Mark Carlson wins 750th career game as Cedar Rapids RoughRiders roll past Muskegon

CEDAR RAPIDS — You’ve got to give him a few fist pumps for this one.

Head coach Mark Carlson won his 750th career game Saturday night as his Cedar Rapids RoughRiders disposed of Muskegon, 7-1, at ImOn Ice.

Carlson is the only coach the Riders have had since their inception into the United States Hockey League for the 1999-2000 season.

He ranks second in all-time victories in the league, behind only P.K. O’Handley, who picked up 783 in his long career with Waterloo and North Iowa. O’Handley retired from coaching two years ago.

Carlson has a 750-546-11 record in his career.

If you didn’t know, over the years Carlson has been known to give out a big double fist pump to his team after a big win. That’s what he did on the ice after his team won the Clark Cup championship in 2004-05.

It’s mostly an inside-the-locker-room thing now.

Cedar Rapids has won the Anderson Cup for most regular-season standings points three times under Carlson. He has been named the USHL Coach of the Year three times as well.

“Mark Carlson has had an extraordinary career as a coach and general manager in the USHL, and 750 victories is a major milestone,” said USHL President/Commissioner Bill Robertson. “Mark’s commitment to developing young men on and off the ice is a credit to his unique teaching and mentoring abilities. Mark is so well respected in the USHL among his peers, as well as so many across the hockey universe. We are so happy and proud for Mark, as he has had an incredible career. We are looking forward to many more victories with Mark behind the bench.”

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Riley Walsh and Bryce Montgomery had a pair of goals each in Saturday night’s game, with Montgomery’s first one just 31 seconds in. Jacob Kraft, Eric Pohlkamp, Tyson Gross and Riley Walsh also had goals.

The RoughRiders are 17-12-3-2 for 39 standings points, which is fifth in a tightly packed eight-team Eastern Conference of the USHL.

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