The Tuscon Roadrunners‘ season ended early on Friday night, as they lost Game 2 to the Calgary Wranglers in a surprising series upset that might not actually be that surprising. Calgary won Game 1 2-0, and will win the series 2-0, moving on to the second round.
Three Stars
Dustin Wolf is possibly the easiest pick for star of the game. After his 46 save shut out on Wednesday night, he followed it up with a 40 save performance in Game 2, giving him 86 saves on 89 shots over two games. In the series preview of this match-up, both authors predicted Roadrunners winning in 3, but we forgot that you should never bet against Dustin Wolf in the playoffs. Last night was his 15th career AHL postseason win in 24 games, and he carried a .966 sv% this series.
Dylan Guenther did everything he could to force the Roadrunners into a Game 3. He scored the opening goal for Tuscon, breaking Wolf’s 56 save streak early in the first, and led both teams with 7 shots on goal. Whether he spends next season with Utah or with Tuscon, the future is bright for the young forward.
You have to give a star of the game to a series winning goal, and that’s what William Stromgren did. With just under 10 minutes left in regulation, he put the Wranglers ahead 4-2, and though the Roadrunners pushed to equalise, and made it 4-3, Calgary would hang on, giving Stromgren the GWG, and the Wranglers the W.
Two Takeaways
Goaltending
Before the series started, on paper, the goaltending looked pretty equal. Wolf is dominant, yes, but Matt Villalta led the AHL in wins this season, and was an AHL All star Representative for Tuscon. He finished this series against Calgary with a .914 sv% and 5 goals on 58 shots. Under any other circumstance, that should be enough for a win. Goaltending was the difference in this series, not because one was better than the other (though Wolf certainly came out on top). The Roadrunners just couldn’t solve Wolf. The Wranglers did just enough to solve Villalta.
Discipline is Key
There have been a lot of penalty minutes handed out in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs this week (look no further than Ontario/Bakersfield, where there were over 50 handed out between the two teams). Calgary, after going 3/3 on the kill in Game 1, went 1/2 on the kill in Game 2. An 80% success rate on the PK doesn’t seem overly successful on paper, and the Roadrunners in fact went 9/10 on the PK over the series, giving them the edge, but the Wranglers taking only 5 minor penalties over two games certainly contributed to their ability to build momentum and stay on the attack. Taking too many penalties disrupts the bench, and kills any offence you may have been building. By staying out of the box, the Wranglers made it that much easier to win the game.
One Question
Can Calgary keep this up against Coachella Valley?
A 7 seed upsetting a 2 seed is always great hockey to watch, but now Calgary finds themselves the David to an even bigger Goliath, as they must face the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Pacific Division Champs, and the reigning Western Conference Champions from last season’s Calder Cup Playoffs. These two teams faced off in the Western Conference Final last season, with Coachella Valley winning Game 5 in overtime to book their place in the Calder Cup Final opposite the Hershey Bears.
In only their second season, it looks like the Robert W Clarke Trophy is Coachella Valley’s to lose. On the other hand, though, you look at how Dustin Wolf played in the first round. Do you bet against the young goalie again?
What’s Next?
The Calgary Wranglers face off against the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Calgary on May 3rd. This will a best of five series, and the winner will go to the Western Conference Final. The game starts at 7pm Mountain Time.
