RoughRiders take 2 in USHL Dispersal Draft

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders selected goaltender Ben Blacker and defenseman Jason Shoup in Friday's United States Hockey League Dispersal Draft.

The USHL's Indiana Ice are going dormant next season as they attempt to secure a playing facility that will ensure their future. The Ice beat the Waterloo Black Hawks, 3-2, in the deciding Game 5 of the Clark Cup finals Tuesday night to win the franchise's first championship.

Blacker, 17, was the Riders' first pick. He is a goalie from Oakville, Ontario, and a Western Michigan college commit who was on Indiana's affiliate list of younger players.

Defenseman Tim Shoup was taken in the second round of the draft. He is a 19-year-old from Upper St. Clair, Pa., and a Dartmouth College commit who had five goals in 52 regular-season games and three assists in 12 playoff games.

He also was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team.

Forward Denis Smirnov was the first-overall pick in the dispersal draft, to the Fargo Force. He had 15 goals in 47 games this season.

Here are all of the picks:

ROUND 1

Fargo Force – Denis Smirnov (F)

Des Moines Buccaneers (from Youngstown) – Jacob Pritchard (F)

Tri-City Storm – Patrick Newell (F)

Youngstown Phantoms (from Des Moines) – Vasili Kolias (D)

Lincoln Stars – Troy Terry (F)

Chicago Steel – Zach Osburn (D)

Muskegon Lumberjacks – Ryan Mantha (D)

Madison Capitols – Mitch Hults (F)

Bloomington Thunder – Vince Pedrie (D)

Green Bay Gamblers – Jason Pawloski (G)

Dubuque Fighting Saints – Roy Radke (F)

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders – Ben Blacker (G)

Sioux Falls Stampede – Shane Sellar (F)

Sioux City Musketeers – Sam Kurker (F)

Omaha Lancers – Bradley Johnson (D)

Sioux City Musketeers (from Waterloo) – Jacob Wilson (D)

ROUND 2

Fargo Force – Mitch Slattery (F)

Youngstown Phantoms – Michael Ederer (F)

Tri-City Storm – Karl El-Mir (F)

Des Moines Buccaneers – Vaughan Ahrens (G)

Lincoln Stars – Tyler Augustinsen (F)

Chicago Steel – Nick Kunin (F)

Muskegon Lumberjacks – Nick Azar (D)

Madison Capitols – Chris Martenet (D)

Bloomington Thunder – Adam Marsh (F)

Green Bay Gamblers – Josh Jacobs (D)

Dubuque Fighting Saints – Matt Roy (D)

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders – Tim Shoup (D)

Sioux Falls Stampede – Alex Talcott (F)

Sioux City Musketeers – Dwyer Tschantz (F)

Omaha Lancers – Brian Pinho (F)

Waterloo Black Hawks – Michael Turner (F)

Round 3

Fargo Force – Tyler Pham (F)

Youngstown Phantoms – Scott Conway (F)

Tri-City Storm – Austin Kosack (D)

Des Moines Buccaneers – Aidan Muir (F)

Lincoln Stars – Joe Sullivan (F)

Chicago Steel – Tyler Andrew (F)

Muskegon Lumberjacks – Jason Salvaggio (F)

Madison Capitols – Hayden Stewart (G)