Steve Michalek makes a save last season for Harvard.

CEDAR RAPIDS – Harvard goaltender Steve Michalek arrived in town Tuesday and has officially joined the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Riders coach/general manager Mark Carlson said.

Michalek, 19, played in 24 games last season as a freshman for Harvard, going 7-7-8 with a 3.19 goals against average. He had not played in a game this season for the Crimson.

“He is taking a year off from Harvard,” Carlson said.

Michalek, from Hartford, Conn., was a sixth-round draft choice of the NHL‘s Minnesota Wild in 2011. He was added to the Riders’ protected list two weeks ago, but it was unknown if he would leave Harvard and play in the USHL.

Goalie Chad Catt has been shifted to the RoughRiders’ affiliate list and will play the rest of the season for Amarillo of the lower-level NAHL. Catt went 5-4-2 with a 3.07 goals against average and .879 save percentage.

Defenseman Sam Wolfe also has been sent to Bismarck of the NAHL. He had three assists in 14 games and a plus-minus rating of plus-three.

The RoughRiders are 7-8-2 and have lost three in a row and seven of nine games. They host the Chicago Steel on Thursday night.