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Waterloo Black Hawks

Waterloo Black Hawks Weekly Preview

November 25, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Three for Thanksgiving Week

The Black Hawks face their third three-game week during the month of November, beginning tomorrow with a road trip to visit the Omaha Lancers. On Thursday and Saturday, the Prairie Farms Cowbell Cup series continues with tilts against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, first at Young Arena, then in Cedar Rapids. This will be the 18th consecutive year that the Hawks have played a Thanksgiving home game. Waterloo last played on Thanksgiving Eve in 2012, falling to the Des Moines Buccaneers, 6-5. The Hawks have traveled to Cedar Rapids after Thanksgiving in each of the four previous years.

Thanksgiving Veterans

Third-year Black Hawks Alec McCrea and John Wiitala are each anticipated to skate in their third Thanksgiving game on Thursday. McCrea was on the ice in 2012 when Zach Stepan's goal touched off the annual Teddy Bear Toss (the Thanksgiving tradition collects plush toys for Toys for Tots and begins with the first Waterloo goal of the night). Last season, Tyler Sheehy assisted on Patrick Russell's Teddy Bear Toss goal. Sheehy also scored during the game and Haydaen Shaw notched an assist. Six players on Waterloo's current roster played in last November's Thanksgiving game.

Hot Goalies

Opposing goaltenders have been better against the Black Hawks than any other team in the USHL. Of the shots Waterloo has put on net with a goalie in the crease, 92.3% have been saved. That percentage is higher than the current individual marks of all but the league's two best netminders (Ben Blacker, Cedar Rapids, 94.1% and Garrett Metcalf, Madison Capitols, 93.5%). During November, the opposition has been even sharper, fending off 93.2% of the Hawks' chances. The last two USHL Goaltenders of the Week appeared against the Black Hawks (Eric Schierhorn, Muskegon Lumberjacks, and Stefanos Lekkas, Sioux Falls Stampede).

Record Book Update

In just 75 regular season appearances, Brandon Montour is tied for 17th in modern Black Hawks history with 62 assists. The defenseman is currently even with Justin Kloos. Montour's total is just two behind Joe Pavelski and Mike Notermann and three short of equaling J.T. Brown and Blake Kessel. Taylor Cammarata is Waterloo's junior-era career leader with 97 assists.

Weekly Recap

The Black Hawks outshot the Muskegon Lumberjacks 42-29 Friday, but the Jacks stopped Waterloo in a 3-0 decision. Eric Schierhorn claimed his third USHL shutout. It was the first time the Hawks have been held without a goal during the 2014/15 season.

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