Ontario, CA – The Tucson Roadrunners opened their 10th AHL season in thrilling fashion Friday night, erasing three separate deficits to take down the Ontario Reign 5-4 in overtime at Toyota Arena. Sammy Walker played hero with his second goal of the night just 51 seconds into the extra frame, capping a three-point performance (2g, 1a) and giving Tucson its seventh win in its last eight season openers.
Ben McCartney scored Tucson’s first goal of the season just 35 seconds into the contest, while rookie Owen Allard netted his first career AHL goal in his first AHL debut and veteran Kevin Rooney forced overtime with a power-play tally in the final minute of regulation. Matthew Villalta, facing his former team, earned his 50th career win in a Roadrunners sweater.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Sammy Walker led all skaters in goals (2) and points (3)
- Three Roadrunners recorded multi-point performances: Walker, Ben McCartney (1g, 1a), Cameron Hebig (2a)
- Nine Roadrunners tallied a point on Friday, including Kevin Connauton (1a), Miko Matikka (1a), Austin Poganski (1a), Artem Duda (1a) and Scott Perunovich (1a)
- All three Roadrunners captains (captain Austin Poganski and assistants McCartney and Hebig) found the score sheet.
- Two Roadrunners scored in their Tucson debuts: Allard and Rooney
- Three Roadrunners recorded a point in their Tucson debuts: Allard, Rooney and Perunovich
- Friday’s comeback OT victory marked Tucson’s third overtime win in a season opener in franchise history and the first since 2021-22.
THE RUNDOWN
FIRST PERIOD
The Roadrunners couldn’t have scripted a better start to their season opener. Just 35 seconds in, Ben McCartney sniped a shot over Ontario goaltender Erik Portillo off a backhand feed from Cameron Hebig to make it 1-0 Tucson.
Tucson went on the power play at 2:38 but couldn’t convert, and moments later the momentum swung the other way. The Reign struck twice in a two-minute span – first with Andre Lee blasting a shot past Villalta to even the score, followed by Francesco Pinelli slipping one five-hole to give Ontario a 2-1 lead.
In between the two tallies, tempers flared as Montana Onyebuchi dropped the gloves with Ontario’s Jacob Doty, marking the first fight of the season – and the third bout between the two heavyweights in the past year dating back to the 2024-25 season.
Tucson’s penalty kill held firm late in the frame, and the Roadrunners went into the intermission trailing 2-1 after an action-packed opening 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The second period began with both teams trading chances until Villalta came up big with a sharp pad save on Ontario’s Jared Wright. Tucson then went to the man advantage after a high-sticking call on Samuel Bolduc, and Sammy Walker made it count — sliding a shot five-hole past Portillo to tie the game 2-2 at the six-minute mark.
The goal marked Tucson’s first power-play tally of the season, with Hebig collecting his second assist of the night and McCartney adding his second point.
Portillo answered back moments later, robbing Walker with a highlight-reel glove save to keep things even. The intensity picked up midway through the period when Miko Matikka and Jack Millar were assessed matching roughing minors.
Tucson nearly equalized while shorthanded as Kevin Rooney broke free, but Portillo’s right pad denied the veteran forward. Ontario would capitalize late, however, as Portillo assisted on Aatu Jämsen’s power-play goal with 38 seconds left in the period, giving the Reign a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
The Roadrunners outshot the Reign 11-6 in the second period.
THIRD PERIOD
Tucson wasted little time finding the equalizer, as rookie Owen Allard netted his first career AHL goal just two minutes into the third period. Allard redirected a point shot from Kevin Connauton to make it 3-3 and continue Tucson’s strong start to the frame.
The Roadrunners couldn’t capitalize on their fourth power-play opportunity shortly after, but their penalty kill unit stood tall once again, killing off a hooking minor seven minutes into the period.
Ontario regained the lead late when Akil Thomas converted on a breakaway, tucking the puck past Erik Villalta to make it 4-3 with just over four minutes remaining. But Tucson refused to go away. With time winding down, newly signed forward Kevin Rooney fired a short-side shot past Portillo on the power play to tie the game 4-4 with 38 seconds left — his first goal as a Roadrunner.
The late tally sent both teams into overtime knotted at four apiece.
OVERTIME
The Roadrunners completed their comeback in dramatic fashion, as Sammy Walker followed up his own rebound and buried the game-winner just 51 seconds into overtime. Walker’s tally was his second goal of the game and capped a three-point night (2g, 1a) for the Minnesota native.
Tucson finished the contest leading in both shots on goal and power-play goals, opening the 2025-26 season with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory in Ontario.
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