April 15, 2025 • 46 mins
Voice of the Roadrunners Jonathon Schaffer and Co-Host Kim Cota-Robles are joined in the final week of the regular season by Roadrunners rookie forward Julian Lutz as they talk about his rookie season in the AHL and relationship with Maksymilian Szuber and Artem Duda. Johnny and Kim also talk about goaltender Matthew Villalta's first career NHL win and hear from him postgame with Utah Media.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's five o'clock, yours hues day done. They's two Sun
Roadrunners Happy out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty am with
Jonathan shit Right, Kid Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
It's so funny.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night together.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
So I don't know. Maybe we should start implementing some
breakdance pre games during the season and see how that goes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet, Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Fox Sports fourteen fifty am, our usual Tuesday night get together.
Roadrunners Happy are Jonathan Schaeffer alongside me as always, Kim Coder, Roblaz, Kim, Johnny.
This is crazy. This is gonna be a crazy weekend
coming up the last two games of the regular season
against the Colorado Eagles. It's all coming down to the wire,
(00:51):
one last spot left for both the Roadrunners and the
Bakersfield Condors. We're going up against the Colorado Eagles last
two games at home as well to volalta big news
for him. He got his first career National Hockey League
win with the Utah Hockey Club last night. We're gonna
be having Julian LUTs On the show today to talk
about his rookie season. You'll be joining us shortly as well.
(01:12):
Lots to discuss, lots to talk about. We have our
last Alazo Day Tucson game on Friday night, YEP fan
appreciation Night on Saturday. It's gonna be a packed barn.
We need everybody out here at the Tucson Arena because
kim it can us coming down to the wire here.
That's kind of just been what we've been saying all week. Right.
Baker's Field's playing against a habits for tomorrow, and there's
(01:34):
a lot of different scenarios if the Condors do win
that game or if they lose that game as well.
I have the clinching scenarios for us still if you
want to roll through it. It was kind of crazy last
time when we went to Rockford. Yeah, when I was
talking about.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
This, I'm nervous for you to talk about them, because yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, I mean, let's let's go, let's do it. Okay,
all right, here we go. So clinching scenarios for the
Roadrunners this weekend, there's two scenarios. Right Bakersfield wins against
Abbittsford's pretty much that ties them with points in us.
They play on them mark, but we still have that
tiebreaker over them more regulation wins. That's been crucial for
us because all the Condors do is go to overtime
(02:12):
and it helps them, but at the end of the day,
they need to get more points to us. So essentially
we're three points out of them, if you want to
be technical. If they do beat Abbitsford, we'll be tied
in points with them, but we'll have that type breaker.
We pretty much have to win both games to clinch.
Like you, we win both games, we clinch no matter what.
If we go one and one and the Condors go
one and one with no overtime know anything, then we clinch.
(02:35):
Or if we were to lose an overtime game and
win a game as well and get three out of
four and they go one and one, then we clinch
because we'll have more points than them. They bear with me,
We're still going here. If we get three out of
four points and they get three out of four points,
we still clinch because we're still matched in the same
amount of points and we still get that tiebreaker. Or
if the Bakers will Condors just straight up lose both
(02:57):
games and whatever happens to us, we're in and this
is all. If the Condors win tomorrow night against the
abbitts Ford Canucks. If bakers Field now loses against the
abbots Ford Canucks on Wednesday, then all we need to
do is get one win on Friday or Saturday. Or
there's a scenario where if the Condors just go one
(03:17):
and one, we still go in. So we can actually
lose Friday and they lose Friday, we're in. We're good
to go. Or if we somehow this is a crazy one,
if we managed to just get two points and lose
both games in overtime or shootout against Colorado, then we're
in because you really just need two points. And then
the last scenario is once again, if the Condors lose
(03:38):
in regulation or overtime on Friday and Saturday. So there's
a lot. If you want to read the more of
this clinching scenarios, go to Tucson Rots dot com. It's
gonna be on this week's road ahead. So if you
actually want to read that and actually kind of think
about it a bit more, because you have to, there's
just so much going on. I love clinching scenarios, Kim.
(03:58):
I spend a good hour on this because you want
to be right. You know, it's so simple, it's simple math,
but you want to make sure it's correct because if
you don't make it correct and then for some reason
we clinch and I didn't know, I'm gonna be very
disappointed myself.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Well, you beautiful minded the heck out of that. So
I can't even imagine what the murder board in your
apartment looks like. It's gotta be intense.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It's like, have you seen have you seen sunny in Philadelphia? Yes?
Any given that scene? What Charlie's Charlie? Yeah, I'm Charlie.
When it comes to playoff clinching scenarios, what's nicest, too, Kim,
is we're not getting any more better than the seventh seat,
Like the seventh seat is completely locked down. But what's
more stressful about it all is we not even have
to clinch that last spot. But if we do, then
(04:40):
we don't even know who we're playing. We might not
know who we're playing till the very last game. Because
you got Colorado against Ontario tomorrow. All Colorado needs is
one point to clinch home ice advantage, not only in
the Pacific Division, but the entire Western Conference. And then
you have Abbotsford and Ontario who are pretty much neck
and neck for the second seed, which you know, we
(05:00):
get seventh seed. We're playing the second seed whoever it is,
so you know, either going to be going to California
or all the way to Canada against the Canucks. And
you know, say as you want. Canucks are the hottest
team in the league right now. They've just coming off
of a fifteen game heater. But we've matched up against
them well. We won the season series against him. Ontario
we struggled against, but the Rain haven't been as good
(05:23):
to end off the season as well. They're currently tied
both at eighty six points. Abbotsford currently has the tie breaker.
Of course, we're Abbitsford fans on Wednesday night, but then
coming up on this Friday and Saturday is what really
matters as well. And interesting enough, the Canucks and Rain
play on the very last game of the season, so
there's so much to happen still, like we can clinch
(05:45):
on Friday, but then we're not gonna know where we're
going until Saturday night once the entire season's over. And
that's what's so crazy about this specific division. We don't
know anything even San Jose in Calgary are playing one another.
They're both battling for either the fifth or the sixth seed.
Coach Valley's trying to hang on to home ice advantage
because the top four seeds are guaranteed home ice, and
(06:05):
with Colorado in the first round, by then is pretty
much three teams in the first round that get home ice,
kind of like what we were in last year. It's crazy, Kim,
And you can tell I'm a little bit wired right now.
Just tell you about it.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
You've been talking for like ten solid minutes. It's amazing.
I am very impressed.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I mean, I do it for a living, So I mean, this.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Is Shonda Rhime's level drama. Or if we started this
season with Dearest Gentle Reader, because it's Bridgerton level intrigue.
And again, I know I've talked about this before, but
who scripted this season? Because one of the things that
you failed to mention is that in playing the Colorado
Eagles this weekend, we're going up against the number one
team in the division right now, who are sitting at
(06:42):
ninety two points. Nobody is close to them right now,
you know, So that's it could not be more more
on the line that the stakes are high and it's
just this juggernaut of the division that we're going against
this weekend. So along with being our last live night
of the season fan appreciation night, when we give away
(07:03):
so much stuff, it's like literally sheets and sheets of
lists of pages of things that we're gonna be given away.
All of that is happening in tandem with all of this,
and it's again, could not have been scripted more to
feed into the frenzy of playoff hockey.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, it's and it's getting warm out here, it's getting
it's getting into the nineties, and it's like, oh man,
that is that playoff weather. Rockford was gorgeous too, Kim,
not even a cloud in the sky to both days
we were there, and all their staff members were like,
come on the one week year here, it's like you guys,
you guys get to bring the sunlights here, you guys
get to experience it. Yeah, it's like come on, yeah.
(07:43):
And then some of them have even even asked me,
like are you from Arizona? Like no, I'm from California.
You're like, oh, so you've been exposed to sun your
whole life, And I said yes, as correct, but no,
Rodford was fun. I mean, it was tough not being
able to get those wins. I thought we played a
fantastic game both ones. You know, lost the first one
six to three, but we're hanging in there the entire time.
Second game, got a huge game time goal from Curtis Douglass,
(08:04):
forced overtime, got a crucial point in the playoff race,
and then eventually lost in overtime. So, you know, a tough,
tough end to our road schedule. But Kim, we are
eight three to one, and know, in our last twelve
home games, we've averaged a three point sixty six goals
for per game in that stretch. We scored forty four
goals in our last twelve home games. And then we're
(08:24):
coming off of fifteen goals in our last four game
homestand so we can We've been racking up the points
here at home, and I think it's perfect that we
get to be home the last two games. And you know,
obviously Colorado they'll have their game plan of what they
want to do. But if they do clinch on Wednesday
the first route first seed, do they rest their starters?
(08:46):
Who knows? I mean, they just called up Gabriel Landeskog,
you know from his conditioning stint, So we will not
be seeing Landescog, even though that would have been awesome
to see him because he's a legend. At the same time,
you're like, oof, that's the we'll take that. We'll take that. Yeah,
So it's interesting. I mean, yeah, sure, maybe Colorado does
just roll their starters because maybe they want to do
(09:06):
eliminade us and maybe they don't want to face us
in the second round. Who knows. But yeah, still so
much to play on the line for us this coming
week on Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, and as as you guys can probably hear, we're
at we're watching the boys practice as this is happening.
Johnny Howe, you've been with the boys for a little while.
How are they feeling, Like, what's the mood? I mean,
we can we can talk to Julian about this a
little bit when he comes to join us in a second.
