Friday's box score
KEARNEY, Neb. – Daniel Astapovich's first career hat trick led the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to a 6-2 win over the Tri-City Storm on Friday night at Viaero Center.
Each of Astapovich's tallies came on the power play. The RoughRiders produced four total power play goals in the game.
Cedar Rapids (23-24-5, 51 pts) snapped a five-game road winless streak. Tri-City (25-24-4, 54 pts) is now 10-15-2 on home ice this season.
Friday was the Storm's annual Concrete Cares/Paint the Ice Game presented by Kearney Concrete. Tri-City wore special jerseys to honor children and families battling cancer. Those jerseys were auctioned off live on the ice after the game with proceeds benefiting Concrete Cares' mission to improve the well-being of individuals who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
The Storm welcomed all those who have been affected by cancer to paint the Viaero Center ice on Thursday night. Participants wrote a loved one's name or inspiring message that stayed on the ice for Friday's game. Cedar Rapids players, coaches, and staff also took part.
The RoughRiders were first to find the scoreboard. Just over two minutes into the opening frame, Kole Hyles collected his seventh goal of the season after ripping a snapshot from the very high slot through traffic past Storm goaltender Michal Pradel. Hyles retrieved the puck after initially losing it in the left wing circle during an offensive rush.
Cedar Rapids doubled its lead during a two-man advantage with just over a minute remaining in the first. Tri-City's Attila Lippai and Nolan Roed were simultaneously serving minor penalties. After a Martin Masa shot from the Tri-City slot slammed the end boards, the puck bounced to an open Astapovich, who was positioned on the left side of the Storm crease. Astapovich immediately sent the puck past Pradel.
The RoughRider lead grew to 3-0 at the 8:35 mark of the second. Chance Burlison used his backhand to quickly shuffle a rebound around Pradel after Tri-City's goaltender failed to hold a Joseph Mense shot from the right point to his chest.
Cedar Rapids added with just under five to go in the middle frame. As Tri-City's Carmelo Crandell served a minor penalty for goaltender interference, Masa fed Astapovich, who blasted a one-timer from the left wing faceoff dot through Pradel's five hole.
Tri-City found the scoreboard with 27 seconds left in the second. Cam Springer acquired the puck near the left wing boards of Cedar Rapids' zone, then quickly fed Nolan Roed in the left corner. Roed briefly strode the goal line toward the RoughRider net, then impressively tucked a quick shot through Reyelts for his team-leading 26th goal of the season.
Astapovich completed his hat trick 10:45 into the third. After Tri-City failed to clear on their goal line, the puck conveniently bounced to the Merrimack commit, who quickly blasted a shot around Pradel from the left side of the Storm crease.
Hans-Martin Ulvebne contributed Cedar Rapids' sixth goal with just over five minutes left in the third. Ulvebne slid a rebound past Pradel after Tri-City's netminder used his pads to stop a Thomas Vandenberg shot from the right wing circle.
Tri-City had the last say with a shorthanded two-on-one tally in the final five minutes. As the Storm killed a Rhys Wallin high sticking minor, Artemi Nizameyev grabbed possession of the puck and raced down the right wing into the RoughRider zone. Nizameyev sent a crisp pass to Crandell, who was open on the backdoor just off the left side of the Cedar Rapids crease. Crandell quickly shipped the puck past Reyelts for his 13th tally of the campaign.
Reyelts played in his league-leading 40th game of the season Friday and improved to 18-16-4 on the year. The Lindenwood commit stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced. Pradel, who suffered his second loss in nine appearances with Tri-City, halted 27 of 33 Cedar Rapids shots.
The teams split this year's season series. Tri-City beat Cedar Rapids 4-1 on Saturday, September 28 at ImOn Ice Arena.
Up next: Tri-City faces Youngstown in a two-game set on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 inside Viaero Center.
Another FunZone Friday takes place next week. Pizza Ranch is the presenting sponsor of FunZone Friday. Kid's tickets are $5.00 with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket at all remaining Friday home games this season. The first 50 kid's tickets purchased at the box office for a Friday Storm home game will receive a FunZone Arcade bounce back card, good for $5.00 worth of gameplay. The FunZone Arcade is located inside of Pizza Ranch in Kearney.
Saturday, March 22, the Storm will host Epilepsy Awareness Night presented by The Epilepsy Foundation - Great Plains Region. The foundation's mission is to improve the lives of people with the disease through education, advocacy, research, and connection. Storm players and Stormy will wear special Epilepsy-themed uniforms that will be auctioned off live on the ice after the game. Proceeds will benefit The Epilepsy Foundation - Great Plains Region.
March 22 is also Non-Profit Night at Viaero Center. Numerous local non-profits will be in attendance to inform fans of their purpose and how to get involved.
To purchase tickets, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person. FunZone Friday tickets are only available in-person at the box office.
