Kempe Prefers Playing North American Hockey

GLENDALE --Facing elimination, the Tucson Roadrunners will need their top scorers to step forward Friday night when they play Game 5 of a best-of-seven American Hockey League playoff series at the Texas Stars, who lead 3-1.
Tucson failed to score in Game 4 on Wednesday and lost 2-0. The Western Conference's top seed tallied just seven goals in the first four games vs. Texas and only three in Games 1, 2 and 4 combined. Forwards Dylan Strome, Lawson Crouse, and Mario Kempe, all of which played, and scored, for Arizona in 2017-18, are due for big offensive games.

Kempe, 29, leads the Roadrunners with four playoff goals on 16 shots, but he's tallied just one assist in this series. He's hoping he and his teammates can win on Friday and send the series back to Tucson for two more games.
Kempe, who played five AHL games in 2008-09 after being drafted by Philadelphia in 2007, has enjoyed his first full pro season of North American hockey.

"The style here is different than what I'm used to," said Kempe, a Swede who played in Sweden (six seasons) and then in the Kontinental Hockey League (three seasons) after two seasons with St. John's of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. "I'm used to the big rink, but I feel like I always have been more suited to play on the small rink so this season has been good for me. I think the North American style suits me more than the European style."
Kempe was the last player the Coyotes cut from training camp last September and the first one recalled from the AHL less than a week into the season. He scored 18 goals, including three vs. Cleveland on March 2, in 47 regular-season games for Tucson this season, plus two more in 18 games with the Coyotes from Oct. 10 to Nov. 16.
"I wanted to play in the NHL, but I knew being sent down to the AHL could happen so if it happens you have to stay professional," Kempe said last week, before the Roadrunners headed to Texas. "My focus then and my focus right now is here with this team, and I'm really excited about us playing in the playoffs. Up there with the Coyotes, my role was a little different than it is down here. It's nice to be down here playing both power play and penalty kill. I'm a two-way forward so I'm really enjoying that, and I'm pleased with my season so far."

Coyotes Head Coach Rick Tocchet often spoke of Kempe's speed and of his energy. More than once Tocchet told reporters Kempe "plays like he wants to stay here."
Kempe, whose younger brother Adrian plays for the Los Angeles Kings, is hoping to re-sign with the Coyotes after the season and get a second chance at making it to the NHL and sticking.
"Obviously the players are way better up there, but I know I can play there and it's my goal to get up there again," Kempe said.