But yeah, like, how are they feeling coming off of
(09:36):
the road trip.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, they just know what's at steak Kim. Yeah, they
know what's at stake here. They know that they still
control their own destiny, and I think the good mentality
is obviously We're constantly looking at the standings because we're
those ones who stress out. They're the ones who are
calm and collective. But you know there they know that
you need regardless of if the Condors win on Wednesday
(09:58):
or not tomorrow night, you just need two wins and
you're in. You know, you need You can't rely on
Henderson who plays Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday. You can't
just say like, oh, you know, we'll go one and
one and maybe the Condors go one and one. No,
you have to have that mindset of you have to
win both of these games and you get the playoffs
because if you don't, Condors take the last spot and
then just like that, the season's over and then you
(10:20):
just don't even get a chance. And you know, we've
been saying all season long, you know, just make the playoffs,
and you just don't know what happens, Kim, Especially in
these really small first rounds where it's best to three,
all you need to do is get two games one
and whether we're going to Ontario or potentially Abbotsford, which
I do think it's gonna be either those two teams,
I don't see Coachell Valley catching up to them in
any sort of way. You know, you've matched up well
(10:42):
against Abbotsford. You've gone two victories in Ontario this season
as well, so take that as you well. And but regardless,
I think it will be really fun for this team
to be kind of that underdog mentality. And but you know,
they know what's at stake, They're still I think we
just play two good games in Rockford and faced just
ran into a hot goaltender. Sometimes that's just how it goes.
(11:03):
But you know, came back home Sunday at a good
decent time, got a day off yesterday, and I think
the boys are rejuvenated ready and they got a good
reset to you know, just go full steam ahead into
this Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I was gonna say you you sparked a memory for
me in that this has been the kind of season
where I as a very superstitious person, very and we've
talked about this and how very optimistic you are, and
I am very Yes, I'm not that I'm not optimistic.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I do not I say let's do it game.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I am all the superstitions, but very much in this
season I have had to let so much of that go,
and like I literally sit in my box and no
matter how stressy it gets, I've had to tell myself
what's gonna what's meant to be, is gonna happen, you know, like,
because I'm like me, knocking on wood is not going
to change anything. I'm knocked on all the wood this
season and it hasn't changed anything. So I have learned
(12:02):
a lot about not only the team but myself this
season in that, you know, I just gotta take a
deep happen.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
How was it for you two years ago when we
were in a battle with San Jose for the last
spot in my last year with the barracud as an intern,
I was literally there with our head coaches because we
had like this postgame interview thing, just watching it, and
I remember thinking we were gonna clinch because all Tucsaw
(12:31):
needed was a point and you guys were down for
to one against Texas. You came all the way back
and forced overtime and got that final point and clinched.
How stressful was that? I mean you were on the road.
I think, then you're in Texas if I'm not mistaken
or at home, but like you were probably there watching. Yeah,
how was that? Like? I feel like that was a
(12:51):
lot more stressful, right, that was.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Stressing, But this is a different kind where And also
I didn't know the team as well as I know
them now, Like I was so new to the organization
and I.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Was like, come on, you just made us miss the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Man.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Seeing how hard the boys work and and the coaching
staff and everything that they're putting into it on a
very you know, personal level, and then them either not
getting the results that they want are just coming up short.
I mean, like, that's that's heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. It was
stressy for me from a very, very work related level
(13:31):
two years ago. So yeah, so it was it was,
I want to say, it was an entirely different feeling.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, and especially this year, it's like this team is
so talented, And it was talented two years ago as well.
I mean we had the top score in the American
Hockey League Michael Carconi. But yes, you know, this year,
this team has so much depth and we've gotten to
know all the guys. Cameron Hebick having his breakout year.
Curtis Douglas is also breaking news today named Man of
the Year or nominated Man of the Year for the
Tucson Roadrunners. So you know that's another storyline. We just
(14:00):
saw Matthew Vllalta get his first career NHL win that
will talk about in just a second. There's just so
many storylines and getting to know these guys and you
just want them to have a chance. Yes, just give
them a chance and let's see what they can do
for a postseason run. No matter what the record is,
no matter what we've been through, you get into the playoffs,
it's anyone's game. As we've seen in all kinds of
seasons in hockey. We've seen wildcard teams go all the
(14:23):
way to the Cup and win. We've seen teams being
first places, be the best team ever and they lose
first round. I mean, don't be shocked if Winnipeg loses
the first round because they won the trophy for the
best team in the league and they usually teams get
dumped in the first round for that.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Well, this is something that we've talked about before, right where.
One of the amazing things about hockey is that somebody
can score in a split second and it can completely
change the game. Or you can get three goals in
the last three minutes of a game and take and
win win the game after coming from behind. Like where
football you have to watch the ball drive down the fields.
Baseball you have to watch the runners school run. I mean,
(14:59):
you can get home runs like I feel in other
sports there's a lead up to you know, a run
scoring or something like that happening. But with hockey, you
never know. From not even moment to moment, but second
to second, you really don't know what's going to happen.
And that's one of the most amazing things about this
sport is that none of us can predict what's gonna happen.
(15:19):
We can look at the odds and we can look
at the stats all freaking day, but no clue how
exactly everything's gonna go this weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
You just never know, like you just never know. And
I just said, I know, but it's just how it goes. Kim.
On another news, Matthew Valta got his first career NHL
win just last night in a seventh three victory for
the Utah Hockey Club in Nashville, Tennessee. Valalta making twenty
eight saves on thirty one total shots. What a night
(15:48):
for him. What a few days for Matthew Valta. He's
been up there for a few weeks never really got
that start as the club was pushing for the playoffs
or riding with Will Melka, rightfully so, because he's their starter.
But now that the season's over for them, they're just
trying to kind of ended on a high note, and
Matthew Valalta got his just his third or just his
second career NHL start, his third appearance overall, came in
(16:11):
face to five on three. The first kind of a few
minutes of the game. Had to really I would say,
just fold into the mix right like. He jumped right
into it, and he kept the team alive. When Utah
was kind of down for a little bit and then
started scoring some goals, Nashville had a pushback, and then
Utah was able to apply that pressure just because Volalta
(16:31):
made the saves that he had to make, which we
say all the time, I mean, it doesn't matter how
any goals you allowed, it matters what the key moment
saves that you make. And Matthew Valta was able to
do that and could it be more happier for him?
And it was just a really good, feel good night
for just the entire Utah and Roadrunner affiliation to see
Matthew Valta get that first one.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
I can't imagine the beautiful positive vibes that Maddie has
brought to that locker room. He is such a locker
room guy, but he's producing out on the ice also,
So I do wonder like like having him just in
the vicinity, you know, does for Veggie and the boys,
like how they feel and then and then having him
(17:11):
in that that it had to be a tremendous feeling
for him, for everybody getting that first NHL goal, And
I know he was all over the socials this morning. Yeah,
just so stoked for him, just so impressed with him.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Yeah, so happy for him as well. We actually have
an interview we have, so he got caught up with
Utah media postgame. The great Adrian Denny sent it to
me to play for you guys for this week's Happy
Our Show. So here's Matthew Vlalta joined up by media
post games scrum after his first career NHL win in
a seventh three victory for the Utah Hockey Club just
(17:45):
last night. On Monday nights, you.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Never seem to stop smiling and after game like tonight,
what was that like to share your first NHL career
win with these guys and have that experience.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
I think just unbelievable. It was uh.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
I think it's uh, you know, dream can come true,
something you dream of as your kid, you know, getting
your first game and then you know, eventually winning and
hopefully it's the first of any But you know, the group,
it's a special group and that inside that locker room,
and you know everyone's an a one person and it's
just a pleasure to be a part of it. And yeah,
(18:22):
it was just it was awesome to be out there
and you know, grind them with them and ultimately getting
getting to win.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
So it was it was unreal.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
How did that game progress for you personally? How'd you
feel out there?
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Yeah, I think it felt pretty good. I think the
biggest thing for me was just to play free. You know,
I've done a lot of work this year down in Tucson,
working on my process, trying to change my game into
an NHL goal tender and just really simplifying things and
making it more predictable for myself. And obviously the game
(18:54):
up here is a lot quicker and I got a
quick taste of that on that early five on three
and you know, it's they got a lot, a lot
of high end talent on that side, and you know,
the p K did a really good job. And you
know what I think on a personal no is just
you know, be in the moment, living my shoes.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
And have fun.
Speaker 7 (19:12):
And I think when you're having fun, that's when you
play your best. And yeah, I think it was just
you know, be in the moment and enjoy it and
soak it all in and keep the pock out of
the net.
Speaker 6 (19:23):
Since getting this call up, who who here has helped
kind of helped give you that confidence or maybe instill
some tips. I mean, I know you we've talked about
with Malco being kind of that sounding board for you,
but you know, what's that experience been like to kind
of gain perspective here?
Speaker 7 (19:34):
Yeah, I think just everyone in general. I played with
Barrett and Junior. I live with Durs my first year
pro when we were in LA system together, so a
lot like those two guys are unreal humans and you
know you can talk to them about anything. Donor and
played with them all last year Gunner. You know, the
the leadership group's amazing too, and it just made me
(19:58):
really feel welcomed, and you know, the trans coming from
Tucson and it was a breeze. So you know, I
think just a whole group, uh, from coaching, staff, management
and everyone say been they've been top notch. So yeah,
they just they've all made it really easy and I'm
just having fun working hard.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
At stoppage and play at the end of the second period,
right before another penalty kill, getting the intermission there, just
what did it do for you guys to regroup and
stop the Predators from getting back into the game.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, that was an interesting one.
Speaker 7 (20:25):
Uh, I don't think I've ever had that before, but uh,
you know, I think the message in the room was,
you know, come back hill the penalty and you know,
to get pucks in deep after that, after that end
of the second period or whatever it was a four
minutes or whatever, we played there and just grind them,
uh you know, play simple, play Utah hockey. And uh,
you know, the boys went out there and they did
(20:46):
that and they were they were they were awesome out there.
Is uh fun to watch them go to work. And yeah,
I think we executed on you know, the game plan
for a third period.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Before we're being called up to Utah.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
A couple of weeks ago, played in some big games
down to Tucson. How big were those games and helping
you prepare for this moment?
Speaker 7 (21:06):
Yeah, huge obviously down there and play to someone. Uh,
the boys are gonna playoff race. And you know, every
game I feel like for the last I don't know
ten games before I was there, it was all right,
it's game on against Bakersfield and we're in a points
face with them right now down there, And yeah, I
think every game was a playoff game mentality there. And uh,
(21:27):
you know, I think that just kind of you know,
you got to bring your a game every game and
you know, at the end of the day, the goal is,
you know, make playoffs and you know, go on a
run and no matter where you are, and uh, you know,
I think that just really you know, got me in
the mindset and the let's get on the saddle and
let's go. And uh, I think it set me up
well for coming up here.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
It's not crosser retrieve the game park. Have you received
that yet?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
I have, yes.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Kauser is an unbelievable guy.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
I'm unbelievable leader on this team, and uh yeah, it's
pretty cool that you know he scooped her up for me.
