90 seconds to play in regulation with the goaltender pulled, and then finished the Eagles off less than two minutes into OT. Carcone leads the AHL with 74 points as the Roadrunners continue to main control over one of the last playoff spots out of the AHL's Pacific Division as the scheduled winds down. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
The 26-year-old from Ajax, Ontario, did have an assist Friday night, a 3-2 Tucson loss to the San Jose Barracuda.Β
On Saturday Tucson rookie Michael Lombardi a 2-1 San Jose lead with his first career goal, with the primary assist the first of teammate Micah Miller's career, too.
With a 2-2 game appearing like it would be heading to overtime, San Jose's Nick Cicek scored his first of the year with 40 seconds left in regulation, before C.J. Suess scored on an empty net for the 4-2 Barracuda victory.
Finishing in seventh place in the AHL's Pacific Division, the Roadrunners head to Southern California's desert region to face the expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds in a best-of-three series starting Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. Game two is slated for Friday April 21 also at 7, and game three, if necessary, will be Sunday April 23 at 3 p.m. All three games will be at Coachella Valley's Acrisure Arena.
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone late play in regulation gives allows the Roadrunners, playing with their goalie pulled to allow for an extra attacker, to tie the game at one with the Colorado Eagles on March 26, 2023. Carcone would score again less than two minutes into overtime to give Tucson the win. Carcone leads the AHL with 74 points as the Roadrunners continue to main control over one of the last playoff spots out of the AHL's Pacific Division as the scheduled winds down. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Off the faceoff win by Adam Cracknell, Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone walked in before firing the puck into the San Diego net to tie the Roadrunners' Friday, March 3, 2023 home matchup with the Gulls at one apiece in the middle of the first period. The Roadrunners would ultimately fall in overtime, 3-2. Video courtesy Tucson RoadrunnersVideo courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone scores in the first period against the Henderson Silver Knights Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 at Tucson Arena. The goal, Carcone's 24th of the season, ties his team record, set a year ago. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone participated in the fastest skater and shot accuracy competitions at the AHL All-Star Classic in Laval Quebec on Feb. 5, 2023. Carcone's time of 13.282 in the fastest skater competition would have placed first if it were at the NHL All-Star event, but was second at the AHL level, trailing only Ethen Frank of the Hershey Bears. Frank's time of 12.915 set a new AHL event record. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone, the AHL's leading scorer entering the 2023 All-Star break, earned his first AHL All-Star invite this season. In Laval, Quebec on Feb. 6, 2023, Carcone had four assists as the Pacific Division won the three-on-three tournament with a 3-0-1 record. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone scores a first-period goal en route to a four-point night for the first-time AHL all-star in a 6-3 Tucson win over the Abbotsford Canucks at Tucson Arena on Jan. 28, 2023. Video Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Tucson Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone scores his third goal of the game in a 7-2 Tucson victory over the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Tucson Arena on Dec. 13, 2022. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
