The Communique

Issue date: 11/10/05 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Cam Williams The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders return several key players from last season´s championship team.

It's not often that Cedar Rapids can boast of something with championship quality that includes cowbells and a pair of sumo-wrestling chickens.

However, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are the defending Clark Cup champions. They concluded the 2004-05 United States Hockey League 60-game regular season with 42 wins and a victory over the Sioux City Musketeers in the playoff finals.

The 2005-06 RoughRiders return plenty of talent from last year's championship team. Including Forward Phil Axtell, who stands 6'5 and weighs 240 pounds. Goalie Alex Stalock and Forwards Ted Purcell and Chad Costello are tied for the team lead in assists with nine each through nine games. Team captain Jordan Pietrus provides steady leadership and experience.

The RoughRiders' experience and resolve were put to the test in a game against the upstart Des Moines Buccaneers on Oct. 29 at home. After finishing last in the league the year before, the Bucs stood in second place before the game.

At the outset of the contest, the teams' offensive strategies became clear. The Bucs utilized their sure puckhandlers to attack with organized numbers and send in crosses from the flanks. The RoughRiders, meanwhile, used quick counterattacks in order to exploit their superior speed and power in one-on-one situations with Bucs defenders.

The RoughRiders' defense was caught napping when Ben Ryan was left unmarked in front of the net to slot home a centering pass from Colin Vock to give Des Moines the early lead.

The RoughRiders did not hang their heads, though. Cheered on by the crowd's cowbells, the RoughRiders peppered the Bucs' goal with shots. The pressure came to fruition after 11 minutes when forward Aaron Bendickson wristed home a goal after the puck came loose to him off of a deflection.

The RoughRiders continued to hassle Bucs goalie Troy Davenport early in the second period, thanks to power play opportunities. The Bucs were the next team to strike, however, as John Vadnais fired in another centering pass that Stalock could do little to stop.

The RoughRiders became focused and tied the score 2-2 five minutes later. Purcell found Axtell open from behind the Bucs' net and Axtell slotted in a backhand wrister. This marked the sixth straight game in which Axtell had scored, a new RoughRiders team record.

The RoughRiders were once again peppering the Bucs' goal on a power play when the Bucs launched a sudden counter-attack up the middle. This caught the defense off-guard and gave the Bucs a 3-2 lead.

The RoughRiders tied the score 3-3 with 5:29 left in the third period. They capitalized on a five-on-three power play when David Strathman tucked in a nice cross-crease pass from Costello. The Bucs came back with counter-attacking pressure; it took some heroic saves from Stalock to keep the score even for most of the period.

The RoughRiders pulled Stalock for an extra attacker with a minute remaining but could not pull out another goal and Des Moines celebrated a valuable 4-3 victory.

"You have to play hard, smart and together and we couldn't get all three together," said RoughRiders coach Mark Carlson. "They'll learn from this."

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