And I'm sure the equipment staff is gonna get her
taped up, and you know we're gonna you know, Jeffrey
over here is gonna make a.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Nice little plaque. So it's gonna be pretty.
Speaker 6 (22:08):
Cool taking up captains on this team. Claying Keller has
a big night, six hundred games in that NHL. What
have you seen him in your time.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Being up with this team as a leader of this group.
Speaker 7 (22:18):
I think just the way he carries himself day to day,
the way he takes care of his body. You know,
his demeanor when he comes to the rink every day,
it's it's an elite level, and you know, I think
it's great for you know, the younger core and then
you know the kind of middle ground guys you know,
and everyone just to see it. He sets the tone
every day. He brings the intensity, he sets the bar,
(22:39):
and you know what, we're right there following behind him.
And that's what you want o to your captain. He'll
hold you accountable and he also, you know what, I'll
give you a pat on the back too when things
are going well. And I think that's he's just been.
It's been a top notch leader and uh Utah is
very lucky.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
To have him. Who will the puck go to?
Speaker 5 (22:57):
And who's your first call after act?
Speaker 7 (23:01):
I think the puc probably probably my grandmother. She keeps
on my shadow parks. Obviously tonight wasn't a shoutout, but
you know it's a big it's a big milestone in
the career and she can hang that up on the
wall for now.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
And uh, the first call.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
Is gonna be to my mom and my dad back
home and the dog Jess and the cats Graffy.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
That was Matthew Vallalta on his first career win in
the National Hockey League with the Utah Hockey Club on
Monday night. Now joining us for our second segment, Roadrunners
rookie for Julian Lutz. Julian, welcome to the show, finally
having you on with just a couple of games left
to go of the season. How's it going and uh,
we're you looking forward to this weekend to try to
clinch playoffs here?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Yeah, thanks guys for having me. It's yeah, the two
most important games and a gotta gotta win and get
some points so go to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, and for you first year in the American Hockey League,
it's been a roller coaster every year for everyone, but
for for you as well, you know, starting off the
year with us getting injured and missing some time and
slowly working your way back and now you've you know,
kind of started to find that consistency a bit. So
all in all, how has it been for you? And
you know, just what have you liked in your rookie
(24:12):
year so far? And what do you look forward to
for next year? To just continue to get better every day?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Yeah, I mean you had a good summary here. Obviously
the injury was was a setback, and it was a
long time coming back, and obviously it was hard when
I came back to find a rhythm and find my game.
But the last last couple months been better and better
(24:37):
kind of finding finding my game and trying to improve
every day, step by step, getting better every day, working hard.
And yeah, that's budded.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And we just saw Matthew Vilalta get his first career
NHL went last night as well. Were you watching it
all or keeping up with the score? And how big
was that for the locker room today? Just to see
Matti ve get his first win last night?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, I was actually at the Maxi two Werst Place.
We were watching. The game was a was a good game.
Awesome for him. I'm happy for him. He deserved it.
He had a good season and he definitely deserved it.
Like everyone is happy for him. We yeahmy actually was
the first one texting us in a group chat that
he's going to be in yesterday. So yeah, we all
(25:21):
all hyped about it.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Oh it's my turn.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
Yeah, okay, So Julian, this is our first time seeing
you on the podcast. Tell us a little bit about
the Julian lutzlore. Where do you come from? When did
you get into hockey, what do your parents do?
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Like?
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Give us who who are you?
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Yeah, I'm from Germany, a pretty small town in Germany,
but hockey is actually pretty big there's they're playing a
second tier in Germany. And when I was three years old,
my dad brought me to hockey. He wanted me to
do a team sport and he watched some hockey. He
originally came came from Kadastan, my mom from Kyrgyzstan. When
(26:03):
he was nineteen years old, eighteen or nineteen, so he
came to Germany from Kadistan and hockey was pretty bacon
back in the Soviet Union, and he wanted me to
team sport and he brought me to hockey, and ever
since I never wanted to take off the skates anymore.
And that saw the journey began. Played in Ronsburg till
(26:25):
I was twelve years old, and then I actually moved
with the whole family through Salizburg to a big academy
just to just for me to play hockey there and
have a better, better team to play. But I definitely
like the one of the biggest moments so like in
my career that my parents moved from the home just
(26:47):
because of me. I mean, that's what I'm grateful for,
and that's amazing. Yeah. Then I played in Munich in
the German Pro League for two years and then last
year moved to Tuds for a first time. And here
here I am in Tucson.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
So your parents had no tie to hockey before your
dad decided that he wanted you to play like so no,
like I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
He watched a lot of hockey. Yeah, ay he was,
he must have been into it, but yeah, he put
me in there.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I just always wonder, like with parents, like did they
have an aspiration that you would play professional hockey one day?
In North America? At all or was this like completely
blindsided them?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I mean probably not in the beginning, but then after
a few years definitely the expect not expectations, but the
aspirations are high. I mean, why not if I already
do it, so why not do it? It's good?
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Okay? Well, and then so and then you and Maxie
played in Salzburg together.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, actually, so when I was twelve and he was fourteen,
we first played together. And pretty much like there was
a couple of years when because he's two years older,
he didn't play with me, but pretty much for for
a whole time Munich two. We played together two years
and I'm just last year we didn't play together. He
was already son. But yeah, we know each other for
(28:15):
for nine years.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Now, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
It's a long time.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah. And then so you kind of had a leg
up before you got to Tucson and that MAXI was
already here and he could like tell you, yeah, help
that lot.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
He helped me a lot. It was it was good
to know someone that went through the first year already
kind of showing me place. That's kind of telling me
how to handle some things and what to do, what
coaches look for, that's that's been pretty good.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Yeah, oh interesting. Who is he your road roommate?
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Actually, no, no he's not. I'm I'm I'm with ar Oh.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Are you really tell me what that is like? Isn't
the quietest room in the No?
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Because I speak Russian too, So it's uh, it's pretty good.
We talk a lot. It's he's a he's a great guy.
We we have the same mindset to do the same stuff.
So that's very pretty good.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
That was actually gonna be. One of my questions is
how many languages do you speak?
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I speak three languages, German, Russian and English, okay, and
I can I can tell math some bad words and
French too.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
You haven't learned any bad Spanish words since you've been.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Here, trying to stay away from that. That's too many,
too many languages, too many to learn.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
What's it been like to be with Maximilian Zeber that
this first year you said that he's been he was
helping you prepare to what it could be like to
play pro hockey year in Tucson. But now I thought, you, guys,
I've been reunited again for a full season, and you're
close with Ardham dude as well. But uh, yeah, for
Maximilian Zuber. What's it been like to play in this
league with him now? And uh, you know, as you
two continue to develop here in Tucson and with the
(29:57):
Utah Hockey Club as well.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I mean, it's been all some I remember today when
the draft was I was actually Montreal and then I
was already eating with my parents and I look on
the phone and like, oh, Maxie just got drafted. I
ran back to the arena to like see like him
in the screen, like ye see something. And then Bill
actually walked by me right when I wanted to go
to the rink and I was like, did you just
(30:21):
draft the Maxie Tuber? And He's like, yeah, we did,
and I was all happy. So yeah, it's it's fun
that a guy that I known for so long it's
in the same organization and it's it's just like it's
helping a lot because we we go through the same
stuff and we can push ourselves and also, you know,
kind of relax off the eyes together a little bit,
(30:43):
cook something like together. I mean just yesterday he him
and his girlfriend cooked a nice meal for me. So wait,
wait did they cook some salmon? It was actually pretty good, Okay, I.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Was just talking to max about cooking too, and I
was like, can you chep it up? He said, yeah,
I can do it. You know.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Even he the one that Montana last season was talking
about what a good cook Maxie is.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Was it his girlfriend?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I did most of that cook But what Montana said
was that Maxie wouldn't cook for everybody, but that when
he did cook, it was very very good.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
You can do you can do a steak like okay,
there was.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Some There was definitely something German or Polish that he
made that was very Montana remembered. Was good.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
We'll have to We'll have to ask him, Julie, when
you scored your first career goal in this league. It
was during our jam show trip in Henderson and when
you scored the goal, Zuber probably had the biggest smile
on the ice. He was probably the one that was
the most. You looked more excited than you were for
the reaction and everything. Walk us through that first goal
of you know, your career in this league and you
(31:50):
know what was that like for you, and what was
that like for you in Maximilian Zuber to you know,
kind of embrace that moment and now that you got
your first career one out of the way.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Yeah, I mean it took took a little bit of time.
Was was kind of a relief aftered injury and h
After that, I was definitely a little bit a little
bit more free. And it was awesome to see all that, Like,
not even not only MAXI like he was probably the
one of the biggest smile with all the other guys
were pretty happy for me, and it was was like
just great to see that that the team was happy
(32:21):
for me scoring, But for me, it was just like
more more of a relief and let's score, score, score
some more.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah, no, you'll definitely get some more. And you know,
for you and Sam Lipkin as well, Ardam do that all.
We got a lot of young guys on this team
that are, you know, finding their stride and finding their
ways and what's the been the what's been what's it
been like developing with those guys as well as we've
had some dudes also in their first seasons. I've also
been through you know, some adversity as well.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
I mean, just working hard every day, doing doing a
lot of extra taken, taking every opportunity, I guess. I mean,
we we got a lot of time after the actual
team proctors to work on some skills. We got shooting
mostly on normal practice days. Every every time we have
a good gym set up with Parker and go to
(33:11):
good workouts. Try to extra ask for for more all
the time, and then off the ice also try to
take everything nutrition and everything serious recovery and especially with
a couple injuries in the past, got to take care
of that a lot.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
Do you watch TV? Do you read books? Do you
watch movies?
Speaker 2 (33:32):
What is?
