The RoughRiders had been skating along, winning 9 of their last 11 games and moving up the USHL standings. Sooner or later, the other puck was going to drop.

And it dropped Friday, in a 4-3 shootout loss to Eastern Conference leader Indiana played before a crowd of 2,143 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Indiana scored twice in the final 6-1/2 minutes of the game, the second with 1:07 to play, to forge a tie that sent the game to overtime.

"They are a good team," RoughRider forward Judd Peterson said. "When we were up 3-1, it was definitely a good feeling. They got that late one, and it hurt us. You never want to give up a goal in the last two minutes of any period."

Indiana (25-7-6, 56 points) got a power play goal with 6:30 left in the third period. Aidan Muir flipped the puck over RoughRider goalie Chris Birdsall, re-directing a shot by Ryan Mantha near the blue line.

"Our team played well," Birdsall said. "We got a couple bounces, they got a couple bounces. ... It just wasn't in our favor tonight."

Cedar Rapids (23-15-2, 48) was trying to run down the clock in the final minutes when Indiana pulled its goalie.

It paid off. Scott Conway scored the game-tying goal off passes from Sam Kurker and Ryan Mantha with 1:07 left in the game.

"I thought we played really well in the third period," RoughRider Coach Mark Carlson said. "One got tipped there, and they scored with an extra man."

In the 5-minute overtime, Peterson got a penalty shot with 47.5 seconds left, but Ice goalie Jason Pawloski made the glove save to force the shootout.

"I tried to get him down so I could go upstairs, but he made a good save," Peterson said. "There was nothing I could do about it."

The shootout didn't last long. Dennis Smimov beat Birdsall in the 5-hole.

The only two RoughRider shooters -- Dylan Steman and Charlie Curti -- both had the puck bounce off the pads of Pawloski.

Pawloski had 29 saves on the game, and earned his 20th win Friday.

After the second Indiana shot clanged off the post, Dwyer Tschantz hit in the game-winner against Birdsall. Cedar Rapids fell to 4-2 in games decided by shootout  this season.

"They had a couple good plays," Birdsall said. "But we had a couple good chances, too."

The last two times the Ice and RoughRiders faced off, Cedar Rapids won by shootout, and won in overtime.

Friday marked the last time the two Eastern Conference rivals would face off until the postseason.

"We're not going to win 60 games in a 60-game season," Carlson said. "We did tons of good things. Simple."

Cedar Rapids has been sharp of late, having won four in a row coming into Friday, and 9 of its last 11 games overall.

"I think we're improving," Carlson said. "That's what the season is for."

Prior to that 9-2 run, the RoughRider had gone 2-9 in their previous 11 games.

"I just think everyone is coming together," Peterson said. "Everyone is buying into the system and working for the same goal.

"Make the playoffs. That's what everyone wants to do."

Birdsall echoed those thoughts.

"I think a lot of guys on the team have been jelling pretty well," Birdsall said. "We're hanging out more, getting a connection on and off the ice.

"We've got to stay focused. Keep playing hard until the end of the season so we can make the playoffs."

The calendar is getting tighter. There are 21 games left, including two more this weekend. The RoughRiders have a long bus ride Saturday to Green Bay (19-5-5, 43), and then play Sunday at Chicago (19-18-3, 41).

Cedar Rapids next plays at home on Feb. 15 against Dubuque (25-11-1, 51) after a Valentines trip to Western Conerence leader Waterloo (32-5-1, 65).

"It going to be a good weekend for us," Birdsall said. "We'll worry about tomorrow's game and forget about tonight."

Indiana            1  0  2  0  1 - 4
Cedar Rapids     1  1  1  0  0 - 3

Period 1
CR - Nathan Widman (short-handed) (Dylan McLaughlin) 3:09.
Ind - Patrick Newell (power play) (Sam Kurker, Jason Salvaggio) 19:58.

Period 2
CR - Alec Marsh (power play) (Mark Auk) 18:42.

Period 3
CR - Dylan McLaughlin (Alec Marsh, Jason Kalinowski) 3:16.
Ind - Aidan Muir (power play) (Ryan Mantha) 13:30.
Ind - Scott Conway (extra attacker) (Sam Kurker, Ryan Mantha) 18:53.