Former Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Justin Abdelkader, now a junior at Michigan State, has been named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Offensive Player of the Week while former Rider forward Andy Miele, a Miami (Ohio) freshman, has earned CCHA Rookie of the Week honors.
Abdelkader, 21, had a hat trick and an assist in sixth ranked Michigan State’s 6-3 win over Bowling Green last Friday. One night later he picked up another assist in a 4-0 victory over BGSU. The Muskegon, Michigan, native posted a plus/minus rating of +6 for the weekend. On the season Abdelkader (17-18-35) is tied for second on the team in point scoring.
Last year Abdelkader helped the Spartans to the NCAA title, scoring the game winning goal in the national championship game. In his three collegiate seasons Abdelkader has totaled 42 goals and 90 points in 119 games.
In 2004-05, Abdelkader won the United States Hockey League Clark Cup title with the RoughRiders. He finished tied for the team lead in goals (27) and totaled 52 points in what was his only United States Hockey League season.
Abdelkader was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the 2005 National Hockey League draft with the forty-second overall pick. He was drafted earlier than any other RoughRider in team history.
Miele, 19, assisted on the game winning goal last Friday in fourth ranked Miami’s 2-1 win over Ohio State. The following evening he scored one goal and added two assists as the Red Hawks completed the sweep of the Buckeyes with a 4-3 victory.
Since arriving at M.U. in January, Miele has scored six goals and notched 13 points in 12 games. He started the season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel and at the time of his departure led the USHL in goals (30) and points (41). The Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, native spent just over a season with the Riders before being traded to the Steel in November of 2006 in a deal that brought goaltender Richard Bachman (now a standout at Colorado College) to Cedar Rapids. Miele played a total of 65 games in a Rider uniform, scoring 17 goals and recording 42 points.
The RoughRiders (28-17-3, 59 points) are tied for second place in the USHL’s East Division. The Riders return to action with a pair of road games this weekend. The Riders will visit the Omaha Lancers Friday night before travelling to Des Moines to take on the Buccaneers Saturday evening. The Riders next play at home on Friday, March 14 when they welcome the Sioux City Musketeers to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena for a 7:05PM tilt.
Tickets for all remaining RoughRider regular season home games- including the March 14 game- 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.