Tucson Roadrunners clinch spot in American Hockey League Playoffs
Mar 31, 2018, 9:58 PM
In just their second season, the Tucson Roadrunners clinched a spot in the American Hockey League Playoffs after defeating the Iowa Wild 4-3 on Saturday.
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Roadrunners forward Lane Pederson clinched the victory for Tucson, scoring the go-ahead goal with 36 seconds left in the third period.
The Roadrunners came into Saturday’s contest leading the Pacific Division with 80 points and a 37-19 record, needing just a single point or a loss by the San Antonio Rampage to clinch a playoff berth.
They earned two points with the win.
The Roadrunners have been led this season by sensational rookies Dylan Strome, Nick Merkley and Lawson Crouse.
Strome has 22 goals and 28 assists in 47 games for Tucson, and is ranked fourth among AHL rookies in both categories this season. He was recalled by the Arizona Coyotes on March 20 after defenseman Jason Demers was ruled out for the rest of the season with an upper-body injury.
Merkley has 18 goals and 21 assists in 38 games for the Roadrunners, while Crouse has 10 goals and 14 assists in 50 games.
Including Strome and Merkley, the Roadrunners produced four AHL All-Star’s this season, with defenseman Kyle Capobianco and honorary captain Craig Cunningham the others.
Cunningham, a former Tucson captain, was forced to retire at the age of 26 after he collapsed on the ice prior to a game last season.
With a playoff spot clinched, the Roadrunners will return to Tucson Arena on Friday night for a two-game series against the Grand Rapids Griffins before finishing the regular season with a three-game series against the San Diego Gulls.
