Green Bay beats Riders in shootout again, 4-3 (VIDEO)

CEDAR RAPIDS - Back-to-back games, back-to-back shootouts, back-to-back losses for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Make that obviously tough back-to-back losses.

“Shootouts can go either way,” Riders Coach Mark Carlson said after his team's 4-3 loss last night to Green Bay before 3,323 fans at the Ice Arena. “You've got to give the opponent credit for finding a way to win them.”

It's hard to believe there's any better team in the United States Hockey League than these two, and they put on quite a show in their home-and-home weekend series. It was the first time all season they had met.

Green Bay extended its lead in the East Division to four points simply by finding a way to solve Riders goaltender Brady Hjelle in the end-of-the-game, one-on-one situation. The Gamblers (22-5-2, 46 points) had seven successful shootout attempts in nine tries, including three of five last night.

Only defenseman Nolan Zajac was able to beat Green Bay netminder Adam Wilcox in four attempts. The Gamblers won Friday night's shootout in Wisconsin, 4-2, for a 2-1 overall victory.

Guess the good thing for the RoughRiders (19-4-4, 42 points) is there are no shootouts in the playoffs. There appears to be little to nothing separating these skilled and fast-skating clubs five-on-five.

“I thought we did lots of good things both nights. They were two good games,” Carlson said. “We still have to chip away at teamwork. Teamwork is putting the team first 100 percent of the time, it's not putting the team first 99 percent of the time. That's our biggest improvement area right now. The good thing is that should be curable.

“That's up to the coach, but it's also up to the people in the (locker) room to police and make sure everyone is following the plan.”

Defenseman Max Hartner scored twice to help give Green Bay a 3-2 lead after two periods. Jayson Megna and Ryan McGrath had the Rider goals.

Defenseman Ian Brady tied it 3:38 into the third with his first USHL goal, maneuvering his way to just past the top of the faceoff circles and wristing a puck through traffic and past Wilcox.

Green Bay won the Clark Cup last season and has a plethora of returning players, as do the RoughRiders. The Gamblers - coached by former C.R. assistant Eric Rud - already have 16 players committed to colleges.

The Riders play next weekend at Lincoln and Tri-City before returning home Jan. 19 against Green Bay.