By WJBC Staff
BLOOMINGTON – Game 3 was a much closer decision than the first two games. The Bloomington Thunder took the opening goal of the game but eventually fell 3-1 on the night to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
Bloomington finished the game strong, outshooting Cedar Rapids 23-12 in the final two periods. The series is now 2-1 in favor of the RoughRiders after the first game from the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Game 4 will be right back at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum Sunday afternoon for the second game of the weekend.
Bloomington’s power play has been monstrous in the first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinal. That monster poked it’s head out in the first period to make it 1-0. Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac University) was able to squeak a shot from the blue line through for his first USHL playoff goal. He continued the trend for the Thunder who are a crazy 6-for-9 in their first round matchup.
Rafferty leads all defensemen in scoring in the USHL with five points in three games while Jake Slaker (St. Lawrence University) earned an assist in the game and continued his league lead with six points. Bloomington also continued on the penalty kill, stopping all three chances for the RoughRiders.
The RoughRiders broke the Thunder a minute later as a shot from the blue line found it’s way through. Mitch Reinke (Michigan Tech University) began his two-point night with his first playoff goal of the season to tie the game. Hayden Lavigne (University of Michigan) stopped 11 shots in the first period and game total of 21.
Outshooting the RoughRiders in the second period 11-to-9, the Thunder put chances onto the net of Ben Blacker (Western Michigan University). A slew of chances just missed for the Thunder and even a Mitchell Mattson (University of North Dakota) shot rang off the crossbar. Blacker would finish the night with 28 saves and the win but also had a decent amount of shots blocked in front of him by the RoughRider defense. The Thunder spend a majority of the game in front of his crease, but could not get the bounces to go their way.
Cal Burke (University of Notre Dame) took the game-winning goal in the period, redirecting a shot from Reinke into the net. Burke has scored in each game for the RoughRiders and leads the team in points with four in the playoffs.
In the third, Bloomington put a game high 12 shots on net to try and tie the RoughRiders. The Thunder came down the ice with less than two minutes into the game with the net pulled and a chance to tie the game. Chances could not find their way through in the final moments of the game. Cedar Rapids ended the game on an empty net goal from Ross Colton (University of Vermont) who scored his first of the series.
The Thunder are back home on Sunday at 3 p.m. for Game 4 against the RoughRiders. Bloomington needs a win to force Game 5 in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday night in order to advance to the Conference Finals. For tickets call (309) 434-2980 or visit our website to order online.