Speaker 4 (33:33):
Do you have a favorite TV show?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Obviously Michael Jordan one?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Oh yeah, of course I.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Remember watching it that when the COVID was It inspired
me to work harder and I did did a lot
of running with my dad back then. And but there
there's a lot of good shows. I'll watch some Russian
shows too sometimes.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Okay, what about like The Office or Stranger Through Things
or Friends or anything like that. Nothing like that.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I don't like litse long, not exciting ones.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Okay, all right, circling back to I can watch.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Eight season.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
Oh that's what you mean by a long one?
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I like it? Do you like it short?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Yet?
Speaker 2 (34:21):
You know the message gets across quickly?
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:23):
I like the minies.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
I like Bridgerton. I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Okay, Wait, So circling back to Ardam because I feel
like we're just beginning to crack the egg of Artam Duda,
like so late in the season, just talking to him
more and more. If Ardam was a dog, what kind
of dog would he be?
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I don't know. I'm not good at ocs. I have
no idea about docs. Not a dog person. Probably is
the Russian docks.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
Yeah, like Iberian husky.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
He's a Yeah, he's a Siberian.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Hus although those are very very like vocal dogs. They're
yappy dogs.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He can be yeppy. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Is hockey finn or is it serious?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Both? I guess. I mean, I'm a guy that's pretty
hard on myself, but it's my passion. I love it.
It's more than anything else. Since I'm three years old,
i've been When I got new skates when I was
younger for Christmas, I was sleeping in them, so I was, yeah, uncomfortable.
(35:40):
I mean there's I definitely did some other things too,
Like I played a guitar and my parents kind of
pushed me for a did when I was younger, but
now I'm kind of glad they did because I enjoyed
in my off time. But yeah, I was pretty much
just hockey the time when I was younger. And no,
(36:01):
no too.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
Have you and Dylan Wells talked about musical interests at all?
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Yeah, I know he plays a guitar too, but not
really a little bit. Uh. He kind of lives a
little bit far from me, so I know that some
guys have been playing with him a little bit, trying
to try to teach someone.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Right, Okay, I like that, Julian. For you as well,
you know, hockey is your career, right, and but you're
not just a hockey player, like you know, we're regular
people as as every day and you know we have
friends and family and all that, and you know, sometimes
these seasons can be a grind. It's it's a lot
of hours that we put in, as you were saying,
you know, after practice, work and you know, getting ready
(36:39):
for all these games, these long road trips and everything.
Just we've asked guys this throughout the year, but just
how do you you know, keep your mental health, you know,
as good as possible. You know, how do you rely
on your your friends and your family and you know,
the resources that you get with the road Runners and
Utah Hockey Club to you know, just make sure that
you're always doing okay when you know, sometimes the seasons
(37:01):
get rough, you know, in parts of it as well
with again these long road trips and everything. So you know,
how do you just take it day by day with
that as well, and just make sure that if you
need to get help, then you get it and you know,
rely on your friends and family for that. In addition
to that.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, I mean talk with my parents back home every day,
probably my dad even two or three times a day.
They pushed me, are they do everything that I can succeed.
They support me from back home, but also friends here
to be are too and just like my own time
(37:41):
shut like shut off a little bit. Enjoyed the piece.
I guess I haven't been playing a lot of golf lately,
but today I'm going with math. Okay, I'm not not
really good yet. Just started last last summer I start playing,
but it's definitely fun. Yeah, just eating good foods, cooking
(38:04):
for myself. Were getting invited?
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yeah, no, of course. And your dad came to a
game some games in the beginning of the season, right,
what was that like for him to come out here
to Tucson, you were kind of brand new as well. Yeah,
so you you were even I remember you were even
asking people where you should you take him? So what
was it like having him in town for a bit,
and in addition to that, you still being kind of
new to town as well?
Speaker 3 (38:27):
That was awesome. I mean it was, like I said,
my first couple of months here too, so I didn't
didn't know. I definitely know him more now where I
could take him. But it was good. He helped me
a lot, settling in, help getting me some the smaller
details in apartment and stuff. And yeah, I mean I
love my parents a lot, so it was it was
(38:51):
just great that he was here and supporting me and
spent some some good time. It's definitely it was a
culture shock for him. Uh. He definitely felt like he's
in Mexico.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
What are your parents' names?
Speaker 3 (39:07):
Rudolf and Alessa? Okay, and Rudolf is probably not not
a typical Russian name, but.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
I don't know if I know what a Russian other
than Igor. Sounds like a very Russian name to me,
Like I've never heard the name, and you say it
different than we say it. RTM R RTM. Yeah, like
I'd never heard that name before if he signed with us. So, Julian,
you talk about how much you love hockey. What's the
one thing that you love the most? One thing?
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Interest? Extra practice? I don't know, skating, Okay, skating, I guess.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Okay, what do you What do you hate the most?
And don't say the smell, because we already got that answer.
What the smell?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Smell? What I hate most about hockey?
Speaker 4 (40:00):
Maybe not hate, we I can dial it back to dislike, dislike.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Putting the gear on?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Really, how long does it take you to put gear on?
And that's also something I've been always carrious.
Speaker 4 (40:17):
Well then wait, why don't you like it? If it's fast?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
In five minutes?
Speaker 4 (40:20):
I mean that's fast.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Imagine you could just snap your fingers in your eyes.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I guess maybe the preparation, right, you know, it's especially
on a game day when you're so amped up to
play and you kind of have to keep waiting, right,
maybe potentially what's your game day routine? Like we've asked
guys this all throughout the year as well, Like everyone
has different routines. You know, they're playing super ball. Some
guys show up really early. Some guys show up a
little later, but obviously not late late. We've seen Sam
(40:50):
Lipkin sit on the seats and kind of just stare
at the ice, just you know, getting dialed into what's
your game day routine?
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Like I just take a good long nap one off
ours two hours maybe.
Speaker 4 (41:02):
Depends that is a long one.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
And get a little snack, maybe relaxed for a little bit,
just brief, good listen to some music, go to go
to the rink, not too not too early, because I
(41:25):
don't I don't like doing nothing, just hanging around and
thinking too much.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Maybe you need to take longer to put your gear
on and then you wouldn't have to sit.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Around, tape my sticks, play some sewer, do my routine
warm up and going the eyes.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
We talked a lot about the young guys that are
on the team. What about the veterans. Who do you
feel that you've clicked with the most of the season.
Who do you feel drawn to, Who do you feel
your game is most?
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Like?
Speaker 3 (41:55):
I mean I like him.
Speaker 4 (41:57):
Oh, don't worry, they're not listening except to this.
Speaker 3 (42:03):
Yeah, heaps are still on the ice.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
They forced them off, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
I mean they've been all great nots invited us for
what was it Thanksgiving? That was awesome? On Christmas, Aggie
invited us for for Christmas. It was the second day
of Christmas. I think was Yeah, it's it's nice to
see them with their kids are on, so oh they're
(42:35):
enjoying enjoying in a different way playing for them maybe too.
I mean all of them help us a lot with
their experience too, because yeah, they most of most of
the guys that have been playing a couple of seasons
in the NHL, and definitely helps a lot to have
(42:55):
some older guys too.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
How one more question, that's it?
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Yeahs done.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Do you want a serious question, Julian or a fun question.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
You decide feeling serious? Serious?
Speaker 4 (43:10):
That's I had a feeling I'm going to say that.
How do you define success for yourself?
Speaker 3 (43:17):
I mean just uh, probably enjoying your journey and so
getting better every day step by step and having having
goals that you just work to achieve all the time.
And yeah, I guess that's that's it for me.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
That's a good answer. We have one one last thing?
One can I can I tell you a joke?
Speaker 3 (43:42):
You can?
Speaker 4 (43:42):
Okay? Thanks? What has five toesin isn't your foot? Don't
look at don't look at the sticky my foot. We
all want to huh, what has five toes in? Isn't
your foot?
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Oh my foot? That's that's dumb.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
Is that joke?
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Yeah, clearly, yes, it's dumb. Well, Julian, I like that.
Good response.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
I'm leaving and going home.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Julian, thanks so much for joining us. Man, appreciate the time,
Good luck this weekend. Let's uh, let's get some wind
here and uh let's get to the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Yeah, of course, we definitely want to play play some
more games this season, taking especially our team. If we
make the playoffs, we can make a lot of damage.
And I just excited, like even a right and all
the games there, it's pretty much a playoff game already,
so just experience that, experiencing that is definitely a lot
(44:41):
of value.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yeah, we're looking forward to a Drilian things so much. Again.
Closing out this week's episode, just having Julian LUTs on
the show. If you just missed the LUTs interview, you
can go to Tucson roadrunners dot com slash happy Hour
to hear the podcast version of this episode, and also
here Matthew wa walta postgame after his first career NHL
when Kim Huge. Two games upcoming, Yeah, all on the line,
(45:03):
trying to clinch the playoffs. Love what Julian LUTs said.
They just want to play more games. You want to
keep having games. I want to call more games. I'm
having too much fun. Let's feel like I'm finally getting
good at it and I don't want the season to end.
So yeah, the guys that want to earn to play
more games. And I'm feeling good about this one, feeling
good about these two games. The guys know what's what's
at stake, and let's just clincher here.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
That would be the plan.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
The plan, Yes, the plan, nothing else. Yeah, don't settle.
We're not settling here.
Speaker 4 (45:30):
And and tomorrow will be the game, Bakersfield game. I
think will be a lot hinges on that.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
I'll be watching. We'll see, Yeah, kid flip on flow
sports for that.
