'Riders continue strong finish, topple Team USA

CEDAR RAPIDS - You saw the future of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Friday night, and it's exciting.

Andrew Poturalski and Judd Peterson had goals, and Chris Birdsall was strong in net as the Riders won their penultimate game of the season, 2-1, over USA Hockey's U-17 team before 2,768 fans at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

You could see all three of those guys and a bunch others returning. Cedar Rapids has won five of six down the stretch, which is a nice little springboard into the 2013-14 season.

“We've got a lot of guys coming back,” said Poturalski, whose 12th goal of the season early in the second period turned out to be the game winner. “That's the big thing that Coach (Mark Carlson) said to me, was that we have a lot of good players coming back. We're going to be a good team next year ... I think we're going to be a really strong team.”

Poturalski said he just made his decision to return for one more USHL season before moving on to the University of New Hampshire. Peterson is headed to St. Cloud State, though he doesn't know if it'll be in 2013 or 2014.

He scored on a short-handed breakaway to open the scoring 1:57 into the second period.

“If I go in, that'd be great to play college,” Peterson said. “But if I came back, I wouldn't mind it one bit. I think it'd be great for me coming back down here and getting another year. It'd really help me. I want to be more of an impact type of freshman. Not to say I wouldn't be if I go in (this) year. But chances are better if I stay and have another year under Coach Carlson.”

Birdsall made a huge kick save of a wrap-around attempt in the final couple of minutes to cement his eighth victory. The 16-year-old has held his own despite being the youngest goalie in the USHL.

“It was definitely something new,” he said, adding he'll be back with the Riders next season. “I thought it would be a really big challenge, and it was.”

These teams meet again Saturday night about 7:15.

Here is the official gamesheet: