“Brady and Matt are both good young players guys who had solid weekends for us,” said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. “They’ve come in and worked hard to adapt to the USHL and certainly give us a lot to look forward to the rest of the season.”

Hjelle, 17, allowed just three goals while making 60 saves as the RoughRiders last weekend started the 2007-08 season with a pair of wins. Hjelle stopped 35 shots last Friday in his USHL debut- a 7-2 win over the Chicago Steel in Bensenville, Illinois. One night later in the Riders’ home opener, he made 25 saves in a 3-1 victory over the Indiana Ice. The International Falls, Minnesota, native has yet to surrender an even strength goal.

On the back of his opening weekend efforts, Hjelle has taken the early league lead in goals against average (1.5) and save percentage (.952). He is also one of just two USHL goaltenders to have already notched two wins.

Hjelle, who played for International Falls High School last season, was selected by the Riders in the ninth round of the 2006 USHL Futures Draft with the one hundredth choice. He will play college hockey at Minnesota-Duluth.

Donovan, also 17, scored two goals and picked up one assist last weekend. Donovan scored the Riders’ first goal of the season and assisted on the second in last Friday’s win over the Steel. The Edmond, Oklahoma, finished the evening with a game-high plus/minus rating of +3. One night later, in the Riders’ defeat of the Ice, Donovan scored a key insurance goal on the power play. After two games Donovan leads USHL defensemen and is tied for third overall in both points (3) and plus/minus (+3). The RoughRiders picked Donovan in the first round of May’s United States Hockey League draft with the tenth overall selection. The Denver recruit played midget hockey for the Dallas Junior Stars last season.

The RoughRiders, who are one of three USHL teams who finished the season’s opening weekend with 2-0-0 records, will head to Green Bay to take on the Gamblers this Friday night at 7:05. The Riders are next in action on home ice when they meet the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday evening, October 20 at 7:05.

Tickets for all RoughRiders regular season games- including the October 20 tilt- are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM Monday through Friday and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office or over the phone at (319) 261-4625. Tickets are also available on line at www.roughridershockey.com. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game days.