Speaker 4 (45:39):
Yeah, because then that narrows the your your murder board, right,
you can certain moving things from the murder board once
that that game happens.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
So, yeah, it does. Actually we'll be able to I'll
be able to cut half of it off. So I'll
definitely update as we go on, but big two games
coming up this Friday and Saturday. We have our last
El Laza Day two song game on Friday and fan
Appreciation Night on Saturday. Get your tickets at Tucson roadrunners
dot com slash tickets. The boys need everybody. We need
to feed off that home crowd as the Roadrunners are
(46:09):
trying to clinch that final seed of the AHL Specific
Division playoff picture. We'll see you this weekend at the
Tucson Arena. Have a great rest of your night, everybody,
It's five o'clock, yours hues day done. They's two Sun
Roadrunners Happy out from Fox Sports fourteen fifty am with
Jonathan shit Right, Kid Roads.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We know the story, but you gotta tell the viewers
that starts.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
It's so funny.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's our usual Tuesday night together.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
So I don't know. Maybe we should start implementing some
breakdance pre games during the season and see how that goes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Right here on Tucson Sports Day yet, Fox Sports fourteen
fifty am.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Fox Sports fourteen fifty am, our usual Tuesday night get together.
Roadrunners Happy are Jonathan Schaeffer alongside me as always, Kim Coder, Roblaz, Kim, Johnny.
This is crazy. This is gonna be a crazy weekend
coming up the last two games of the regular season
against the Colorado Eagles. It's all coming down to the wire,
(00:51):
one last spot left for both the Roadrunners and the
Bakersfield Condors. We're going up against the Colorado Eagles last
two games at home as well to volalta big news
for him. He got his first career National Hockey League
win with the Utah Hockey Club last night. We're gonna
be having Julian LUTs On the show today to talk
about his rookie season. You'll be joining us shortly as well.
(01:12):
Lots to discuss, lots to talk about. We have our
last Alazo Day Tucson game on Friday night, YEP fan
appreciation Night on Saturday. It's gonna be a packed barn.
We need everybody out here at the Tucson Arena because
kim it can us coming down to the wire here.
That's kind of just been what we've been saying all week. Right.
Baker's Field's playing against a habits for tomorrow, and there's
(01:34):
a lot of different scenarios if the Condors do win
that game or if they lose that game as well.
I have the clinching scenarios for us still if you
want to roll through it. It was kind of crazy last
time when we went to Rockford. Yeah, when I was
talking about.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
This, I'm nervous for you to talk about them, because yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, I mean, let's let's go, let's do it. Okay,
all right, here we go. So clinching scenarios for the
Roadrunners this weekend, there's two scenarios. Right Bakersfield wins against
Abbittsford's pretty much that ties them with points in us.
They play on them mark, but we still have that
tiebreaker over them more regulation wins. That's been crucial for
us because all the Condors do is go to overtime
(02:12):
and it helps them, but at the end of the day,
they need to get more points to us. So essentially
we're three points out of them, if you want to
be technical. If they do beat Abbitsford, we'll be tied
in points with them, but we'll have that type breaker.
We pretty much have to win both games to clinch.
Like you, we win both games, we clinch no matter what.
If we go one and one and the Condors go
one and one with no overtime know anything, then we clinch.
(02:35):
Or if we were to lose an overtime game and
win a game as well and get three out of
four and they go one and one, then we clinch
because we'll have more points than them. They bear with me,
We're still going here. If we get three out of
four points and they get three out of four points,
we still clinch because we're still matched in the same
amount of points and we still get that tiebreaker. Or
if the Bakers will Condors just straight up lose both
(02:57):
games and whatever happens to us, we're in and this
is all. If the Condors win tomorrow night against the
abbitts Ford Canucks. If bakers Field now loses against the
abbots Ford Canucks on Wednesday, then all we need to
do is get one win on Friday or Saturday. Or
there's a scenario where if the Condors just go one
(03:17):
and one, we still go in. So we can actually
lose Friday and they lose Friday, we're in. We're good
to go. Or if we somehow this is a crazy one,
if we managed to just get two points and lose
both games in overtime or shootout against Colorado, then we're
in because you really just need two points. And then
the last scenario is once again, if the Condors lose
(03:38):
in regulation or overtime on Friday and Saturday. So there's
a lot. If you want to read the more of
this clinching scenarios, go to Tucson Rots dot com. It's
gonna be on this week's road ahead. So if you
actually want to read that and actually kind of think
about it a bit more, because you have to, there's
just so much going on. I love clinching scenarios, Kim.
(03:58):
I spend a good hour on this because you want
to be right. You know, it's so simple, it's simple math,
but you want to make sure it's correct because if
you don't make it correct and then for some reason
we clinch and I didn't know, I'm gonna be very
disappointed myself.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Well, you beautiful minded the heck out of that. So
I can't even imagine what the murder board in your
apartment looks like. It's gotta be intense.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It's like, have you seen have you seen sunny in Philadelphia? Yes?
Any given that scene? What Charlie's Charlie? Yeah, I'm Charlie.
When it comes to playoff clinching scenarios, what's nicest, too, Kim,
is we're not getting any more better than the seventh seat,
Like the seventh seat is completely locked down. But what's
more stressful about it all is we not even have
to clinch that last spot. But if we do, then
(04:40):
we don't even know who we're playing. We might not
know who we're playing till the very last game. Because
you got Colorado against Ontario tomorrow. All Colorado needs is
one point to clinch home ice advantage, not only in
the Pacific Division, but the entire Western Conference. And then
you have Abbotsford and Ontario who are pretty much neck
and neck for the second seed, which you know, we
(05:00):
get seventh seed. We're playing the second seed whoever it is,
so you know, either going to be going to California
or all the way to Canada against the Canucks. And
you know, say as you want. Canucks are the hottest
team in the league right now. They've just coming off
of a fifteen game heater. But we've matched up against
them well. We won the season series against him. Ontario
we struggled against, but the Rain haven't been as good
(05:23):
to end off the season as well. They're currently tied
both at eighty six points. Abbotsford currently has the tie breaker.
Of course, we're Abbitsford fans on Wednesday night, but then
coming up on this Friday and Saturday is what really
matters as well. And interesting enough, the Canucks and Rain
play on the very last game of the season, so
there's so much to happen still, like we can clinch
(05:45):
on Friday, but then we're not gonna know where we're
going until Saturday night once the entire season's over. And
that's what's so crazy about this specific division. We don't
know anything even San Jose in Calgary are playing one another.
They're both battling for either the fifth or the sixth seed.
Coach Valley's trying to hang on to home ice advantage
because the top four seeds are guaranteed home ice, and
(06:05):
with Colorado in the first round, by then is pretty
much three teams in the first round that get home ice,
kind of like what we were in last year. It's crazy, Kim,
And you can tell I'm a little bit wired right now.
Just tell you about it.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
You've been talking for like ten solid minutes. It's amazing.
I am very impressed.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I mean, I do it for a living, So I mean, this.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Is Shonda Rhime's level drama. Or if we started this
season with Dearest Gentle Reader, because it's Bridgerton level intrigue.
And again, I know I've talked about this before, but
who scripted this season? Because one of the things that
you failed to mention is that in playing the Colorado
Eagles this weekend, we're going up against the number one
team in the division right now, who are sitting at
(06:42):
ninety two points. Nobody is close to them right now,
you know, So that's it could not be more more
on the line that the stakes are high and it's
just this juggernaut of the division that we're going against
this weekend. So along with being our last live night
of the season fan appreciation night, when we give away
(07:03):
so much stuff, it's like literally sheets and sheets of
lists of pages of things that we're gonna be given away.
All of that is happening in tandem with all of this,
and it's again, could not have been scripted more to
feed into the frenzy of playoff hockey.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, it's and it's getting warm out here, it's getting
it's getting into the nineties, and it's like, oh man,
that is that playoff weather. Rockford was gorgeous too, Kim,
not even a cloud in the sky to both days
we were there, and all their staff members were like,
come on the one week year here, it's like you guys,
you guys get to bring the sunlights here, you guys
get to experience it. Yeah, it's like come on, yeah.
(07:43):
And then some of them have even even asked me,
like are you from Arizona? Like no, I'm from California.
You're like, oh, so you've been exposed to sun your
whole life, And I said yes, as correct, but no,
Rodford was fun. I mean, it was tough not being
able to get those wins. I thought we played a
fantastic game both ones. You know, lost the first one
six to three, but we're hanging in there the entire time.
Second game, got a huge game time goal from Curtis Douglass,
(08:04):
forced overtime, got a crucial point in the playoff race,
and then eventually lost in overtime. So, you know, a tough,
tough end to our road schedule. But Kim, we are
eight three to one, and know, in our last twelve
home games, we've averaged a three point sixty six goals
for per game in that stretch. We scored forty four
goals in our last twelve home games. And then we're
(08:24):
coming off of fifteen goals in our last four game
homestand so we can We've been racking up the points
here at home, and I think it's perfect that we
get to be home the last two games. And you know,
obviously Colorado they'll have their game plan of what they
want to do. But if they do clinch on Wednesday
the first route first seed, do they rest their starters?
(08:46):
Who knows? I mean, they just called up Gabriel Landeskog,
you know from his conditioning stint, So we will not
be seeing Landescog, even though that would have been awesome
to see him because he's a legend. At the same time,
you're like, oof, that's the we'll take that. We'll take that. Yeah,
So it's interesting. I mean, yeah, sure, maybe Colorado does
just roll their starters because maybe they want to do
(09:06):
eliminade us and maybe they don't want to face us
in the second round. Who knows. But yeah, still so
much to play on the line for us this coming
week on Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, and as as you guys can probably hear, we're
at we're watching the boys practice as this is happening.
Johnny Howe, you've been with the boys for a little while.
How are they feeling, Like, what's the mood? I mean,
we can we can talk to Julian about this a
little bit when he comes to join us in a second.
But yeah, like, how are they feeling coming off of
(09:36):
the road trip.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, they just know what's at steak Kim. Yeah, they
know what's at stake here. They know that they still
control their own destiny, and I think the good mentality
is obviously We're constantly looking at the standings because we're
those ones who stress out. They're the ones who are
calm and collective. But you know there they know that
you need regardless of if the Condors win on Wednesday
(09:58):
or not tomorrow night, you just need two wins and
you're in. You know, you need You can't rely on
Henderson who plays Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday. You can't
just say like, oh, you know, we'll go one and
one and maybe the Condors go one and one. No,
you have to have that mindset of you have to
win both of these games and you get the playoffs
because if you don't, Condors take the last spot and
then just like that, the season's over and then you
(10:20):
just don't even get a chance. And you know, we've
been saying all season long, you know, just make the playoffs,
and you just don't know what happens, Kim, Especially in
these really small first rounds where it's best to three,
all you need to do is get two games one
and whether we're going to Ontario or potentially Abbotsford, which
I do think it's gonna be either those two teams,
I don't see Coachell Valley catching up to them in
any sort of way. You know, you've matched up well
(10:42):
against Abbotsford. You've gone two victories in Ontario this season
as well, so take that as you well. And but regardless,
I think it will be really fun for this team
to be kind of that underdog mentality. And but you know,
they know what's at stake, They're still I think we
just play two good games in Rockford and faced just
ran into a hot goaltender. Sometimes that's just how it goes.
