Minnesota high-school student Will Garin helps out Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in a pinch

CEDAR RAPIDS — Here's a quick note to all of Will Garin's teachers up at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria, Minnesota. Please excuse his absence from class Monday and Tuesday.

He's a good, responsible kid and will make up the work he's missing. While you're at it, it wouldn't hurt to throw some prayers his way, too.

His team has a big hockey game to play.

The part-time Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward has become a full-time Rider this week. Cedar Rapids and Bloomington play the deciding Game 5 of their United States Hockey League playoff series Tuesday night at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, with about a 7:15 opening puck drop expected.

'It's been great so far,' Garin said after Monday afternoon's practice. 'Everyone has been really great with the whole situation for me. I've had to do some stuff on my own, online, e-mail and stuff like that. I think it's helped me mature a little bit.'

The RoughRiders called upon Garin late in the regular season because of season-ending injuries up front to Matt Gosiewski and Karch Bachman. The 18-year-old was on the club's affiliate roster and was done with his prep season, named a finalist for the prestigious Mr. Hockey award in the state.

Because he was still a senior in high school, he would spend the week at home, then drive to Cedar Rapids for Thursday practice and weekend games. But this is the playoffs, so a little bit of an adjustment has had to be made.

If Cedar Rapids wins Tuesday night, the best-of-5 Eastern Conference championship series will begin this weekend at The Stable.

'It has been awesome so far,' said Garin, who stays with teammate Jack Ahcan and his billet family when he is in town. 'The coaching staff welcomed me with open arms, the guys have been great. It has felt like home since day one. I couldn't be happier with what I've experienced so far.'

A University of Connecticut commit, Garin definitely has been thrown into the fire but acquitted himself nicely. He had three goals and an assist in 11 regular-season games and has a pair of assists in the first four games of this series.

The plan is for him to play with the RoughRiders next season.

'I think he has done really well,' RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson said. 'He's got really good poise, can make plays. He works. With a summer of training, I think he can be a really good player in this league.'

'It's not the ideal way for me to come in, but it worked out,' Garin said. 'I've been trying to do everything I can to help this team win games.'

The teams have flip-flopped victories in this series. The RoughRiders won Game 1, 7-3, with Bloomington taking Game 2, 7-2.

Cedar Rapids won Game 3 in Bloomington, 3-1, with the Thunder responding with a 1-0 overtime victory in Game 4.

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