Cedar Rapids RoughRiders beat Team USA as USHL playoff chase hits the stretch

C.R. tied for final Eastern Conference playoff spot with 10 games left after a 4-2 victory Sunday afternoon

Mar. 27, 2022 7:48 pm, Updated: Apr. 5, 2022 12:44 pm

The Roughriders celebrate after Cedar Rapids Roughriders defenseman Travis Shoudy (25) scores a goal with an assist from Cedar Rapids Roughriders forward Martins Lavins (8) in the first period against Team USA at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — It’s 10 to go to get within the six.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders won the weekend with Sunday afternoon’s 4-2 victory over the United States National Team Development Program’s U17 team at Imon Ice.

The Riders bounced back from a lopsided loss Friday night to The Program’s younger club with back-to-back Ws Saturday night and here. The postgame music was blasting in a happy locker room.

Some newer stuff, some older stuff from the 80s and 90s.

“I think after the first time we played them last week, we played a good game, and we didn’t really give them the same respect (Friday night), and they did what they did,” C.R.’s Zaccharya Wisdom said of Friday night’s 8-2 stinker. “But I think we came back and knew what we had to do. We had a game plan, Coach wrote it up, and we followed it, executed it perfectly.”

“I don’t think we really played our game on Friday night,” said RoughRiders defenseman Joe Fleming. “But we bounced back and played our brand of hockey. I thought it was good. Finish checks, block shots, do the things we’re best at.”

Wisdom and defensemen Travis Shoudy and Liam Lesakowski scored goals in the first period to allow the RoughRiders to grab a 3-0 lead. Team USA scored twice in a little over a minute of the second period to make it a one-goal game, but David Chen’s goal off a rebound in the slot a little over a minute after that restored order.

Cedar Rapids played a sound game defensively overall. Bruno Bruveris made 22 saves for the win in net.

“I think we played solid all three games,” said Riders Coach Mark Carlson. “The score does not always indicate how the team played.”

Cedar Rapids Roughriders forward David Chen (6) dribbles the puck past Team USA defenseman Aram Minnetian (47) and looks for a teammate to pass to in the first period at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

The RoughRiders (23-26-2-1, 49 standings points) are in a tie with Team USA for sixth place in the United States Hockey League’s Eastern Conference and the playoff spot that goes with it. Green Bay is two points back of those two.

Team USA, which had its two teams play three times each this weekend, has one game in hand on the RoughRiders, who have one game in hand on Green Bay. Fifth-place Madison is five points up on Cedar Rapids and Team USA, with the Riders having two games in hand on the Capitols and Team USA three.

Cedar Rapids has 10 regular-season games remaining, including a pair of homers this coming weekend against Waterloo and the USNTDP’s U18 team and a roady at Des Moines. Buckle up.

“Yeah, we keep an eye on it,” C.R.’s Grant Ahcan said of the standings. “But we try not to talk much about it. Stick to our game plan, and good things will happen.”

“We’ve just got to keep winning games, and I think we’ll be in a good situation,” Fleming said. “Be in a spot we want to be. I think it’d be awesome, but we’re just focused on these last 10 games and then see where that takes us.”

Here is the official gamesheet from Sunday’s game.

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