BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Bloomington Thunder host the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders on Sunday to conclude a three-day, three-game stretch.

Following an overtime setback against the Madison Capitols on Saturday night, the Thunder (23-26-5-3, 54 pts) can still claim half of the possible weekend points with a win against the RoughRiders, the last place team in the USHL.

Also in the midst of a three-game weekend, Cedar Rapids (12-41-3-1, 28 pts) has lost both of its first two games of the weekend by a combined score of 12-3. On Saturday night, the RoughRiders were tied with Waterloo after the first period, but the Black Hawks scored the final five goals of the game, including the last three on special teams, to run away with a 6-1 win.

Sunday afternoon is a Hy-Vee Family Fun Sunday, featuring a $7 ticket special with a Hy-Vee Family Fun Sunday ticket voucher. Fans can print off the voucher at home using this link.

Scouting Cedar Rapids

The RoughRiders have dropped five of their last six games since winning consecutive contests in the middle of March. The lone win during that span came in overtime over Youngstown on March 25.

In last place in the Eastern Conference and the USHL, Cedar Rapids started the season with an 18-game winless streak before finally picking up its first victory on Nov. 26 against Waterloo. The RoughRiders struggles have stemmed from both ends of the ice, as they enter Sunday afternoon’s tilt as the lowest scoring team in the league while yielding the most goals per game.

Cedar Rapids does still not have a player with 25 points and has just three skaters with more than 20 points. After being acquired in the early stages of the season from Chicago, Bobby Hampton leads the RoughRiders with 24 total points this season. In 41 games with Cedar Rapids, Hampton has 11 goals and 11 assists. Zac Robbins (23 points) and Scott Perunovich (21 points) are the only other two RoughRiders with more than 20 points.  

Need to Know

• After Saturday night’s overtime contest against Madison, Bloomington has now played seven games at home this season that have required at least an extra session. Of the Thunder’s last nine home games, five have gone to overtime. Only two of Bloomington’s first 18 home games required overtime.  
   
• With 46 shots on goal on Saturday night, Bloomington has had 40 or more shots on goal in a game on seven occasions this season and is 5-0-1-1 in such games.  

• Cedar Rapids has been out shot by opponents in 38 of its 57 games this season, which included its Saturday night contest against Waterloo. The Black Hawks held a decisive 46-19 edge in shots on goal.

• The RoughRiders have taken part in four games this season decided by six or more goals, which is tied for the most in the league, but has lost all four of those contests. Cedar Rapids is 0-8-0 in games decided by five or more goals.

Series History

Bloomington has the edge in the all-time series with a 9-5-2-0 record, which included a playoff series win last April in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On home ice, the Thunder have a slight advantage with a 4-3-1 record. They have won each of the first two meetings at the Coliseum this season by a convincing 11-1 margin. The Thunder’s 7-0 on Oct. 22 was their largest shutout win in team history.

Players to Watch

Bloomington: Walker Duehr — The Minnesota State Mankato commit had the Thunder’s lone goal on Saturday night. Duehr had a 10-game stretch without a point before joining the Thunder at the trade deadline, but now has six points in his 12 games with the Thunder, with both of his goals in that stretch coming on the power play.

Cedar Rapids: Dalton Messina — The forward has 18 points in 53 games this season and is riding a three-game point streak entering Sunday afternoon with two goals and an assist in that stretch. His longest point streak of the season was four games from Jan. 7-20.

Follow Along
Audio (free): WJBC.com | Live stats: USHL.com

Watch (paid subscription): HockeyTV

Twitter: @BLMThunder | Instagram: blmthunder | Snapchat: BLMThunder

Up Next
The Thunder return home next weekend for the final home games of the regular season. The weekend begins on Thursday with a matchup against Green Bay, and fans will have the chance to enter into a drawing for two season tickets for the 2017-18 season. The drawing for the season tickets will take place on April 8 at the last home game, but fans must be in attendance at the April 6 game to enter the drawing.  

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