The Tucson Roadrunners will wrap up their six-game road trip, the longest of their season, when they open a two-game series Friday night against the Colorado Eagles in Loveland, Colorado.
Tucson is 1-3 so far on the trip, which began last weekend in San Diego. In four games against the Gulls and Abbotsford Canucks, the club was outscored 22-13 — including 5-0 in Wednesday night’s loss in Canada.
Still, Tucson (14-21-2-1, eighth place in the AHL Pacific Division) has managed to find some bright spots.
Michael Carcone was named the AHL’s Player of the Week after scoring five total goals over two games against the Gulls in San Diego. Tucson lost the opener, 5-3, before winning Saturday’s game, 5-4.
“Things just clicked” in the weekend series, Carcone said. “I was fortunate enough to get those honors.”
Goaltender David Tendeck made his AHL debut on Wednesday, stopping all 17 shots after Josef Korenar was pulled from a 5-0 Tucson loss. Tendeck was a sixth-round draft pick of the Coyotes organization in 2018.
Additionally, a pair of former Roadrunners were honored as part of the ongoing Winter Olympics in Beijing. Andy Miele was named Team USA’s captain on Wednesday, Aaron Ness being named an alternate. The two played together in Tucson during the 2019-20 season, with Miele finishing third on the team with 48 points.
Miele and Ness “are two of our favorite guys,” assistant coach Steve Potvin said in a news release. “They came in every day and showed our young guys what it took to be a pro. Both of them are good leaders and outstanding humans… I couldn’t be happier for those two and I wish them all the best.”
With the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show winding down, the Roadrunners will return to Tucson Arena next week. They’ll host the Henderson Silver Knights Feb. 19-20 and Ontario Reign Feb. 26-27.
