Cedar Rapids RoughRiders season comes to an end

Youngstown scores twice in third period for 3-1 win and two-game playoff series sweep

Apr. 30, 2023 10:37 pm, Updated: May. 1, 2023 11:12 am

RoughRiders players gather around forward Ryan Walsh after he scored a goal for the team in the first period of the game to tie with the Gamblers at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday, February 5, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Just seemed to be too much to ask of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

Spending a full week on the road in hotels here and there, ice rinks here and there. Playing seven games in 10 days, six of them away from ImOn Ice.

You could call it unfair, but the United States Hockey League calls it its 2023 playoff format. The Youngstown Phantoms got a mid-third period goal from defenseman John Willson to break a tie, with an empty netter with a little over a minute left officially ending the RoughRiders season with a 3-1 win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.

Youngstown pulled out Game 1 in double-overtime, 3-2. That also was at home.

The RoughRiders were the sixth-place finisher in a tight Eastern Conference and had to play three road games at third-place Team USA in Plymouth, Mich., in the first round. Cedar Rapids won that series by taking the deciding Game 3 Wednesday night.

You go back to the final week of the regular season, and the Riders played a Tuesday home game, a Friday home game and a Saturday road game at Des Moines. They hit the bus again Sunday for Plymouth, Mich., and won’t get back to the City of Five Seasons until sometime Monday.

Jack Musa had C.R.’s goal Sunday, assisted by Liam Lesakowski and Dominic Elliott with 4:46 left in the second period. That sent this game to the third period tied, with William Whitelaw setting up Willson for the winning goal, his first goal since Dec. 29.

Bruno Bruveris gave his RoughRiders a chance, playing well in net with 27 saves. Counterpart Jacob Fowler also played strongly, as you’d expect from a goalie who very well could get taken in this summer’s National Hockey League Draft.

The RoughRiders had a marvelous season from first-year player Ryan Walsh, who set the club single-season record for points with 79 in 61 games. He also potted 30 goals.

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In the playoffs, Walsh had two goals and five assists in five games. Forward Dylan Hryckowian had 26 goals and 39 assists in 61 games and four assists in five playoff games.

Zaccharya Wisdom also had a 26-game system. Those three guys could be NHL Draft picks.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com