CALGARY, AB – A five-goal second period powered the Tucson Roadrunners (20-16-8-0) to a 7-3 victory over the Calgary Wranglers (16-19-9-2), snapping a three-game losing streak Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Six Roadrunners recorded multi-point performances. Rookie Jack Ricketts scored his first career AHL goal in the second period to extend Tucson’s lead to 4-2, then added a breakaway tally in the third for his first multi-goal and multi-point game at the AHL level.
Assistant captain Ben McCartney scored twice, while captain Austin Poganski and Cameron Hebig each finished with three points. Poganski recorded a goal and two assists, and Hebig dished out three assists. Rookie Noel Nordh added a goal and an assist, and Miko Matikka chipped in with two helpers.
Rookie defenseman Dmitri Simashev scored in the third period, while fellow blueliners Scott Perunovich, Max Szuber and Montana Onyebuchi each recorded an assist.
Goaltender Matthew Villalta stopped 26 shots to earn his 14th win of the season and 63rd career victory as a Roadrunner, moving him within three of tying Adin Hill for the franchise record (66).
The Roadrunners improved to 6-1-0-0 against the Wranglers this season, including a perfect 3-0-0-0 mark at the Saddledome.
Calgary led 1-0 after the opening period, but Tucson scored twice in a 67-second span early in the second to take a 2-1 lead. After the Wranglers briefly tied the game at 2-2 just over six minutes into the middle frame, the Roadrunners erupted for three goals in a 3:12 stretch to take a 5-2 advantage.
Calgary trimmed the deficit to two late in the second, but Tucson closed out the win with two unanswered goals in the third from Simashev and Ricketts.
HIGHLIGHTS
TEAM NOTES
- Tucson’s five-goal second period marked the most goals the Roadrunners have scored in a single period this season – one shy of the franchise record of six in the first period on Dec. 17, 2022 at SD.
- Tucson’s seven goals tied a season high for goals in a single game. The Roadrunners also scored seven against Bakersfield on Dec. 13.
- The Roadrunners have outscored opponents 15-3 in the second period over their last eight games dating back to Jan. 21 vs. San Diego.
- Tucson has scored in the second period in six consecutive games, totalling 13 goals.
- The Roadrunners have tallied 52 second-period goals this season, which leads the Pacific Division.
- Tucson’s +14 goal differential in the second period is tied with Ontario for the highest in the Pacific Division.
- The Roadrunners have scored a power-play goal in five of its last six games dating back to Jan. 25 at Henderson, going 6-for-18 (33.3%) in that span.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Noel Nordh recorded his second multi-point game of the season (1g, 1a).
- With two goals, Ben McCartney recorded his third multi-goal game of the season, tied with Cameron Hebig for the most on the team.
- McCartney recorded his team-high and career-high 19th and 20th goal of the season, surpassing his previous career-best 18-goal season in 2021-22.
- McCartney has four goals and five points in his last four games dating back to 1/30 vs. COL.
- Cameron Hebig recorded his team-high 10th multi-point game of the season and his third three-point game of the campaign with three assists.
- Tallying his 22nd, 23rd and 24th assists of the season, Hebig set a new career high for assists in a season, surpassing his 21-assist season in 2024-25.
- Hebig also recorded the 92nd, 93rd and 94th assists of his Roadrunners career to pass Kyle Capobianco for 2nd all-time in franchise history, 12 shy of Michael Bunting’s record of 106.
- Hebig has recorded an assist in three straight games and in four of his last five contests dating back to 1/28 at SD.
- Austin Poganski recorded his eighth multi-point game of the season with a goal and two assists, tied with Ben McCartney for the second-most on the team.
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
Tucson was whistled for holding just 20 seconds in, but the penalty kill set the tone early and turned away Calgary’s opening power play without allowing a shot.
After killing off the Wranglers’ man advantage, the Roadrunners generated several Grade-A chances past the five-minute mark. Ben McCartney drove to the net twice in quick succession, but goaltender Arsenii Sergeev stood tall to keep the game scoreless.
Tucson’s sustained pressure helped the visitors earn its first man advantage at 10:26, but the power play was unable to solve Sergeev. Moments later, while on a subsequent Calgary man advantage, Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta came up with a key stop, denying Clark Bishop on a breakaway with a right-pad save at 10:35.
Calgary eventually broke through late in the period. Aydar Suniev wired a wrister from the slot, beating Villalta glove side to give the Wranglers a 1-0 lead at 16:05.
Tucson nearly answered late when Kevin Rooney broke in alone on a breakaway, but Sergeev turned aside the attempt with a blocker save. The Roadrunners headed to intermission trailing by one but drew a late Calgary high-sticking penalty with 45 seconds remaining, setting up a power play to open the second period.
SECOND PERIOD
Tucson’s power play opened the middle frame but was unable to convert on its second opportunity of the night. Despite coming up empty, the Roadrunners applied steady pressure in the crease, highlighted by Austin Poganski’s behind-the-legs backhand attempt that Sergeev kicked aside.
The Roadrunners’ offense then erupted, scoring twice in a one-minute span to take their first lead of the night. Noel Nordh sparked the scoring spree at 3:23, finishing a nifty backhand feed from Poganski with a shot from the slot that slipped through Sergeev’s five-hole. Just 1:06 later, a Calgary turnover in the neutral zone sprung Miko Matikka on a 2-on-1 rush, and his saucer pass found McCartney for a one-timer that again beat Sergeev five-hole to make it 2-1 at 4:29.
Calgary responded quickly, as Lucas Ciona’s touch pass set up Sam Morton alone in the slot, where he snapped a shot past Villalta blocker side to tie the game at 2-2 at 6:13.
Tucson reclaimed the lead at 9:38 when Poganski tapped in Max Szuber’s sharp-angle shot from the goal line into an open net to make it 3-2. The Roadrunners then stretched the lead to two when Jack Ricketts scored his first AHL goal, pouncing on a loose puck after Matikka’s shot leaked through Sergeev and jammed it home in the crease to make it 4-2.
The Roadrunners’ power play broke through for the first time in the contest two minutes later, as McCartney ripped a one-timer past Sergeev blocker side for his second goal of the night and Tucson’s fifth of the period. The goal ended Sergeev’s night, with Ivan Prosvetov entering in relief.
Physicality picked up late in the frame as Montana Onyebuchi and Lucas Ciona dropped the gloves near center ice at 16:18 before officials stepped in.
Calgary closed the scoring in the period at 17:51 when Daniil Miromanov’s wrist shot from the right point beat Villalta glove side through traffic, trimming the deficit to three.
After 40 minutes, Tucson carried a 5-2 lead into the second intermission and held a 24-20 advantage in shots.
THIRD PERIOD
Calgary controlled the early pace of the final frame, stringing together extended possessions and outshooting Tucson 3-0 through the first five minutes.
Tucson extended its lead on the power play at 8:20, converting on its fourth man-advantage opportunity of the night. Dmitri Simashev’s point shot slipped past Prosvetov through traffic to restore a three-goal cushion.
Ricketts put the game out of reach moments later, scoring his second of the night after forcing a turnover in the neutral zone. Ricketts made a shifty move before lifting a shot upstairs past Prosvetov to push the lead to four.
The Roadrunners closed out the night with a 7-3 victory over the Wranglers, earning two points at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will look to complete the sweep against the Wranglers on Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome in the final game before the AHL All-Star break. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. AZT. Fans can listen live on FOX Sports 1450 AM and the iHeartRadio app, watch on AHLtv on FloHockey.
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