Lleyton Moore Scores in 10th Round, Roadrunners Rally Past Gulls

A three-goal hole became a momentum swing for Tucson at Pechanga Arena as the Roadrunners rallied from 3-0 down to beat the San Diego Gulls 4-3 in a 10-round shootout. Lleyton Moore, in his first game back after a five-week injury absence, converted the decisive shootout attempt in round 10 while Matthew Villalta stopped nine of San Diego’s 10 shootout tries to secure his 13th win.

San Diego built a 2-0 lead after the first period and pushed it to 3-0 just over four minutes into the second when Coulson Pitre scored. Tucson responded in a furious 4:42 span midway through the second period. Ty Tullio opened the comeback, a Szuber power-play tally followed to cut the deficit - noted in sources as both Maz Szuber and Max Szuber - and Robbie Russo finished the comeback with a goal that tied the game with just under 10 minutes left in the second. The third period and overtime were scoreless, sending the game to the season-long shootout marathon for the Gulls.

Villalta finished with 30 saves after allowing three goals in the first 24 minutes, then turning aside 20 consecutive shots over the final two periods and overtime before his strong shootout showing. Tucson finished with 27 shots on goal to San Diego’s 33. Special teams played a clear role: Tucson converted its lone power-play chance 1-for-1 while San Diego was 1-for-2.

Ty Tullio and Robbie Russo each recorded a goal and an assist. Jalen Luypen picked up an assist in his Roadrunners debut, while Cameron Hebig returned from a recall from the Utah Mammoth and added an assist. Montana Onyebuchi logged his second assist in three games. Team context notes highlight Andrew Agozzino’s scoring streak as the club’s longest this season, with six points in his last six games and 10 points in his last nine.

The victory improved Tucson to 19-14-7-0 and pulled the Roadrunners even with the Gulls at 45 points apiece, snapping a four-game winless run against San Diego and closing a successful road trip at 2-1-0-0. The game also underlines Tucson’s extra-time resilience; the club has played 15 overtime games this season, second-most in the AHL, and carries an 8-0-7-0 record in extra time.

Beyond the scoreline, the game illustrates the AHL’s dual role as both competitive product and development pipeline. Moore’s return-from-injury heroics, Hebig’s recall contribution, and Luypen’s instant impact after joining on a PTO reflect roster churn and opportunity that drive fan interest and organizational value. For local markets, dramatic comeback wins and prolonged shootouts like this one generate ticket demand and social buzz that matter for arena revenue and branding as the calendar moves toward the playoff push. Tucson’s climb back into a tie with San Diego makes the Pacific Division race tighter and raises the stakes for upcoming matchups as both clubs jockey for position.