Richey saves stifle Harrisburg in Rampage rout

CEDAR RAPIDS – Jeff Richey had barely tightened his gloves before the first goal buzzed by him.

The Cedar Rapids Rampage goalkeeper received a rude early welcome in his debut, surrendering a goal just 12 seconds in, then another midway through the first quarter.

But once the veteran settled in, the Rampage attackers began to find the net and Cedar Rapids earned a satisfying second victory, 12-4, over the winless Harrisburg Heat in front of 2,641 fans Friday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'That was my first game back since February,' said Richey, who tallied 21 saves. 'Little rusty, speed of play was a little quick, then I kind of dusted it off and got in a little groove.'

Richey – signed by the Rampage on Wednesday after his 2015 season with Milwaukee was cut short by a knee injury – arrived in town a few hours before the game and started in place of Joey Kapinos, who was required to sit out due to excessive penalty points. It remains to be seen whether Richey's availability permits more than just this one spot start in goal.

Veteran Chile Farias also missed the game with excessive penalty points.

Forwards Gordy Gurson and Blake Ordell – also acquired Wednesday – combined for six goals in their debuts. Gurson, the league rookie of the year last season, lived up to his billing as an offensive game-changer with four scores for Cedar Rapids (2-10).

Rampage forward Elmo Neto played for the first time since Dec. 19 and added a pair of goals, while Hewerton Moreira tallied four scores and an assist as the Rampage turned a 2-0 deficit into an 11-2 impending rout.

'It was a team effort,' Moreira said. 'Everybody stepped on the field with the desire to win. … We had a week off to regroup and everybody has the same goal.'

Harrisburg drops to 0-11. Cedar Rapids hosts Syracuse (5-5) Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

AT U.S CELLULAR CENTER

Harrisburg 2 0 0 2—4

Cedar Rapids 2 3 4 3—12

First Quarter —

Scoring: 1. Harrisburg: Tyler Witmer (Georges NouBossie) 0:12; 2. Harrisburg: NouBossie (Witmer) 7:10; 3. Cedar Rapids: Gordy Gurson (unassisted) 8:17; 4. Cedar Rapids: Hewerton Moreira (unassisted) 14:02:

Second Quarter — Scoring:

5. Cedar Rapids: Gurson (unassisted) 4:52; 6. Cedar Rapids: Moreira (powerplay) (Elmo Neto) 11:36; 7. Cedar Rapids: Neto (unassisted) 14:53 :

Third Quarter — Scoring:

8. Cedar Rapids : Neto (Moreira) 5:10; 9. Cedar Rapids: Moreira (unassisted) 5:58; 10. Cedar Rapids: Gurson (powerplay) (Patrick Kelly) 10:03; 11. Cedar Rapids: Blake Ordell (unassisted) 14:43

Fourth Quarter — Scoring:

12. Cedar Rapids: Ordell (Kelly) 1:58; 13. Cedar Rapids: Gurson (powerplay) (Blake Ordell) 4:34; 14. Harrisburg: Patrick Thompson (unassisted) 6:19; 15. Cedar Rapids: Moreira (Neto) 10:57; 16. Harrisburg: Val Teixeira (penalty kick) 12:24.

Powerplay opportunities —

Harrisburg 0-2, Cedar Rapids 3-4.

Goalies —

Harrisburg: Scott Krotee 30-18, Cedar Rapids: Jeff Richey 25-21. Shots on goal — Harrisburg 25-14—39, Cedar Rapids 30-7—37

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com