Defenseman Bryce Montgomery is a sixth-round 2021 draft pick of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. He played two-plus seasons of major junior hockey in Canada, but decided his best bet this season was to leave and come to the United States Hockey League and play, specifically the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
The regular seasons for both the Iowa Heartlanders and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have begun. Here is a look at how things are going for the two hockey clubs that represent the Corridor.
Forward Zaccharya Wisdom had four goals and eight points in his first seven games of this United States Hockey League season. His second season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders is off to a flying start.
Former Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Riese Zmolek made his professional hockey debut last season, spending the majority of his time in the ECHL with the Iowa Heartlanders. He hopes that experience helps he and his team in year two.
First-year forward Ryan Walsh went into Saturday night’s game against Waterloo leading the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in shots on goal by a wide margin
The Iowa Heartlanders finished seventh and last in the ECHL’s Central Division last season, not unexpected for a first-year franchise. With a year under their belt, they expect more success this season.
First-year forward Isaac Johnson of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders comes from a family of eight. He is from Dalton, Minn. (population 200). But he decided to leave home for his senior year of high school to pursue his hockey goals.
Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson doesn’t think there’s much significance to it, but his Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have 12 players on the opening-day roster who have played at least one game previously with the club. The Riders begin the United States Hockey League regular season Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh against the Lincoln Stars.
The South Bend Cubs scored four runs in the top of the first inning and rolled past the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 9-3, Friday night in the deciding third game of their Midwest League Western Division championship playoff series.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, on one hit, three walks, a hit by pitch and run-scoring balk to beat the South Bend Cubs, 5-3, in Game 2 of the Midwest League Western Division playoff series. The winner-take-all Game 3 is Friday night in Cedar Rapids.
The South Bend Cubs scratched across a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 2-1, Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Midwest League Western Division championship playoff series.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels have qualified for the Midwest League playoffs all nine years they have been affiliated with the Minnesota Twins. This year’s team plays South Bend in the Western Division finals, which begin Tuesday.
South Bend beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Sunday’s regular-season finale, 9-2. The Kernels went 73-58 overall. These teams face off in the Midwest League playoffs, beginning Tuesday night.
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