TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Wednesday night, the stands at TCC will be filled with Roadrunners fans for playoff hockey for the first time since 2018.
The Roadrunners face the Calgary Wranglers in a best of three matchup.
This marks the first time since a divisional finals loss to the Texas Stars that Tucson will host a Calder Cup playoff game.
“We're just very excited to get playoffs going here in Tucson, especially on home ice, and playing in front of our great fans. So I think as a whole organization, we're just really fired up and very excited to get things rolling,“ says Goalie Matt Villalta.
The Roadrunners are 2-1-1 against the Wranglers this year.
But with the uncertainty about the future of the franchise here in Tucson, Captain Steven Kampfer says, his guys just have to stay focused.
“The only thing we can control is how we show up every day and how we perform on the ice. So that's our that's our mentality. And the situation is, you know, there's nothing else we can do besides show up and play hockey,” said Kampfer
The game is a whiteout, a tradition dating back to when the Coyotes were in Winnipeg.
Games 2 is at Friday at 7 p.m.
Game 3, if necessary, will be Sunday at 7 p.m.
——
Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
