Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Kevin Wehrs has been named United States Hockey League Defensive Player of the Week.

Wehrs, 18, scored two goals and totaled six points as the Riders won three straight games last week. Wehrs scored one goal and picked up two assists last Tuesday in a 7-4 win over the Chicago Steel in Bensenville, Illinois. Last Friday night Wehrs scored the game winning goal with 1:20 left in the third period as the Riders defeated the Steel 4-3 at home. Wehrs added two assists one night later in a 6-5 shootout win over the Sioux City Musketeers.

“Kevin has done a very good job for us,” said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. “He’s made some big contributions offensively and he’s also been strong defensively.”

Wehrs, who has played in each of the Riders’ 31 games this season, is tied for third among USHL defensemen in assists (19), ranks fourth among blue liners in points (26) and is tied for sixth in goals (7). The Minnesota recruit has posted a plus/minus rating of +10.

Wehrs has already topped his offensive totals for all of last season. The, Plymouth, Minnesota, native scored five goals and notched 22 points in 2005-06. Wehrs is the only holdover from the RoughRiders’ 2004-05 Clark Cup-winning team. He played four regular season games and two playoff games after joining the team in March of that season. He was selected by the RoughRiders in the third round of August, 2004 USHL Futures Draft with the thirtieth overall choice.

Wehrs and the RoughRiders (20-10-1, 41 points) are tied for first place in the USHL’s East Division. The Riders return to action with a pair of home games this weekend. The Riders host the Tri-City Storm Friday night and the Green Bay Gamblers Saturday evening. Both games face off at 7:05PM.

Tickets for all remaining RoughRider regular season home games- including this weekend’s- are now on sale. Tickets are available for purchase in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game days.