(11:03):
But you know, came back home Sunday at a good
decent time, got a day off yesterday, and I think
the boys are rejuvenated ready and they got a good
reset to you know, just go full steam ahead into
this Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I was gonna say you you sparked a memory for
me in that this has been the kind of season
where I as a very superstitious person, very and we've
talked about this and how very optimistic you are, and
I am very Yes, I'm not that I'm not optimistic.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I do not I say let's do it game.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I am all the superstitions, but very much in this
season I have had to let so much of that go,
and like I literally sit in my box and no
matter how stressy it gets, I've had to tell myself
what's gonna what's meant to be, is gonna happen, you know, like,
because I'm like me, knocking on wood is not going
to change anything. I'm knocked on all the wood this
season and it hasn't changed anything. So I have learned
(12:02):
a lot about not only the team but myself this
season in that, you know, I just gotta take a
deep happen.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
How was it for you two years ago when we
were in a battle with San Jose for the last
spot in my last year with the barracud as an intern,
I was literally there with our head coaches because we
had like this postgame interview thing, just watching it, and
I remember thinking we were gonna clinch because all Tucsaw
(12:31):
needed was a point and you guys were down for
to one against Texas. You came all the way back
and forced overtime and got that final point and clinched.
How stressful was that? I mean you were on the road.
I think, then you're in Texas if I'm not mistaken
or at home, but like you were probably there watching. Yeah,
how was that? Like? I feel like that was a
(12:51):
lot more stressful, right, that was.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Stressing, But this is a different kind where And also
I didn't know the team as well as I know
them now, Like I was so new to the organization
and I.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Was like, come on, you just made us miss the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Man.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Seeing how hard the boys work and and the coaching
staff and everything that they're putting into it on a
very you know, personal level, and then them either not
getting the results that they want are just coming up short.
I mean, like, that's that's heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. It was
stressy for me from a very, very work related level
(13:31):
two years ago. So yeah, so it was it was,
I want to say, it was an entirely different feeling.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, and especially this year, it's like this team is
so talented, And it was talented two years ago as well.
I mean we had the top score in the American
Hockey League Michael Carconi. But yes, you know, this year,
this team has so much depth and we've gotten to
know all the guys. Cameron Hebick having his breakout year.
Curtis Douglas is also breaking news today named Man of
the Year or nominated Man of the Year for the
Tucson Roadrunners. So you know that's another storyline. We just
(14:00):
saw Matthew Vllalta get his first career NHL win that
will talk about in just a second. There's just so
many storylines and getting to know these guys and you
just want them to have a chance. Yes, just give
them a chance and let's see what they can do
for a postseason run. No matter what the record is,
no matter what we've been through, you get into the playoffs,
it's anyone's game. As we've seen in all kinds of
seasons in hockey. We've seen wildcard teams go all the
(14:23):
way to the Cup and win. We've seen teams being
first places, be the best team ever and they lose
first round. I mean, don't be shocked if Winnipeg loses
the first round because they won the trophy for the
best team in the league and they usually teams get
dumped in the first round for that.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Well, this is something that we've talked about before, right where.
One of the amazing things about hockey is that somebody
can score in a split second and it can completely
change the game. Or you can get three goals in
the last three minutes of a game and take and
win win the game after coming from behind. Like where
football you have to watch the ball drive down the fields.
Baseball you have to watch the runners school run. I mean,
(14:59):
you can get home runs like I feel in other
sports there's a lead up to you know, a run
scoring or something like that happening. But with hockey, you
never know. From not even moment to moment, but second
to second, you really don't know what's going to happen.
And that's one of the most amazing things about this
sport is that none of us can predict what's gonna happen.
(15:19):
We can look at the odds and we can look
at the stats all freaking day, but no clue how
exactly everything's gonna go this weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
You just never know, like you just never know. And
I just said, I know, but it's just how it goes. Kim.
On another news, Matthew Valta got his first career NHL
win just last night in a seventh three victory for
the Utah Hockey Club in Nashville, Tennessee. Valalta making twenty
eight saves on thirty one total shots. What a night
(15:48):
for him. What a few days for Matthew Valta. He's
been up there for a few weeks never really got
that start as the club was pushing for the playoffs
or riding with Will Melka, rightfully so, because he's their starter.
But now that the season's over for them, they're just
trying to kind of ended on a high note, and
Matthew Valalta got his just his third or just his
second career NHL start, his third appearance overall, came in
(16:11):
face to five on three. The first kind of a few
minutes of the game. Had to really I would say,
just fold into the mix right like. He jumped right
into it, and he kept the team alive. When Utah
was kind of down for a little bit and then
started scoring some goals, Nashville had a pushback, and then
Utah was able to apply that pressure just because Volalta
(16:31):
made the saves that he had to make, which we
say all the time, I mean, it doesn't matter how
any goals you allowed, it matters what the key moment
saves that you make. And Matthew Valta was able to
do that and could it be more happier for him?
And it was just a really good, feel good night
for just the entire Utah and Roadrunner affiliation to see
Matthew Valta get that first one.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
I can't imagine the beautiful positive vibes that Maddie has
brought to that locker room. He is such a locker
room guy, but he's producing out on the ice also,
So I do wonder like like having him just in
the vicinity, you know, does for Veggie and the boys,
like how they feel and then and then having him
(17:11):
in that that it had to be a tremendous feeling
for him, for everybody getting that first NHL goal, And
I know he was all over the socials this morning. Yeah,
just so stoked for him, just so impressed with him.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Yeah, so happy for him as well. We actually have
an interview we have, so he got caught up with
Utah media postgame. The great Adrian Denny sent it to
me to play for you guys for this week's Happy
Our Show. So here's Matthew Vlalta joined up by media
post games scrum after his first career NHL win in
a seventh three victory for the Utah Hockey Club just
(17:45):
last night. On Monday nights, you.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Never seem to stop smiling and after game like tonight,
what was that like to share your first NHL career
win with these guys and have that experience.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
I think just unbelievable. It was uh.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
I think it's uh, you know, dream can come true,
something you dream of as your kid, you know, getting
your first game and then you know, eventually winning and
hopefully it's the first of any But you know, the group,
it's a special group and that inside that locker room,
and you know everyone's an a one person and it's
just a pleasure to be a part of it. And yeah,
(18:22):
it was just it was awesome to be out there
and you know, grind them with them and ultimately getting
getting to win.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
So it was it was unreal.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
How did that game progress for you personally? How'd you
feel out there?
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Yeah, I think it felt pretty good. I think the
biggest thing for me was just to play free. You know,
I've done a lot of work this year down in Tucson,
working on my process, trying to change my game into
an NHL goal tender and just really simplifying things and
making it more predictable for myself. And obviously the game
(18:54):
up here is a lot quicker and I got a
quick taste of that on that early five on three
and you know, it's they got a lot, a lot
of high end talent on that side, and you know,
the p K did a really good job. And you
know what I think on a personal no is just
you know, be in the moment, living my shoes.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
And have fun.
Speaker 7 (19:12):
And I think when you're having fun, that's when you
play your best. And yeah, I think it was just
you know, be in the moment and enjoy it and
soak it all in and keep the pock out of
the net.
Speaker 6 (19:23):
Since getting this call up, who who here has helped
kind of helped give you that confidence or maybe instill
some tips. I mean, I know you we've talked about
with Malco being kind of that sounding board for you,
but you know, what's that experience been like to kind
of gain perspective here?
Speaker 7 (19:34):
Yeah, I think just everyone in general. I played with
Barrett and Junior. I live with Durs my first year
pro when we were in LA system together, so a
lot like those two guys are unreal humans and you
know you can talk to them about anything. Donor and
played with them all last year Gunner. You know, the
the leadership group's amazing too, and it just made me
(19:58):
really feel welcomed, and you know, the trans coming from
Tucson and it was a breeze. So you know, I
think just a whole group, uh, from coaching, staff, management
and everyone say been they've been top notch. So yeah,
they just they've all made it really easy and I'm
just having fun working hard.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
At stoppage and play at the end of the second period,
right before another penalty kill, getting the intermission there, just
what did it do for you guys to regroup and
stop the Predators from getting back into the game.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, that was an interesting one.
Speaker 7 (20:25):
Uh, I don't think I've ever had that before, but uh,
you know, I think the message in the room was,
you know, come back hill the penalty and you know,
to get pucks in deep after that, after that end
of the second period or whatever it was a four
minutes or whatever, we played there and just grind them,
uh you know, play simple, play Utah hockey. And uh,
you know, the boys went out there and they did
(20:46):
that and they were they were they were awesome out there.
Is uh fun to watch them go to work. And yeah,
I think we executed on you know, the game plan
for a third period.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Before we're being called up to Utah.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
A couple of weeks ago, played in some big games
down to Tucson. How big were those games and helping
you prepare for this moment?
Speaker 7 (21:06):
Yeah, huge obviously down there and play to someone. Uh,
the boys are gonna playoff race. And you know, every
game I feel like for the last I don't know
ten games before I was there, it was all right,
it's game on against Bakersfield and we're in a points
face with them right now down there, And yeah, I
think every game was a playoff game mentality there. And uh,
(21:27):
you know, I think that just kind of you know,
you got to bring your a game every game and
you know, at the end of the day, the goal is,
you know, make playoffs and you know, go on a
run and no matter where you are, and uh, you know,
I think that just really you know, got me in
the mindset and the let's get on the saddle and
let's go. And uh, I think it set me up
well for coming up here.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
It's not crosser retrieve the game park. Have you received
that yet?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
I have, yes.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Kauser is an unbelievable guy.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
I'm unbelievable leader on this team, and uh yeah, it's
pretty cool that you know he scooped her up for me.
