Dubuque stuns RoughRiders in OT, 4-3

DUBUQUE - Still in first, though it's a tie. And a very, very difficult tie to take.

Defenseman Nick Luukko scored from the right faceoff circle 1:26 into overtime to give the Dubuque Fighting Saints a stunning 4-3 win over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders last night before a sellout crowd of 3,056 at the Mystique Ice Center.

The RoughRiders coughed up a 3-0 lead six minutes into the third period to fall into a tie with the Green Bay Gamblers for first place overall and in the United States Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Both teams have 82 points.

The next biggest game of the regular season for the Riders comes this afternoon at Green Bay. It'll be their third game in as many days, and they go into it with zero momentum.

Cedar Rapids appeared it would bounce back from a 2-1 third-period loss Friday night at Waterloo, getting a goal from defenseman Josiah Didier 3:55 in and early second-period goals from Sam Warning and Justin Kovacs. But Dubuque, which wrapped up the Western Conference title Friday night and is tied overall with Cedar Rapids and Green Bay, ended Riders goalie Brady Hjelle's shutout bid on a John Doherty goal 6:09 into the third.

The Fighting Saints completely owned the rest of the game.

T.J. Schlueter scored on a wrist shot from the top of the circle with 9:44 left, then defenseman Joakim Ryan beat his check down the ice on another Dubuque rush and slammed home a cross-ice feed to tie it two minutes later.

Cedar Rapids should feel fortunate to get one point, considering it was outshot in the third period and overtime by a whopping 23-5 margin. Hjelle had to make some fine saves in the dying two minutes to send it to OT.

The RoughRiders have three regular-season games remaining after today to two for Dubuque and Green Bay. They clinched a first-round playoff bye with last night's point, though that surely feels like a hollow victory after this one.

My first time at the new rink in Dubuque. Nice place. Smaller than the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, Luxury suites are on the concourse level. Here are some pictures.