The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders continued their strong start to the 2026-27 season, earning three wins to improve to 7-0-0 and continue the best start in team history.
Cedar Rapids opened the stretch with a 5-0 win over the Chicago Steel Friday night at The Stable before heading to Dubuque Saturday, where the RoughRiders erased multiple two-goal deficits to earn a 5-4 comeback victory in a Dupaco Cowbell Cup matchup. The Riders then traveled to Green Bay Tuesday night and came away with a 4-1 win over the Gamblers.
Friday night, Cedar Rapids came out strong and built a 3-0 lead after the first period. Henry Lechner opened the scoring, followed by goals from Carter Ernst and Lucas Siomos, who recorded his first goal of the season.
The Riders carried the 3-0 advantage into the third period before adding two more goals. Lechner scored his second of the night, and Liam Fournier added another to complete the 5-0 win.
Three RoughRiders finished with multi-point performances Friday. Lechner recorded two goals, Noel Ohgren added two assists, and Ernst finished with a goal and an assist.
Joseph Skidmore stopped all 19 shots he faced to earn his third win of the season and his second shutout of the regular season.
Saturday, the Riders battled back from two-goal deficits of 2-0 and 4-2 to complete a 5-4 comeback victory over Dubuque in a Dupaco Cowbell Cup matchup.
Cedar Rapids trailed 2-0 before Jackson Fox put the Riders on the board with a shorthanded goal at the 20:00 mark of the first period.
Caden Ingalls tied the game midway through the second period with his first career USHL goal.
After Dubuque answered with two quick goals to take a 4-2 lead, Fox struck again, this time on the power play, for his second goal of the night to pull Cedar Rapids within one.
The comeback continued early in the third period when Ruben Westerling scored his second goal of the season to tie the game 4-4.
David Bosco then gave the RoughRiders their first lead of the night with his third goal of the season at the 9:00 mark of the third period. The goal proved to be the game-winner as Cedar Rapids held on for the 5-4 Dupaco Cowbell Cup victory.
Skidmore made 25 saves Saturday to earn his fourth win of the season.
The RoughRiders kept rolling Tuesday night in Green Bay, earning a 4-1 victory over the Gamblers. After Green Bay opened the scoring, Westerling answered three minutes later with his third goal of the season to tie the game.
Bosco gave the Riders a 2-1 lead late in the first period with his fourth goal of the season, extending his point streak to five games. Jack Willmert added his first career USHL goal in the second period before Owen McHale scored his first career USHL goal into the empty net to close out the scoring in the 4-1 victory.
Four different RoughRiders scored and seven found the scoresheet in the win. Ernst led the way with two assists for his fifth multi-point game of the season and extended his point streak to five games. Nathan Chorlton added an assist for his 12th point of the season, tying teammate Henry Lechner for the USHL lead.
Ethan Phillips made 32 saves to earn his third win of the season.
The Riders went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill Tuesday, improving to a perfect 19-for-19 on the season. Cedar Rapids is now 7-0-0 overall and 3-0-0 on the road, sitting atop the USHL Eastern Conference with 14 points.
The RoughRiders now return to The Stable for the first two games of a four-game homestand.
Friday, October 9, the Riders take on the Madison Capitols for Fareway Friday before hosting the Omaha Lancers Saturday, October 10, for Signature Saturday.
Get your tickets now at tickets.roughridershockey.com.