And I'm sure the equipment staff is gonna get her
taped up, and you know we're gonna you know, Jeffrey
over here is gonna make a.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Nice little plaque. So it's gonna be pretty.
Speaker 6 (22:08):
Cool taking up captains on this team. Claying Keller has
a big night, six hundred games in that NHL. What
have you seen him in your time.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Being up with this team as a leader of this group.
Speaker 7 (22:18):
I think just the way he carries himself day to day,
the way he takes care of his body. You know,
his demeanor when he comes to the rink every day,
it's it's an elite level, and you know, I think
it's great for you know, the younger core and then
you know the kind of middle ground guys you know,
and everyone just to see it. He sets the tone
every day. He brings the intensity, he sets the bar,
(22:39):
and you know what, we're right there following behind him.
And that's what you want o to your captain. He'll
hold you accountable and he also, you know what, I'll
give you a pat on the back too when things
are going well. And I think that's he's just been.
It's been a top notch leader and uh Utah is
very lucky.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
To have him. Who will the puck go to?
Speaker 5 (22:57):
And who's your first call after act?
Speaker 7 (23:01):
I think the puc probably probably my grandmother. She keeps
on my shadow parks. Obviously tonight wasn't a shoutout, but
you know it's a big it's a big milestone in
the career and she can hang that up on the
wall for now.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
And uh, the first call.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
Is gonna be to my mom and my dad back
home and the dog Jess and the cats Graffy.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
That was Matthew Vallalta on his first career win in
the National Hockey League with the Utah Hockey Club on
Monday night. Now joining us for our second segment, Roadrunners
rookie for Julian Lutz. Julian, welcome to the show, finally
having you on with just a couple of games left
to go of the season. How's it going and uh,
we're you looking forward to this weekend to try to
clinch playoffs here?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Yeah, thanks guys for having me. It's yeah, the two
most important games and a gotta gotta win and get
some points so go to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, and for you first year in the American Hockey League,
it's been a roller coaster every year for everyone, but
for for you as well, you know, starting off the
year with us getting injured and missing some time and
slowly working your way back and now you've you know,
kind of started to find that consistency a bit. So
all in all, how has it been for you? And
you know, just what have you liked in your rookie
(24:12):
year so far? And what do you look forward to
for next year? To just continue to get better every day?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Yeah, I mean you had a good summary here. Obviously
the injury was was a setback, and it was a
long time coming back, and obviously it was hard when
I came back to find a rhythm and find my game.
But the last last couple months been better and better
(24:37):
kind of finding finding my game and trying to improve
every day, step by step, getting better every day, working hard.
And yeah, that's budded.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And we just saw Matthew Vilalta get his first career
NHL went last night as well. Were you watching it
all or keeping up with the score? And how big
was that for the locker room today? Just to see
Matti ve get his first win last night?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, I was actually at the Maxi two Werst Place.
We were watching. The game was a was a good game.
Awesome for him. I'm happy for him. He deserved it.
He had a good season and he definitely deserved it.
Like everyone is happy for him. We yeahmy actually was
the first one texting us in a group chat that
he's going to be in yesterday. So yeah, we all
(25:21):
all hyped about it.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Oh it's my turn.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
Yeah, okay, So Julian, this is our first time seeing
you on the podcast. Tell us a little bit about
the Julian lutzlore. Where do you come from? When did
you get into hockey, what do your parents do?
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Like?
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Give us who who are you?
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Yeah, I'm from Germany, a pretty small town in Germany,
but hockey is actually pretty big there's they're playing a
second tier in Germany. And when I was three years old,
my dad brought me to hockey. He wanted me to
do a team sport and he watched some hockey. He
originally came came from Kadastan, my mom from Kyrgyzstan. When
(26:03):
he was nineteen years old, eighteen or nineteen, so he
came to Germany from Kadistan and hockey was pretty bacon
back in the Soviet Union, and he wanted me to
team sport and he brought me to hockey, and ever
since I never wanted to take off the skates anymore.
And that saw the journey began. Played in Ronsburg till
(26:25):
I was twelve years old, and then I actually moved
with the whole family through Salizburg to a big academy
just to just for me to play hockey there and
have a better, better team to play. But I definitely
like the one of the biggest moments so like in
my career that my parents moved from the home just
(26:47):
because of me. I mean, that's what I'm grateful for,
and that's amazing. Yeah. Then I played in Munich in
the German Pro League for two years and then last
year moved to Tuds for a first time. And here
here I am in Tucson.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
So your parents had no tie to hockey before your
dad decided that he wanted you to play like so no,
like I mean.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
He watched a lot of hockey. Yeah, ay he was,
he must have been into it, but yeah, he put
me in there.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I just always wonder, like with parents, like did they
have an aspiration that you would play professional hockey one day?
In North America? At all or was this like completely
blindsided them?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I mean probably not in the beginning, but then after
a few years definitely the expect not expectations, but the
aspirations are high. I mean, why not if I already
do it, so why not do it? It's good?
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Okay? Well, and then so and then you and Maxie
played in Salzburg together.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, actually, so when I was twelve and he was fourteen,
we first played together. And pretty much like there was
a couple of years when because he's two years older,
he didn't play with me, but pretty much for for
a whole time Munich two. We played together two years
and I'm just last year we didn't play together. He
was already son. But yeah, we know each other for
(28:15):
for nine years.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Now, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
It's a long time.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah. And then so you kind of had a leg
up before you got to Tucson and that MAXI was
already here and he could like tell you, yeah, help
that lot.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
He helped me a lot. It was it was good
to know someone that went through the first year already
kind of showing me place. That's kind of telling me
how to handle some things and what to do, what
coaches look for, that's that's been pretty good.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Yeah, oh interesting. Who is he your road roommate?
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Actually, no, no he's not. I'm I'm I'm with ar Oh.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Are you really tell me what that is like? Isn't
the quietest room in the No?
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Because I speak Russian too, So it's uh, it's pretty good.
We talk a lot. It's he's a he's a great guy.
We we have the same mindset to do the same stuff.
So that's very pretty good.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
That was actually gonna be. One of my questions is
how many languages do you speak?
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I speak three languages, German, Russian and English, okay, and
I can I can tell math some bad words and
French too.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
You haven't learned any bad Spanish words since you've been.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Here, trying to stay away from that. That's too many,
too many languages, too many to learn.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
What's it been like to be with Maximilian Zeber that
this first year you said that he's been he was
helping you prepare to what it could be like to
play pro hockey year in Tucson. But now I thought, you, guys,
I've been reunited again for a full season, and you're
close with Ardham dude as well. But uh, yeah, for
Maximilian Zuber. What's it been like to play in this
league with him now? And uh, you know, as you
two continue to develop here in Tucson and with the
(29:57):
Utah Hockey Club as well.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I mean, it's been all some I remember today when
the draft was I was actually Montreal and then I
was already eating with my parents and I look on
the phone and like, oh, Maxie just got drafted. I
ran back to the arena to like see like him
in the screen, like ye see something. And then Bill
actually walked by me right when I wanted to go
to the rink and I was like, did you just
(30:21):
draft the Maxie Tuber? And He's like, yeah, we did,
and I was all happy. So yeah, it's it's fun
that a guy that I known for so long it's
in the same organization and it's it's just like it's
helping a lot because we we go through the same
stuff and we can push ourselves and also, you know,
kind of relax off the eyes together a little bit,
(30:43):
cook something like together. I mean just yesterday he him
and his girlfriend cooked a nice meal for me. So wait,
wait did they cook some salmon? It was actually pretty good, Okay, I.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Was just talking to max about cooking too, and I
was like, can you chep it up? He said, yeah,
I can do it. You know.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Even he the one that Montana last season was talking
about what a good cook Maxie is.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Was it his girlfriend?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I did most of that cook But what Montana said
was that Maxie wouldn't cook for everybody, but that when
he did cook, it was very very good.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
You can do you can do a steak like okay,
there was.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Some There was definitely something German or Polish that he
made that was very Montana remembered. Was good.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
We'll have to We'll have to ask him, Julie, when
you scored your first career goal in this league. It
was during our jam show trip in Henderson and when
you scored the goal, Zuber probably had the biggest smile
on the ice. He was probably the one that was
the most. You looked more excited than you were for
the reaction and everything. Walk us through that first goal
of you know, your career in this league and you
(31:50):
know what was that like for you, and what was
that like for you in Maximilian Zuber to you know,
kind of embrace that moment and now that you got
your first career one out of the way.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Yeah, I mean it took took a little bit of time.
Was was kind of a relief aftered injury and h
After that, I was definitely a little bit a little
bit more free. And it was awesome to see all that, Like,
not even not only MAXI like he was probably the
one of the biggest smile with all the other guys
were pretty happy for me, and it was was like
just great to see that that the team was happy
(32:21):
for me scoring, But for me, it was just like
more more of a relief and let's score, score, score
some more.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah, no, you'll definitely get some more. And you know,
for you and Sam Lipkin as well, Ardam do that all.
We got a lot of young guys on this team
that are, you know, finding their stride and finding their
ways and what's the been the what's been what's it
been like developing with those guys as well as we've
had some dudes also in their first seasons. I've also
been through you know, some adversity as well.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
I mean, just working hard every day, doing doing a
lot of extra taken, taking every opportunity, I guess. I mean,
we we got a lot of time after the actual
team proctors to work on some skills. We got shooting
mostly on normal practice days. Every every time we have
a good gym set up with Parker and go to
(33:11):
good workouts. Try to extra ask for for more all
the time, and then off the ice also try to
take everything nutrition and everything serious recovery and especially with
a couple injuries in the past, got to take care
of that a lot.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
Do you watch TV? Do you read books? Do you
watch movies?
Speaker 2 (33:32):
What is?
