Finally close to being full strength, RoughRiders roll

CEDAR RAPIDS - The band is back together and sounding really good again.

And the truth is the entire band still isn't back together. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders beat Chicago, 6-2, Saturday night at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena despite forwards Erik Foley and Adam Gaudette serving United States Hockey League suspensions for fighting incidents in separate games before the holiday break.

When they return to the lineup in the next week, Cedar Rapids finally will have its full team available again. That's not counting forward Alex Jasiek, who has been out since early in the season with a broken wrist.

Gaudette, forwards Andrew Oglevie and defensemen Charlie Curti and Mitch Reinke were away for two weeks winning gold medals for the United States at the World Junior ‘A' Challenge international tournament in Canada. Oglevie, Curti and Reinke returned Saturday, and the difference was noticeable.

'It's certainly important to have them back,” said RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson. 'We're still missing two big horses that we'll have back in a week, so we'll still not have a full allotment of players until next weekend. Six games is an eternity when you are missing multiple players, no question. Our guys are battling. They found a way to get a win tonight.”

Curti had the first goal of this game, while Oglevie contributed a goal and assist.

'This is my team,” Oglevie said. 'It was really fun to get back, get the ‘W' and get things rolling again. Obviously we still have got a lot to work on, but it was good to get a win here tonight.”

The RoughRiders (21-6) lost their final three pre-holiday games, but got back on the winning track here. Their 42 standings points lead the USHL.

'Obviously they are really good players and players we need, but every single player in our locker room can play just the same way,” said goalie Ryan Larkin, who sparkled with 39 saves. 'I feel like those guys are the glue that holds it all together. Missing two of our captains hurt us, and Reinke and Chuck are always starters. It's kind of like a mindset for the team. We did miss those players, they are good players. But we got them back, and now feel like a team again.”

Defenseman Bryce Hatten's goal from long distance put Cedar Rapids up for good, 2-1, late in the first period. Oglevie rifled a wrister past Chicago goalie Cale Morris off a 2-on-1 break early in the third to make it 3-1, then Ross Colton pounced on a rebound for a power-play goal for a 4-1 spread.

Chicago scored on a 5-on-3 power play with 6:49 left to make it semi-interesting again, but Dylan McLaughlin had an empty netter and Cal Burke a last-minute 5-on-5 goal for the final margin.

The RoughRiders are at Green Bay on New Year's Eve night, then Dubuque Friday night before returning home a night later to host Bloomington.

FIRST STAR - Andrew Oglevie (RoughRiders): Goal and assist for the co-captain in his return to the team.

SECOND STAR - Charlie Curti (RoughRiders): Goal and assist for assistant captain in his return to the team.

THIRD STAR - Ryan Larkin (RoughRiders): Very good in net with 39 saves.

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