Roadrunners Report: Games 1-10

ROADRUNNERS REPORT:Games 1-10
Record:6-3-0-1
Overall record:6-3-0-1
Standings:Third place, Pacific Division
TUCSON --To say those in Tucson have become accustomed to marvelous starts would be an accurate statement. The Roadrunners, for reasons both known and unknown, have somehow, someway been virtually unbeatable during the first month of seasons dating back to their 2016 inception.
Winners of six of their first eight games with points in seven, the Roadrunners got off to another roaring start, posting a 6-1-0-1 mark to improve their all-time record during the month of October to 15-3-1-1.

Dipping into November and now 10 contests deep, the team sits steady with a 6-3-0-1 record, owning a .650 points percentage that situates them at third place in the Pacific Division and seventh place in the Western Conference.
"Where we're sitting here at 10 games, I think we've done some things okay and I think we've got to get better in certain areas," Head Coach Jay Varady said. "I think we have some basic structure with our group right now, that's a good thing, and I think we have to continue to build on that."
Varady, in his first year as the Roadrunners' head coach after being hired by the Arizona Coyotes for the job in July, is more than aware of the need to weigh the balance of winning games and developing players at the American Hockey League level.
The roster checks in as the second youngest in the league with an average age of 22.96 years old. While the youth continue to blossom, with hard evidence to show for it, they're complemented by a solid set of seasoned names.
"I think our group here is pretty sound that way in terms of our younger guys, they're playing some key roles for us now, getting good minutes and doing good things," Varady added. "I think the balance between winning and development has been really solid through the first 10 games."
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Not uncommon is it for a player's path to begin in the AHL, and those initial footsteps have been well documented with 19 graduations to the NHL level through the Roadrunners' first two seasons.
This year, five players have made their professional debuts with Tucson. Those who have gotten their first taste of the pro game are forwards Matteo Gennaro, Tyler Steenbergen, Brayden Burke, Kevin Klima, and defenseman Cam Dineen.
Two additional names, both with ECHL time already on their resumes, played in their first AHL games - forward Domenic Alberga and goaltender Merrick Madsen.
NEW LEADER
Dakota Mermis was named the Roadrunners' new team captain on Monday, chosen by head coach Jay Varady to lead Tucson's young, eager roster. He is the third captain in club history, following the likes of Craig Cunningham in 2016-17 and Andrew Campbell in 2017-18.
"[Dakota] has the ability to carry the coaching staff's message into our locker room," Varady said. "He's a good communicator. He's been around, he has some experience and we have a group that looks to him quite a bit. Throughout the start to our season, he's been a key guy in terms of leading our group."

Mermis, in his fourth professional season, has played all three season with the Roadrunners and is second all-time in franchise games played with 135.
"It's an absolute honor," he said of being appointed the role. "You take stuff away from every single captain you've played with; [Craig Cunningham] was an unbelievable worker, [Andrew Campbell] led by example. I certainly appreciate the guys and the staff believing in me that way."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Coyotes recalled Mermis from the Roadrunners on Tuesday, and he will accompany Arizona, at least at the start, on its four-game trip this week.
To fill out the team's 2018-19 leadership group, Mario Kempe was named as a full-time alternate captain, while Laurent Dauphin and Robbie Russo will split the role of being the team's second alternate captain on a home/road basis.
0 TO 100
With an abundance of youth come many opportunities for firsts. Rookies Matteo Gennaro, Brayden Burke and Jordan Gross have each scored their first professional goals, while Tyler Steenbergen, Cam Dineen, and Kevin Klima have recorded assists to notch their first pro points.

Gennaro, contributing heavily during the highest scoring game in Roadrunners history when the team netted a record eight goals on October 26, registered Tucson's fourth-ever hat trick in the team's 8-5 win.
Both Michael Bunting and David Ullstrom hit impressive milestones in registering their 100th AHL points. Bunting did so with a goal on October 19 versus Rockford, Ullstrom with an assist on October 26 at Ontario.
GARLAND RECOGNIZED
Conor Garland was named the CCM / AHL Player of the Week for the period ending October 28. The third-year pro was acknowledged for a week in which he put up seven points (2G, 5A) in two games, including a five-point performance on October 26 at Ontario, which tied a single game franchise record.
The 22-year-old is the third Roadrunners player to earn the league's weekly honor. Christian Fischer was recognized for the period ending January 25, 2017 during the team's inaugural campaign, while Dylan Strome was twice awarded last season for the periods ending October 29 and November 26, 2017.

FITTING IN JUST FINE
With a new season comes change, and change brings new faces. For the Roadrunners, 10 of the 24 players on the team's opening night roster never played in a game with the team, though many of them first year pros.
On the acquisition side, newcomers have been active in the scoring department. Adam Helewka, who the Roadrunners received in a trade with the San Jose Sharks for Kyle Wood in June, leads the team in goals scored with five.
David Ullstrom, signed to a one-year, two-way contract by the Coyotes last May, has been playing at almost a point-per-game pace since joining the Roadrunners, totaling five (3G, 2A) in six games played.
Signed to a one-year AHL contract last June, Matteo Gennaro has come out flying - leading all rookies on the team in scoring and is tied for third overall with six points (4G, 2A).
WE KNOW THEM!
Five former Roadrunners currently grace the Coyotes' roster, and the group (Lawson Crouse, Dylan Strome, Brendan Perlini, Christian Fischer, Kevin Connauton) of AHL graduates has combined to score 10 goals and 16 points for the NHL club this year.
Strome scored the Coyotes' first goal of the season in early October at Anaheim, while Fischer registered his first NHL hat trick a couple of weeks later in Columbus.
LOOKING AHEAD
Of the Roadrunners' next 10 games, all of them will come against Pacific Division opponents. The team, following its road-heavy start which called for seven road games, will even out in their travel ratio, playing half of their ensuing 10 contests locally at Tucson Arena where they've won two of their three games played.