Role reversal: Bloomington blasts Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in Game 2, 7-2

CEDAR RAPIDS — When you really think about it, perhaps the seeds of destruction the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders suffered Saturday night were sewn the night before.

They honestly weren't real good in the third period of a 7-3 Game 1 victory over Bloomington. There was sloppy play, penalties taken and three goals scored against them.

Carryover affect or whatever, the RoughRiders were out-everythinged in a disappointing 7-2 loss in Game 2 of this USHL playoff series before 2,256 fans at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The best-of-5 series heads to Illinois tied at a game apiece.

Game 3 is Friday night, Game 4 two days later.

'I don't think there was carryover,' RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson said. 'I just thought Bloomington played extremely well. Credit them.'

Basically just re-read the story of Friday night's game but substitute 'Bloomington' every time you read 'Cedar Rapids' and vice versa. The RoughRiders scored twice in the first period of Game 1 and four times in the second period.

In Game 2, Bloomington scored twice in the first period and four times in the second. Cedar Rapids goaltender Ben Blacker saw his night end early (after two periods), just as Bloomington's Hayden Lavigne did in Game 1.

Lavigne rebounded with 26 saves here, though he wasn't really tested too much after the first period.

'They came out with a lot of fire, wanted revenge from last night,' RoughRiders forward Cal Burke said. 'They just outworked us every freaking second from the beginning.'

Riders defenseman Jack Ahcan had his first goal of the playoffs late in the first to make it a 2-1 game, but a turnover led to an Alec Mehr goal 3:50 into the second to re-establish Bloomington's two-goal lead, beginning what turned out to be a rout. Turnovers were a common theme for the RoughRiders, as were power-play goals allowed ... again.

Bloomington led the United States Hockey League in power-play efficiency in the regular season, went 3 for 4 with the man advantage in this one and is 5 for 7 in the series. And it's not like Cedar Rapids has been lacking on the penalty kill, considering it finished tops in the USHL in that category in the regular season.

'They execute really well on their power play,' Burke said. 'They have their game plan, and they stick to it. Their power plays, they battle hard, they win pucks. For us, it's bearing down and focusing on the details that are unique to their power play.'

Jake Durlinger and Jake Slaker had a pair of goals each for Bloomington, with Mehr, Ethan Somoza and Logan Lamdin also scoring. Ross Colton's late 5-on-3 power-play goal for Cedar Rapids provided the final margin.

A pair of fights in the third period seemed to establish the contempt you normally see in a playoff series. C.R.'s Luke Morgan and Bloomington's Steven Merl duked it out with nine minutes to go, then Matt Filipe of the RoughRiders and Mehr exchanged haymakers in a spirited scrap with just over five minutes left.

'I thought Bloomington played extremely well tonight,' Carlson said. 'They are a real good team, we knew that, we've talked about it all year, every time we've played them. They won 36 hockey games this year, are one of the best teams in the league, for sure, especially the last part of it. Credit to them. They played extremely well, deserved it.'

'It's really simple,' Burke said. 'We just need to make sure we are ready to go for Game 3. They were more prepared than us tonight. That's the only thing we need to focus on. It's not a talent issue, it's who wants to come out and prepare the most and be ready to work for it.'

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