RoughRiders show off depth in 7-4 season-opening win over Lincoln

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mark Carlson said during his team's media day Wednesday that goal scoring this season for his Cedar Rapids RoughRiders would be by committee.

That's not a negative thing in this instance.

Seven guys scored goals as the Riders won their USHL regular-season opener, 7-4, over Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Luke Morgan had the winner short-handed eight minutes into the third period of a wild game.

This club is very inexperienced, especially at the forward positions, but apparently it's got depth. Just like their coach said.

'Yeah, that's a good example of what I was talking about,” said Carlson. 'This is what it's going to be like for us.”

All 11 goals in the game came in the final two periods, with Cedar Rapids rallying from holes of 2-0 and 3-1. Lincoln scored early in the third to tie things at 4-4, then went on a four-minute power play when C.R.'s Matt Filipe was called for a spearing double-minor and game ejection.

But Morgan picked up a loose puck near center ice that deflected to him off a broken stick, went in alone and beat Stars goaltender Patrik Virtanen through the legs.

Jacob Hayhurst scored with 2:34 left to make it a two-goal Riders lead, and Hugh McGing finished it off with an empty netter with 1:20 left.

'The puck just squirted out, and I got a lucky bounce off that stick that was laying down on the ice,” said Morgan. 'I was able to beat him to the puck and had a clear-cut breakaway. I got a little lucky on the shot, down on the ice and five hole.”

The Lake Superior State commit scored the winning goal in the Michigan Division 1 state prep championship game two years ago as a freshman, but said this one was just as good.”

'It definitely rivals, if not beats, it,” Morgan said.

'I thought our mental toughness was great tonight,” Carlson said. 'We were down 2-0. I loved our mental toughness on that penalty kill in the third period. And getting the go-ahead goal there, too. Just a ton of positives. I thought the guys, for the first game, played well. You can talk about all the things we need to improve on, but I was proud of the way we were able to stick with it.”

John Snodgrass, another first-year player, got the first goal of the season for the RoughRiders 2:59 into the second period. Filipe, Ben Foley and Justin Cole, three more rookies, had goals late in the second period for a 4-3 lead.

Morgan and others pointed to defenseman Logan Von Ruden's early second-period fight as a momentum booster for their team. He dropped the gloves with Lincoln captain Biagio Lerario, earning 15 minutes in penalties and a game ejection.

'I would say there are lots of guys who contributed to the win,” Carlson said. 'And I thought Logan Von Ruden was one of them.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com