3 games, 3 goalies, 2 wins this weekend for Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

CEDAR RAPIDS — Three days, three games. Three different goaltenders.

That’s how the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders rolled this weekend. Oh, and two wins, too.

Don’t forget about that. That’s the biggest thing.

Three goals in a span of 4:33 in the third period rallied the Riders to a 4-3 win Sunday afternoon over Sioux City at ImOn Ice Arena. This was a makeup of a game postponed by bad weather three weeks ago.

A very nice way to end a tough three-in-three weekend that saw Cedar Rapids lose Friday night at Chicago and beat Omaha at home Saturday night.

“I think anytime you get four out of six points in the United States Hockey League, the toughest junior league in the world, that classifies as a good weekend,” said RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson.

Sioux City scored a goal with 1.6 seconds left in the second period to create a two-goal spread, but Landan Resendes and Ryan O’Connell went back to back with goals at the 5:27 and 5:47 marks to stunningly tie it.

Amine Hajibi fed Aiden Welch alone in the slot, and his wicked wrister beat Sioux City goaltender Samuel Urban to the glove side at 9:50 for what turned out to be the winner.

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“We came back to our locker room (after the second period), instead of hanging our heads, we knew what had to be done. And we went out there and did it,” O’Connell said. “Earlier in the year, we would have been deflated. Obviously you never want to get scored on with two seconds left in the period. It hurt. But we came out stronger in the third.”

Rudy Guimond picked up the win in net for the Riders (14-17-4-2, 34 standings points). The Detroit Red Wings draft pick made 19 saves.

Sam Scopa played Friday night’s game at Chicago, a 5-2 loss. James Norton got the start Saturday night at home against Omaha, a 5-2 win.

He just arrived from the Tier II junior North American Hockey League, where he’d been tearing it up. Norton had a highly successful four-game stint earlier this season in the United States Hockey League with Dubuque, where he played while the Fighting Saints’ regular goalie was away from the team playing in an international tournament.

It’s unusual for any USHL team to carry three netminders on its active roster. For it to come at this point in the regular season is rare.

“It’s day by day,” Carlson said of the goaltending situation. “We have always have thought (Norton) is a good goalie and a really good character guy. He’s a strong character guy in the room, has some leadership ability. We thought it made sense for our team (to bring him in).”

Riley Bassen had C.R.’s other goal, that coming late in the second period. The RoughRiders are tied with Chicago for sixth place and the final available playoff spot in the USHL’s Eastern Conference and head to Youngstown for games Friday and Saturday.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com