Speaker 4 (33:33):
Do you have a favorite TV show?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Obviously Michael Jordan one?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Oh yeah, of course I.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Remember watching it that when the COVID was It inspired
me to work harder and I did did a lot
of running with my dad back then. And but there
there's a lot of good shows. I'll watch some Russian
shows too sometimes.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Okay, what about like The Office or Stranger Through Things
or Friends or anything like that. Nothing like that.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I don't like litse long, not exciting ones.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Okay, all right, circling back to I can watch.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Eight season.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
Oh that's what you mean by a long one?
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I like it? Do you like it short?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Yet?
Speaker 2 (34:21):
You know the message gets across quickly?
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:23):
I like the minies.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
I like Bridgerton. I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Okay, Wait, So circling back to Ardam because I feel
like we're just beginning to crack the egg of Artam Duda,
like so late in the season, just talking to him
more and more. If Ardam was a dog, what kind
of dog would he be?
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I don't know. I'm not good at ocs. I have
no idea about docs. Not a dog person. Probably is
the Russian docks.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
Yeah, like Iberian husky.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
He's a Yeah, he's a Siberian.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Hus although those are very very like vocal dogs. They're
yappy dogs.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He can be yeppy. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Is hockey finn or is it serious?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Both? I guess. I mean, I'm a guy that's pretty
hard on myself, but it's my passion. I love it.
It's more than anything else. Since I'm three years old,
i've been When I got new skates when I was
younger for Christmas, I was sleeping in them, so I was, yeah, uncomfortable.
(35:40):
I mean there's I definitely did some other things too,
Like I played a guitar and my parents kind of
pushed me for a did when I was younger, but
now I'm kind of glad they did because I enjoyed
in my off time. But yeah, I was pretty much
just hockey the time when I was younger. And no,
(36:01):
no too.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
Have you and Dylan Wells talked about musical interests at all?
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Yeah, I know he plays a guitar too, but not
really a little bit. Uh. He kind of lives a
little bit far from me, so I know that some
guys have been playing with him a little bit, trying
to try to teach someone.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Right, Okay, I like that, Julian. For you as well,
you know, hockey is your career, right, and but you're
not just a hockey player, like you know, we're regular
people as as every day and you know we have
friends and family and all that, and you know, sometimes
these seasons can be a grind. It's it's a lot
of hours that we put in, as you were saying,
you know, after practice, work and you know, getting ready
(36:39):
for all these games, these long road trips and everything.
Just we've asked guys this throughout the year, but just
how do you you know, keep your mental health, you know,
as good as possible. You know, how do you rely
on your your friends and your family and you know,
the resources that you get with the road Runners and
Utah Hockey Club to you know, just make sure that
you're always doing okay when you know, sometimes the seasons
(37:01):
get rough, you know, in parts of it as well
with again these long road trips and everything. So you know,
how do you just take it day by day with
that as well, and just make sure that if you
need to get help, then you get it and you know,
rely on your friends and family for that. In addition
to that.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, I mean talk with my parents back home every day,
probably my dad even two or three times a day.
They pushed me, are they do everything that I can succeed.
They support me from back home, but also friends here
to be are too and just like my own time
(37:41):
shut like shut off a little bit. Enjoyed the piece.
I guess I haven't been playing a lot of golf lately,
but today I'm going with math. Okay, I'm not not
really good yet. Just started last last summer I start playing,
but it's definitely fun. Yeah, just eating good foods, cooking
(38:04):
for myself. Were getting invited?
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Yeah, no, of course. And your dad came to a
game some games in the beginning of the season, right,
what was that like for him to come out here
to Tucson, you were kind of brand new as well. Yeah,
so you you were even I remember you were even
asking people where you should you take him? So what
was it like having him in town for a bit,
and in addition to that, you still being kind of
new to town as well?
Speaker 3 (38:27):
That was awesome. I mean it was, like I said,
my first couple of months here too, so I didn't
didn't know. I definitely know him more now where I
could take him. But it was good. He helped me
a lot, settling in, help getting me some the smaller
details in apartment and stuff. And yeah, I mean I
love my parents a lot, so it was it was
(38:51):
just great that he was here and supporting me and
spent some some good time. It's definitely it was a
culture shock for him. Uh. He definitely felt like he's
in Mexico.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
What are your parents' names?
Speaker 3 (39:07):
Rudolf and Alessa? Okay, and Rudolf is probably not not
a typical Russian name, but.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
I don't know if I know what a Russian other
than Igor. Sounds like a very Russian name to me,
Like I've never heard the name, and you say it
different than we say it. RTM R RTM. Yeah, like
I'd never heard that name before if he signed with us. So, Julian,
you talk about how much you love hockey. What's the
one thing that you love the most? One thing?
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Interest? Extra practice? I don't know, skating, Okay, skating, I guess.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Okay, what do you What do you hate the most?
And don't say the smell, because we already got that answer.
What the smell?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Smell? What I hate most about hockey?
Speaker 4 (40:00):
Maybe not hate, we I can dial it back to dislike, dislike.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Putting the gear on?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Really, how long does it take you to put gear on?
And that's also something I've been always carrious.
Speaker 4 (40:17):
Well then wait, why don't you like it? If it's fast?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
In five minutes?
Speaker 4 (40:20):
I mean that's fast.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
Imagine you could just snap your fingers in your eyes.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I guess maybe the preparation, right, you know, it's especially
on a game day when you're so amped up to
play and you kind of have to keep waiting, right,
maybe potentially what's your game day routine? Like we've asked
guys this all throughout the year as well, Like everyone
has different routines. You know, they're playing super ball. Some
guys show up really early. Some guys show up a
little later, but obviously not late late. We've seen Sam
(40:50):
Lipkin sit on the seats and kind of just stare
at the ice, just you know, getting dialed into what's
your game day routine?
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Like I just take a good long nap one off
ours two hours maybe.
Speaker 4 (41:02):
Depends that is a long one.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
And get a little snack, maybe relaxed for a little bit,
just brief, good listen to some music, go to go
to the rink, not too not too early, because I
(41:25):
don't I don't like doing nothing, just hanging around and
thinking too much.
Speaker 4 (41:30):
Maybe you need to take longer to put your gear
on and then you wouldn't have to sit.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Around, tape my sticks, play some sewer, do my routine
warm up and going the eyes.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
We talked a lot about the young guys that are
on the team. What about the veterans. Who do you
feel that you've clicked with the most of the season.
Who do you feel drawn to, Who do you feel
your game is most?
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Like?
Speaker 3 (41:55):
I mean I like him.
Speaker 4 (41:57):
Oh, don't worry, they're not listening except to this.
Speaker 3 (42:03):
Yeah, heaps are still on the ice.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
They forced them off, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
I mean they've been all great nots invited us for
what was it Thanksgiving? That was awesome? On Christmas, Aggie
invited us for for Christmas. It was the second day
of Christmas. I think was Yeah, it's it's nice to
see them with their kids are on, so oh they're
(42:35):
enjoying enjoying in a different way playing for them maybe too.
I mean all of them help us a lot with
their experience too, because yeah, they most of most of
the guys that have been playing a couple of seasons
in the NHL, and definitely helps a lot to have
(42:55):
some older guys too.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
How one more question, that's it?
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Yeahs done.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Do you want a serious question, Julian or a fun question.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
You decide feeling serious? Serious?
Speaker 4 (43:10):
That's I had a feeling I'm going to say that.
How do you define success for yourself?
Speaker 3 (43:17):
I mean just uh, probably enjoying your journey and so
getting better every day step by step and having having
goals that you just work to achieve all the time.
And yeah, I guess that's that's it for me.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
That's a good answer. We have one one last thing?
One can I can I tell you a joke?
Speaker 3 (43:42):
You can?
Speaker 4 (43:42):
Okay? Thanks? What has five toesin isn't your foot? Don't
look at don't look at the sticky my foot. We
all want to huh, what has five toes in? Isn't
your foot?
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Oh my foot? That's that's dumb.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
Is that joke?
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Yeah, clearly, yes, it's dumb. Well, Julian, I like that.
Good response.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
I'm leaving and going home.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Julian, thanks so much for joining us. Man, appreciate the time,
Good luck this weekend. Let's uh, let's get some wind
here and uh let's get to the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
Yeah, of course, we definitely want to play play some
more games this season, taking especially our team. If we
make the playoffs, we can make a lot of damage.
And I just excited, like even a right and all
the games there, it's pretty much a playoff game already,
so just experience that, experiencing that is definitely a lot
(44:41):
of value.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yeah, we're looking forward to a Drilian things so much. Again.
Closing out this week's episode, just having Julian LUTs on
the show. If you just missed the LUTs interview, you
can go to Tucson roadrunners dot com slash happy Hour
to hear the podcast version of this episode, and also
here Matthew wa walta postgame after his first career NHL
when Kim Huge. Two games upcoming, Yeah, all on the line,
(45:03):
trying to clinch the playoffs. Love what Julian LUTs said.
They just want to play more games. You want to
keep having games. I want to call more games. I'm
having too much fun. Let's feel like I'm finally getting
good at it and I don't want the season to end.
So yeah, the guys that want to earn to play
more games. And I'm feeling good about this one, feeling
good about these two games. The guys know what's what's
at stake, and let's just clincher here.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
That would be the plan.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
The plan, Yes, the plan, nothing else. Yeah, don't settle.
We're not settling here.
Speaker 4 (45:30):
And and tomorrow will be the game, Bakersfield game. I
think will be a lot hinges on that.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
I'll be watching. We'll see, Yeah, kid flip on flow
sports for that.
Speaker 4 (45:39):
Yeah, because then that narrows the your your murder board, right,
you can certain moving things from the murder board once
that that game happens.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
So, yeah, it does. Actually we'll be able to I'll
be able to cut half of it off. So I'll
definitely update as we go on, but big two games
coming up this Friday and Saturday. We have our last
El Laza Day two song game on Friday and fan
Appreciation Night on Saturday. Get your tickets at Tucson roadrunners
dot com slash tickets. The boys need everybody. We need
to feed off that home crowd as the Roadrunners are
(46:09):
trying to clinch that final seed of the AHL Specific
Division playoff picture. We'll see you this weekend at the
Tucson Arena. Have a great rest of your night, everybody,
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