CEDAR RAPIDS - Bruce Springsteen sang about taking one step up and two steps back in the 1980s. Look it up.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Coach/General Mark Carlson, a Springsteen super fan, surely appreciates where this upcoming reference is going, by the way.
Because Daniel Astapovich of the Riders did the opposite of what Bruce sang. He took a step back to take a step up.
The 19-year-old forward played the 2022-23 hockey season in the USHL. That'd be three games with the Madison Capitols and 44 with the Des Moines Buccaneers.
He was let go by Des Moines after that season and relegated to the lower-level North American Hockey League (zero disrespect intended) last season before Cedar Rapids selected him in this past spring's USHL Draft, Phase II. That gave him another opportunity to play in America's top junior league.
"I've definitely had a very unique experience," Astapovich said. "It has benefited me in a lot of ways. I kind of had to get through a tough first year. A lot of tough minutes, tough times. I had to get my confidence back to get back into the league and have a higher role for myself.
"I think that has benefited me. I learned how to work hard and persevere through the tough times. That's a great lesson anyone can learn. I'm just very thankful for the situation I have right now."
Astapovich has three goals and four assists in 13 games so far this season for the RoughRiders. Just as importantly, if not more so, Carlson said he's a great kid and leader.
The Michigan native played last season with the NAHL's Minnesota Wilderness, where had 13 goals and 27 assists in 54 games. He credits Coach Colten St. Clair with helping him re-establish his game and his confidence.
St. Clair recently left the Wilderness to become head coach of the USHL's Omaha Lancers.
"I had heard a lot of great things about him. I took a chance, went there, and it was an amazing decision. He's a great coach, I learned a lot from him," Astapovich said. "They helped me gain a lot of confidence. They re-taught me back from when I was younger that I'm a good player. I'm not just this outside presence. I can be an important leader.
"(Playing there) also helped me a lot on being a leader, to be someone who can be relied upon late in the game. I think that was a really important thing. Just getting my confidence back."
Astapovich has committed to play college hockey at Merrimack.
"There have been a lot of ups and downs, but, gosh. I'm thankful I'm in the position I'm in now," he said. "I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now if I didn't have (what happened)."
The RoughRiders lost twice last weekend to Muskegon at home, 2-1 and 4-2.
Muskegon scored with 8:05 left in the third period to win the first game. Thomas Vandenberg had C.R.'s lone goal.
The Riders rallied from a 2-0 hole in the second game with goals from Kole Hyles and Charles Blanchard. Muskegon scored the go-ahead goal on the power play with 4:41 left, adding an empty netter.
Cedar Rapids is on a 0-4-1 skid and is 4-8-0-1 overall for nine standings points, seventh of eight teams in the USHL's Eastern Conference. The RoughRiders play only once this week, that being at home Saturday night against Madison at 7:05.
The Heartlanders went 2-1 last week, beating Bloomington at home and splitting a pair of road games at Tulsa.
The Bloomington victory was 1-0 Wednesday night. Goaltender Dylan Ferguson made 31 saves for the shutout, with Will Calverley picking up the game's only goal, that coming late in the second period.
Ferguson then got promoted to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League and picked up a win this past Sunday, giving up just two goals. He has played in three National Hockey League games in his pro career.
The Heartlanders also played a pair of 4-2 games against the Tulsa Oilers, winning the first and dropping the second. Gavin Hain, recently sent back from the Iowa Wild, had a goal and two assists in Saturday's game.
Hain also had assists on both of Iowa's goals in Sunday's game.
The Heartlanders are 3-3-1 in their first seven games, their seven standings points four behind leader Toledo in the ECHL's Central Division. They have one game this week, that being Saturday night (6:05 opening faceoff) against Bloomington, the fourth time the the teams will have played already.