It’s a new year but there was a familiar result for the Tucson Roadrunners, who picked up another win over the first-place Stockton Heat.
Tucson (11-9-2-0) beat the Heat 2-1 on Tuesday night at home.
"When we play our game, when we play the way we want to, we can beat anyone,” said Roadrunners center Jan Jenik. “Obviously they’re a strong team but never underestimate the Roadrunners."
The Roadrunners host the Heat again on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Tucson Arena.
After the Roadrunners had series with the Abbotsford Canucks and San Diego Gulls postponed, this was their first game since a 4-3 overtime road win over the Ontario Reign on Dec. 18.
“I think it’s just tough, a there’s a lot of time between games,” said Roadrunners coach Jay Varady. “I think if you go back in the AHL history of the season, you’re not going to find that break that we had very often so I thought the guys did a good job with it.”
Stockton (19-4-2-1) has lost seven times this year in 26 games, and the Roadrunners are responsible for three of those defeats.
Going into Tuesday the Heat were second in the league with 41 points and were atop the Pacific Division.
“I think we have a good team too, they’re a good team, they’re good in the standings,” said Tucson goalie Ivan Prosvetov. “They look good in the paper but if you look in our room like 50% maybe even more — I’m not really sure — guys (have) played in the NHL.”
The Roadrunners have had 34 different transactions since their last game.
Tucson got a power play 31 seconds into the game and defenseman Victor Soderstrom, assisted by Jenik, scored 1:29 in for a quick 1-0 lead.
“First goals create momentum,” Varady said. “That first goal is something that’s important to get life back into a team that hadn’t played in a long time, so I thought that was good.”
The Heat evened up the game with a power-play goal by left wing Justin Kirkland with 15:23 left in the second period.
Then with 13:16 left in the game, Jenik scored the eventual game-winner for Tucson. Soderstrom and right wing Hudson Fasching tallied assists.
Prosvetov said the break was a good time to rest mentally, as he and his girlfriend went to California and Las Vegas. He had had 30 saves Tuesday.
Tucson went 2 for 5 on the power play and killed all four of the Heat’s power plays.
Jenik said Prosvetov was huge for the Roadrunners.
“It was definitely nice It felt a little awkward,” Jenik said about playing a game again. “But I feel like we set it down and it just worked out.”
