Matthew Villalta was pretty good for the Tucson Roadrunners Friday night in his first game in goal since his acquisition this summer; he was even better Saturday in the encore.
Villalta stopped 35 of 36 shots against in pacing the Roadrunners to a 2-1 win at the Texas Stars. It was Tucson’s second win in two days to start the 2023-24 season 2-0.
Similar to Friday night’s win, Tucson jumped on top 1-0 midway through the first on a goal by Dylan Guenther. Zach Sanford and Jan Jenik had assists. Tucson’s Max Szuber scored 18 minutes into the second period — Guenther and Kirkland had the helpers — to put Tucson up 2-0.
Texas broke a potential Villalta shutout with a goal six minutes into the third period by Logan Stankoven. But the 6-4, 190-pound native Villalta — acquired by the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes from the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, then assigned to Tucson — kept the lid on after that.
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Jenik, resigned by the Coyotes late in the Summer after it was believed in many circles he might end up playing elsewhere, if not overseas, now has three points in two games to lead the Roadrunners in the very earl going of 2023.
Guenther, who scored six goals and carded nine assists in 33 games last season for the Coyotes at the NHL level, has paid dividends quickly since being assigned to Tucson to start this season.
“I think that’s a pretty good start for us as a team. We played well the first game,” said Guenther said. “Tonight, I don’t think it was our best, but on the road, back-to-back, against a good team, you’ve got to find a way to win games sometimes.”
Up next for the Roadrunners, who very early on this season are tied atop the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division standings with the Henderson Silver Knights and Abbotsford Canucks: the club’s first home action of 2023-24. That comes Friday at 7 p.m. at Tucson Arena when the Roadrunners play host to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After that, the Roadrunners have a few days off before welcoming the San Diego Gulls to a 10:30 a.m. matchup at Tucson Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 24. The early start time that day includes free admission for all K-through-8 students in Pima County.
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners goaltender Matthew Villalta makes a sprawling save — one of 35 he had on the night in a 2-1 Tucson win Oct. 14 at the Texas Stars to start the 2023-24 season 2-0 overall. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners defenseman Max Szuber scores in the second period to put Tucson up 2-0 in an eventual 2-1 win at the Texas Stars on Oct. 14. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
VIDEO: Tucson Roadrunners forward Dylan Guenther opens the scoring of the Roadrunners' eventual 2-1 win at the Texas Stars on Oct. 14. (Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners/AHL)
