Perunovich Sets Roadrunners Records in Heartbreaking Late Loss to Henderson

Scott Perunovich rewrote the Tucson Roadrunners record book Thursday night at Lee's Family Forum, breaking both the franchise's single-season assists and points marks for a defenseman. The celebration lasted about as long as the lead that preceded it: Viliam Kmec's goal with 24 seconds left in regulation lifted Henderson to a 4-3 victory that pushed Tucson five points out of a Pacific Division playoff spot.

Perunovich notched his 36th assist and 44th point of the season on Sammy Walker's second-period goal, erasing two records that had stood since Jamie McBain's 2016-17 campaign. McBain held the previous assists mark at 35; the single-season points record of 43 had been shared between McBain and Kyle Wood. Perunovich cleared both in the same play.

The result was particularly cruel given how the game unfolded. Tucson raced to a 3-0 lead on goals from captain Austin Poganski, Walker, and Daniil But, then watched Henderson dismantle it methodically before Kmec drove the final stake with less than half a minute remaining.

The loss landed with compounded weight because San Diego beat Bakersfield 6-3 the same night. The Gulls' win widened the gap to five points for the seventh and final Pacific berth, leaving Tucson with a game in hand but only seven regular-season games remaining.

What Thursday exposed was a pattern that has followed this team through the back half of the schedule: an inability to protect leads late. Perunovich's value as an offensive distributor from the blue line is now etched into the record book. His 36 assists lead the Roadrunners and reflect a quarterback presence on the power play that generates pressure and second-chance opportunities. The question is whether the team around him can hold a score when the clock is running out.

For scouts and prospect evaluators tracking the Roadrunners, Perunovich's numbers represent a legitimate benchmark. For Tucson as a playoff contender, seven games and a five-point deficit is a far more urgent calculation.