Corridor Cross Checks: Hunter Lellig playing pro hockey back home in Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS — Hunter Lellig knew while he was in middle school that a playing a good level of hockey would be attainable.

You never know when you’re a kid from Waterloo. Iowa isn’t exactly known for producing players.

But the defenseman got the opportunity to play the Squirt and Midget levels for a well-known Chicago Missions program, and things progressed from there. He committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a junior in high school, played a season of junior hockey in the North American Hockey League, then a season for his hometown Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League.

Four seasons at Duluth and a graduate-year season at Bowling Green followed, and Lellig now finds himself playing professional hockey. Pretty much back home, for the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL.

“It’s so nice being so close to a lot of friends and family, and family that hasn’t gotten to see me play all the time,” Lellig said. “I can’t remember the last time I had some uncles or distant cousins watch me play. So it’s fun to get everyone around together and down to games.”

Lellig said his parents and grandparents attend virtually every home game at Xtream Arena in Coralville. For the Heartlanders’ recent homestand against Toledo, he had 15 to 16 of his closest rooters in the house.

“Pro hockey, no matter what level, is very hard,” Lellig said. “Especially being dialed in for, what, 70-ish games. A lot different than college, where you are playing 30. The pace is fast, there are big, strong, physical players in this league. It’s been difficult, but it’s been fun.”

Lellig, 24, is known as a stay-at-home defenseman. He has a goal and two assists in 21 games for the Heartlanders, the only D-man on the team with a positive plus-minus rating (plus one).

“I could probably count on one hand the goals I have scored in the last five years,” he said. “Yeah, I pride myself on taking care of the D zone, making good breakout passes, then getting into the offense when I can. Shooting the puck, just helping contribute (with what) I’m good at, too, in helping the team win.”

The Heartlanders are 11-15-4-1 for 27 points, last of seven teams in the ECHL’s Central Division. Iowa lost three games last weekend at Rapid City: 4-2 and 3-2 (twice).

The club has undergone a massive amount of roster movement thanks to injuries with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and AHL’s Iowa Wild. Both primary goaltenders, Peyton Jones and Hunter Jones, are in the American Hockey League right now.

Defenseman Brandon Kosior recently decided to leave the team and go to Canadian college hockey. Forward Odeen Tufto, the team’s second-leading scorer, recently signed a contract to play professionally in Switzerland.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

The RoughRiders went 1-2 in a three-in-three weekend: beating Des Moines at home, then losing on the road at Sioux Falls and Fargo.

Cedar Rapids returned from its near two-week holiday break with 2-1 win over the Bucs at ImOn Ice. Sam Scopa made 16 saves to get the victory in net, with Drew Stewart and Isaac Johnson scoring goals. Johnson and Erik Kald had C.R.’s goals in a 5-2 loss Saturday night to Sioux Falls.

Curiously, the Riders outshot the Stampede by a 28-25 margin. Fargo dominated Sunday’s game, 5-1, with C.R.’s lone goal coming from Landan Resendes.

The Force has a USHL-best record of 25-3-1. Fargo goaltender Landan Slukynsky has a 12-0 record, 1.48 goals against average and .928 save percentage this season.

The RoughRiders have a 10-15-4-1 record for 25 standings points, sixth out of eight teams in the United States Hockey League’s Eastern Conference. They have a home-and-home series this weekend against Green Bay, playing Friday night in Wisconsin and Saturday night (7:05 p.m. puck drop) at home.

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