USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Riders Power Past Ice 7-3

Published on December 18, 2005 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders News Release


Indianapolis, Indiana- Ted Purcell scored two goals and added two assists and Gary Steffes also scored twice as the RoughRiders defeated the host Indiana Ice 7-3 Saturday night.

The Riders, who were dominant (5-for-8) on the power play, pulled away with four unanswered third period goals.

Just 20 seconds after Indiana's Eddie Del Grosso tied the score at three with a shorthanded goal at 8:46 of the third, Purcell put the Riders back on top for good. Cedar Rapids was still on the power play when Purcell blasted a shot past Indiana goaltender Cody Reichard from the top of the left wing circle.

At 12:36, Steffes extended the Rider lead to 5-3 when he buried his second power play goal of the game from the doorstep.

Down by a pair, the Ice pulled Reichard for an extra attacker with better than two minutes remaining, but that gamble backfired when Purcell scored an empty net goal to make it 6-3 with just over a minute left on the clock.

A string of penalties in the final minute resulted in a late two man advantage for the Riders, an opportunity Cedar Rapids converted with just 17 seconds left in the game as Ray Kaunisto drove a rebound home after Reichard stopped a Steffes hat trick bid.

The Riders began the game nearly as well as they finished it.

Nik Sellers opened the scoring 4:53 into the game by finishing off a Purcell centering pass.

Indiana's Justin Milo chipped a rebound past Rider netminder Al Stalock (25 saves) to tie the game at 9:26 of the first, but that goal proved to be no more than a temporary setback for the Riders.

The Riders retook the lead with Steffes' close range power play goal at 13:14 of the first.

In the final minute of the first, another power play goal enabled the Riders to take a 3-1 lead into the intermission as Chad Costello scored in a goalmouth scramble.

The Ice narrowed the gap to 3-2 at 1:56 of the second when Ryan Peckskamp scored what would prove to be the only goal of the period.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2005


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