DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (18-9-0-0, 36 pts) fell 6-3 to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (11-12-1-1, 24 pts) on home ice to start a home-and-home on Friday night.

Despite scoring first on Friday night, the Saints could not take advantage and allowed five third-period goals in the defeat. Three of those were scored into the Saints' empty net as they pulled Jan Špunar to try and erase a late deficit.

Gavin Cornforth opened the scoring with his 11th goal of the season on a breakaway at 12:41 of the second period, giving the Saints a 1-0 lead and tying Michael Barron for the team lead in goals.

Just 2:52 later, however, Hans-Martin Ulvebne struck to level the game at one and send the game tied into the third period.

After half of the third period was played without a goal, the RoughRiders scored at 10:16 of the final frame to take their first lead. Cedar Rapids entered the night having allowed 17 more goals in the third period than it had scored. On Friday, the RoughRiders scored five in the third, with three empty-netters to take the win.

Late in the frame, Dubuque scored twice with Špunar pulled with each goal preceding another Riders empty-netter. First, Cole Spicer scored his first as a Fighting Saint with 2:11 to play. After Ulvebne's first of two empty-netters, Ritter Coombs logged his fifth of the season with 1:13 left.

Dubuque's comeback fell short as it was outshot 28-20 in the loss and had just five third-period shots.

The Saints and Riders meet again on Saturday to finish the home-and-home series in Cedar Rapids.