Justin Cole returns to RoughRiders, looking to provide offense and leadership

CEDAR RAPIDS — Hindsight is always 20-20, but Justin Cole would have made the same decision all over again.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders winger was presented with an opportunity in the middle of the summer that he couldn't pass up. The University of Denver had a player turn pro, which opened up a late roster spot.

The Pioneers offered it to him. When a program as good as that gives you a chance, you take it, no questions asked.

Ultimately, it didn't work out. Cole didn't play a game this season and decided to transfer.

He's back with the RoughRiders, looking for another place to land. He played his second game in his return Friday night, a 4-3 loss to Chicago at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

'I definitely don't regret it,' Cole said. 'It was a great life experience for me. I got to go to college, see what it's all about. It taught me a lot about school and hockey, and what you've got to do to be at that level. It's made me hungrier. So I do think it was a good thing all the way around.'

The 20-year-old Bryn Athyn, Pa., resident will provide a huge boost for a RoughRiders team that dropped to 0-15-2. Cedar Rapids plays Thanksgiving night at Waterloo and hosts the Black Hawks on Saturday night.

Cole set up the Riders' first goal with a neat cross-ice pass to defenseman Jakub Sirota, who blasted a slap shot home. A Bobby Hampton power-play goal a little later in the first period gave Cedar Rapids a 2-1 lead.

Chicago (13-3-2) tied it with a second-period goal and scored twice 35 seconds apart early in the third to win it. Hampton scored a 6-on-5 goal with 45.8 seconds left, and the RoughRiders pressured late to tie it but couldn't.

'Definitely there is a little bit of tightness in here because we haven't won a game,' Cole said. 'But like you said, when we get that first one, I think we'll get on a good roll. And I think that win will come soon, the way we're passing and how everyone is buying in.'

Cedar Rapids played very well throughout, posting 38 shots on goal, outshooting the Steel by 15.

'I think we continue to get better,' said RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson. 'I thought we did a lot of good in that game. Obviously we've got some things we've got to still get corrected. But we continued to battle there late and had our chances to tie it. We've got to take the positives out of this.'

Just as Cole is taking the positives from his time in Denver and his return to Cedar Rapids in order to find another college.

'It was a mutual thing with Denver. I don't think it was the right fit for me, and the coaches agreed,' he said. 'I wish them the best of luck ... It's good to be back. The team is starting to play real well, you can tell. I think we've got a good team here, and I'm glad to be back. I want to provide some leadership, being an older guy. I want to provide some offense and just play every game hard for this team.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com