Middleton's the man since joining RoughRiders

CEDAR RAPIDS - Why Davey?

"My grandpa has been called that before, too," explained Cedar Rapids RoughRiders winger Davey Middleton. "It just stuck as a kid. My name is David, but everyone just calls me Davey. That's the way it's been pretty much my whole life."

For the RoughRiders, Davey has been gravy since being acquired from the Tri-City Storm in a mid-November trade. Oh, and since getting healthy.

Middleton got a whole three shifts in for the Riders, scoring a goal, before getting hit with a shot and breaking his left hand. He missed a little over a month of action, but has come back with the proverbial vengeance.

The 19-year-old from Novi, Mich., has posted four goals and nine points in nine games since his return to the lineup. That includes three multi-point games over his last five, highlighted by a two-goal, three-point effort in a win last Saturday night over Chicago.

The RoughRiders host Dubuque Friday and Chicago again Saturday night.

"It's a comfort thing, a confidence thing, a little more playing time," Middleton said. "It's a combination of all that."

Middleton is 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, not exactly the stereotypical size for a RoughRiders player. But he can skate, which is a prerequisite for playing on one of Coach Mark Carlson's teams, and he's got good hockey sense.

"He's going to be a heck of a college hockey player, I think," Carlson said. "He can make a lot of plays. He's a big guy. I think he's just getting started, in terms of what he's going to become."

Middleton smiled sheepishly when told the nice things his coach said about him. Right now, he doesn't have anything specific lined up, though he said his plan is to play college hockey somewhere next winter.

"If the right opportunity doesn't present itself, I'd love to come back (here) and play another year and keep improving," he said.

Middleton actually was in Chicago with his Tri-City team when he found out he had been traded. A RoughRiders coach drove eight hours round trip to pick him up and bring him to Iowa.

Life in Cedar Rapids has been quite all right for Davey.

"Coming to a new team, you just want to make an impact," he said. "Help the team out and everything. It's been good so far. I like it a lot."

ON TAP: The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders host the Dubuque Fighting Saints Friday night and Chicago Steel on Saturday night at The Stable. Opening faceoffs both nights is approximately 7:15.

SCOUTING REPORT: The Riders (13-12-7, 33 points) split a pair of games last week at home, losing to Waterloo on a goal in the final two minutes, and beating Chicago. They are in fifth place in the USHL's Eastern Conference, five points back of fourth-place Youngstown. Cedar Rapids is 8-2-4 at home this season, 5-10-3 on the road. Dubuque is 19-9-2 for 40 points, third in the East. Chicago is last in the East and the league with 19 points (9-21-1). Dubuque features forward Zemgus Girgensons, who is likely a first-round draft pick in this summer's NHL draft. He has 24 points in 27 games, though has missed the last two weeks with a hip pointer. The RoughRiders traded center Anders Schultz out of the organization last week. He had two goals and three assists in 18 games for Cedar Rapids.

PROMOTIONS: Friday is School Night and Mascot Night. Saturday is College Night, with $1.50 beer, soda and popcorn. There also is a postgame skate with the players.

TICKETS: Available at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena box office (261-4625) or online at www.ridertownusa.com.

ON THE AIR: KMJM-AM (1360).

Here is a link to individual stats from the RoughRiders:

http://ushl2011.stats.pointstreak.com/teamplayerstats.html?teamid=3131&seasonid=7561