This week the JuniorHockey.Com USHL Goalie of the Week is Blake Pietila of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. After being defeated 5-2 by the Fighting Saints of Dubuque, the RoughRiders swaped goalies and put Pietila back in net for their game against Youngstown on Saturday. A smart move as Pietila would stop 26 of the 27 shot he faced. This should come as no surprise as Pietila has been a reliable backstop for Cedar Rapids starting six games this season and conceding only two losses. One of those losses was an overtime loss to Fargo in the opening game of the season. He boasts a .933 save percentage and 1.99 GAA.
Blake (18) hails from Howell, Michigan. He is a product of the High Performance Hockey League having played for both Compuware and Little Caesars in his youth. He skated in 32 games last season with the RoughRiders where he finished with a 3.03 GAA and a .903 save percentage. Pietila will be returning to familiar surroundings when he begins play with the Michigan State Spartans in 2019.
*Photo courtesy of Rebecca F. Miller and The Gazette, 2018
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Author: Michael Moore
