The Tucson Roadrunners returned home red hot after stuffing their stockings with wins last week in California.
The Roadrunners (17-8-1-1) have won five of their last six and moved up to second in the AHL’s Pacific Division, and fourth among the league’s 32 teams in points.
“We are hot right now,” Tucson forward Jan Jenik told Roadrunners’ communications staff after Tucson’s 4-3 win at the San Diego Gulls on Saturday. “Merry Christmas — can’t wait to see you guys.”
The Roadrunners hope the six-day Christmas break doesn’t cool them down as they host the Coachella Valley Firebirds (17-8-1-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. and then San Diego (8-14-5-0 as of late Thursday) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Tucson swept its three games in four days Golden State road trip last week with an 8-6 comeback win over the San Jose Barracuda, a 4-3 overtime win over the Bakersfield Condors and a that 4-3 triumph in San Diego that saw Jenik score twice.
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“You always want to head into Christmas time on a high note,” Tucson Right wing Josh Doan said after the San Diego game. “We won in three different ways; which you always want to show you can do.
Tucson forward Jan Jenik skates through the handshake line in the first period after scoring his first goal of two goals during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win over the San Diego Gulls Saturday night. Tucson won all three games (over a four-day span) on their pre-holiday California road trip last week.
“It isn’t easy going to three different cities and winning three games so props to everyone in the room, said Doan, who scored the game-winner in overtime against Bakersfield.
As of press time, only the Roadrunners and the Hershey Bears are 8-2-0-0 in their last 10 games, the best marks in the AHL for teams over their last 10 games. Tucson is 10-3-1-0 in its last 14 games.
But the Roadrunners’ roster this season has been anything but static; they’ve had nine players called up to the Coyotes in addition to injuries to stalwarts like captain Steven Kampfer.
“A lot of guys called up and down, that just says what a great group we have and we’re ready to battle no matter what,” Jenik said.
As of Thursday morning, the road-tested ‘Runners are tied with the Cleveland Monsters for most points on the road with 23.
Tucson has gone 7-2-0-0 in December. Their best December was in 2019 when they went 9-2-0-0.
Potvin: 2024
With the Roadrunners’ jump up the standings, head coach Steve Potvin now has a legit bid to go to the AHL’s All-Star Classic himself.
If the Roadrunners win both games this weekend, they could move to first place in the Pacific Division and send Potvin to the ASG as the Pacific’s coach.
As of press time, Tucson is in second place with 36 points, while first place Calgary has 38 and third place Abbotsford has 36. The Wranglers and Canucks play a two-game series starting on Thursday night and the coaches are picked based on the Dec. 31 standings.
The All-Star Classic is Feb. 4-5 in San Jose.
Potvin would be the third Tucson head coach to lead the Pacific All-Stars after Jay Varady in 2020 and Mike Van Ryn in 2018.
A merry Roadrunners Christmas beak, um, break
The Roadrunners had a break since Saturday night’s win in San Diego until practice back in Tucson on Thursday.
The six days between games in late December is about normal for the Roadrunners in their history
Last season Tucson’s Christmas break was seven days and they lost both games, at Texas, in their return series.
In 2021-22 they had a 17-day break between games for the holidays, splitting a series with the Stockton Heat. The 2021 season started in February so there was no Christmas break.
In 2019 they had a week off, but were swept by Colorado when they got back to action. Before that in 2018 they were off for six days and split with Stockton.
In 2017 they had a four-day Christmas break and came back to beat San Diego in a solo game. Finally in 2016 they have a five day break between games and also beat the Gulls in a one-game return.
Doan had “a lot” of family from Canada visit him over the break.
Somehow, Star Wars Night has returned
Star Wars Night strikes back on Saturday when the Roadrunners host San Diego.
The Roadrunners are offering a package that includes a ticket and a Roadrunner lightsaber.
Last year Star Wars Night was one of the most popular promotions for the Roadrunners with attendance reaching 5,717. That was the the second highest number of fans in Tucson Arena last year, behind only the 5,923 who showed out for the season finale.
Tucson Roadrunners forward Travis Barron and San Diego Gulls forward Glenn Gawdin duke it out in the second period of Tucson’s eventual 4-3 win over the Gulls on Dec. 23, 2023 in San Diego. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Dylan Guenther scores the first of his two goals during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win in overtime over the Bakersfield Condors on Dec. 22, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Jan Jenik scores the first of his two goals during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win over the San Diego Gulls on Dec. 23, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Dylan Guenther scores the second of his two goals during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win in overtime over the Bakersfield Condors on Dec. 22, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Doan scores in overtime to give the Roadrunners’ a 4-3 road win over the Bakersfield Condors on Dec. 22, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward John Leonard scores during the Roadrunners 4-3 road win over the San Diego Gulls on Dec. 23, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Jan Jenik scores the second of his two goals during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win over the San Diego Gulls on Dec. 23, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Aku Raty scores during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win over the San Diego Gulls on Dec. 23, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
Tucson Roadrunners forward Victor Soderstrom scores during the Roadrunners’ 4-3 road win in overtime over the Bakersfield Condors on Dec. 22, 2023. Tucson swept it’s three-game road trip through California, defeating San Jose, Bakersfield and San Diego over a four-night span. (Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners)
