Cedar Rapids beat Dubuque Fighting Saints 5:2 in the USHL on Sunday, with the hosts running out comfortable winners at home. The result keeps both sides unbeaten after two games, though the gap between them suddenly looks wider. To be fair, the scoreline tells only part of the story.
Both teams came into this one having won their opening two fixtures, so there was no shortage of tension from the opening whistle. The hosts took control early and never really looked back. And here's the thing — once they found their rhythm, Dubuque struggled to respond.
The visitors had been in fine form, winning 4:3 at Tri-City and then 6:3 against Lincoln before this trip. They carried that momentum into the first period, but Cedar Rapids weathered the storm and turned the game on its head. By then, the momentum had shifted completely.
Both sides remain on zero points in the standings despite their victory records, which says something about the early-season structure. Cedar Rapids sit top after two wins, while Dubuque hold third place with the same tally. The hosts are now unbeaten in five home games, though that's a different metric altogether.
Our prediction had backed the visitors at 45 per cent confidence, and this one didn't go our way. Sometimes the bookies get it right, and sometimes they don't. The wheels came off for Dubuque when they couldn't match the pace, and that's what cost them.
