Tucson Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta (#31) helps keep the puck from crossing the goal line against the San Jose Barracuda at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday DEC 20, 2023. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Defense and discipline got an early start on the holidays.

The Tucson Roadrunners kept coming back and kept pouring it on as they defeated the San Jose Barracuda 8-6 in a game that resembled a shooting gallery on Wednesday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose had its season best three-game winning streak snapped. Tucson has won three of its last four games.

San Jose (8-12-4-0) drew first blood with an even strength goal early in the first period. Bradley Marek whipped around a shot from the left point that pinballed off bodies in front past Roadrunners goalie Matthew Villalta for his second goal of the season at the 3:03 mark. Leon Gawanke and Scott Sabourin were credited with assists.

Marek snapped a 10-game goal-less draught.

Tucson (15-8-1-1) answered back two minutes later. A shot from the point by Patrik Koch was redirected past ‘Cuda goalie Eetu Makiniemi by Aku Raty for his fourth goal of the season at the 5:11 mark.

The ‘Cuda regained the lead with the man advantage at the 7:09 mark. Danil Gushchin fed a pass up to Shakir Mukhamadullin at the point and the Russian defenseman lasered in a wrist shot to the far side for his fourth goal of the season. Cole Cassels received the secondary assist on the play.

Tucson scored the equalizer after a faceoff win inside the ‘Cuda zone. Justin Kirkland fed a pass back up to the point to Lleyton Moore. The rookie defenseman who made his AHL debut for the Roadrunners beat Makiniemi with a wrist for his first career AHL goal at the 10:16 mark.

San Jose gained its third lead of the game near the halfway mark of the second period. Brett Kemp centered a backhand pass from behind the net out to Marek who beat Villalta with one-timer for his second goal of the game and third of the season at the 8:36 mark.

The Roadrunners needed just 18 seconds to score its third equalizer of the contest. Curtis Douglas sent Ben McCartney on a breakaway with an outlet pass out of the ‘Cuda zone. McCartney beat Makiniemi with a low wrist shot for his first goal of the season.

Tucson hit their fifth gear as they gained its first lead on a power play. With Artem Guryev in the sinbin for boarding, Kirkland centered a pass from the slot and Raty tipped the puck past Makiniemi for his second goal of the game and fifth goal of the season at the 9:53 mark.

Raty completed the hat trick as the Roadrunners took advantage of a tired ‘Cuda line. Ryan McGregor sent a rink wide pass over to a wide-open Raty and he buried a wrist shot to the short side for his sixth goal of the season at the 15:32 mark.

“This team (Tuscon) lives off of turnovers. Almost all of their offense comes off transition, off of turnovers. We were just too careless with the puck and it burned us,” ‘Cuda head coach John McCarthy said.

Thomas Bordeleau made it a one-goal game early in the third period when he received the puck at his own blueline, skated into the Roadrunners zone and used a Tucson defender as a screen before depositing a wrist shot past Villalta for his co-leading eighth goal of the season at the 1:51 mark.

Tucson continued its theme of the night of scoring a goal right after a San Jose goal. Austin Poganski cleaned up a rebound into an open net for his third goal of the season at the 3:18 mark as the Roadrunners regained its two-goal lead.

The Barracuda scored its second power play goal of the game to make it 6-5 at the halfway through the final frame. Mukhamadullin’s shot from the point was cleaned up by Sabourin, who was parked in front of the crease, for his fourth goal of the season at the 9:53 mark.

The Roadrunners took advantage of a bad turnover by the Barracuda inside their own zone. Nikolai Knyzhov gave the puck to Raty and he fed it over to Milos Kelemen who beat Makiniemi with a wrist shot for his third goal of the season at the 13:04 mark.

The ‘Cuda weren’t dead yet as they scored their sixth goal of the season on an odd-man rush. Sabourin sent a rink wide pass down to Gawanke who beat Villalta with a shot through the five-hole for his fifth goal of the season at the 16:34 mark.

“We want him (Gawanke) to activate up the ice when the time is right and that was the perfect time to do it. I think that was a good play by him,” McCarthy said.

Victor Soderstrom completed the scoring with a power play goal with 16 second remaining in the game with his fifth goal of the season.

Villalta (13-7-1-1) finished the game making 29 saves on 35 shots to earn his 13th victory of the season. Makiniemi (3-3-0-1) made 30 saves on 38 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 2-for-4 on the power play. Tucson went 2-for-3.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Raty 2) Mukhamadullin 3) Marek.

UP NEXT: San Jose begins a three-game road trip when the take on the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday 12/22 at 7:00pm at Dollar Loan Center.