The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders came into existence after a move from Mason City. That move was contingent on the first indoor ice facility being constructed in town. The Cedar Rapids Ice Arena was built, with the first game in it coming exactly 25 years ago. A standing-room-only crowd of 4,104 fans watched the RoughRiders beat Rochester in a shootout.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels announced Monday that CEO Doug Nelson will be retiring after serving the ballclub for 21 years. He plans to step down in June.
The United States Hockey League takes a week and a half off every Christmas, giving everyone a chance to get a break and recharge. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders go into their break fresh off a pair of weekend wins against the Chicago Steel.
Andrew McLean hopped in his car and drove 16 hours to the Corridor when he found out earlier this ECHL season that he’d been traded from Norfolk to the Iowa Heartlanders. He was that excited. The Heartlanders are excited to have the defenseman.
The Iowa Heartlanders are on a five-game win streak going into a pair of big games this week at home against the Toledo Walleye. Iowa is four points back of Toledo for first place in the ECHL’s Central Division.
A.J. Reyelts of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders was honored Monday as the United States Hockey League’s Goalie of the Week. The 18-year-old Minnesota resident’s mother and father both played hockey in college and his older brother plays junior hockey in the NAHL as a forward, which is how A.J. got started as a goaltender.
Defenseman Jules Boscq of the Iowa Heartlanders had a pair of goals in his team’s overtime loss Sunday to Bloomington. Those were the first two of his pro career in North America. The 22-year-old from France appears to have a bright future.
The Iowa Heartlanders and Bloomington Bison have played each other seven times so far in the early portion of the ECHL season. Sunday’s 3-2 Bloomington win in overtime was the third of six consecutive games between the teams.
Matthew Sop of the Iowa Heartlanders is tied for second in the ECHL in points a dozen or so games into the season. The 21-year-old rookie forward is living away from home for the first time, spending his entire career playing junior in his hometown of Kitchener, Ontari.
The NCAA Division I Council last week voted to allow players from the three Canadian Hockey League major junior leagues to play college hockey, beginning next season. They had been ineligible for American college hockey previously because they receive financial stipends. How this new ruling affects the United States Hockey League, of which the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a member, is anyone’s guess at this point.
Forward Daniel Astapovich of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders played in the United States Hockey League two seasons ago. He spent last season in the lower-level North American Hockey League, getting another USHL shot this season.
Of all things, Dakota Raabe of the Iowa Heartlanders was a surfer growing up in Southern California, a member of his high school’s surfing team.
Riese Zmolek played junior hockey for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, played college hockey and then played professionally for the Iowa Heartlanders. His brother, Will, played junior hockey for the RoughRiders and is in his first season with the Hearlanders.
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