
Buccaneers Win Season Finale
April 13, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
The Des Moines Buccaneers scored three times early in the third period, then notched the only shootout conversion to overtake the Waterloo Black Hawks in a 5-4 Saturday decision at Young Arena.
It was the first time the Buccaneers have beaten the Black Hawks in Waterloo since April 3, 2021. The Hawks had won 13 consecutive series home games in the meantime.
Ilya Protas scored on Des Moines' second shootout try, putting his shot past Jack Spicer's stick side. Ethan Dahlmeir benefitted from pucks which escaped from Gavyn Thoreson and Jakub Altrichter. Myles Hilman's bid to extend the shootout in the third round did not make it through Dahlmeir's pads. The Buccaneers' goalie had 31 saves during regulation and overtime, including seven in the extra period.
The Hawks did put a puck past Dahlmeir during extra time, but only a moment after the whistle had sounded. Thoreson appeared to keep a puck alive in the crease and banked it in off a defender with 20 seconds left before the shootout.
Des Moines erased a three-goal second intermission deficit in the first 4:04 of the third period. Garrett Drots scored on a breakaway to start the comeback at 1:42, sprung into the zone by Brittan Alstead. It was an early attempt on Spicer, who had entered the game at the start of the period.
Paul Minnehan squeezed in a chance from a sharp angle below the left dot at 3:14 during a delayed penalty situation. Alstead finished the regulation scoring at 4:04, pulling the puck between his skates to flick in on the short side.
The Hawks had done all the scoring in the first period, starting just 2:05 into the game. Carson Reed gained possession on the left boards, centering for Hilman, who was alone in the slot. The Hawks' captain scored on a low shot past Dahlmeir.
Will Felicio added to the lead at 13:32, jumping into a rush and snapping in a wrister from Grady Deering's cross-ice feed. Hilman produced one more first period goal at 16:55 on a back-and-forth two-on-one rush with Altrichter. Hilman received a return pass to score, from below the left circle.
The Buccaneers broke through with a power play goal at 15:20 of the second. Liam Watkins tipped an initial shot from just outside the crease. Calvin Vachon made the save, but Watkins put back the rebound.
Reid Morich put the Hawks back ahead by three with 20.3 seconds left before intermission. On a rush into the offensive zone, he stickhandled past a sliding defender in the right circle before firing the puck to the top corner.
The Black Hawks will open the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs on Monday with Game One of a first round series against the Lincoln Stars. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. Tickets will be $5 in the Goal, Attack, and Center Zones and $10 on the glass. Seats are on sale immediately from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or beginning at noon on Sunday from the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office.
Des Moines 0 1 3 0 - 5
Waterloo 3 1 0 0 - 4
1st Period-1, Waterloo, Hilman 25 (Reed), 2:05. 2, Waterloo, Felicio 10 (Deering, Erdman), 13:32. 3, Waterloo, Hilman 26 (Altrichter, Erdman), 16:55. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-4, Des Moines, Watkins 23 (Kevan, Engle), 15:20 (PP). 5, Waterloo, Morich 8 19:40. Penalties-Erdman Wat (tripping), 13:46; Nevers Wat (slashing), 16:31.
3rd Period-6, Des Moines, Drotts 8 (Alstead), 1:42. 7, Des Moines, Minnehan 12 (Protas, Gramer), 3:14. 8, Des Moines, Alstead 2 (VanRooyan), 4:04. Penalties-No Penalties.
1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout - Des Moines 1 (Minnehan NG, Protas G, Zlnka NG), Waterloo 0 (Thoreson NG, Altrichter NG, Hilman NG).
Shots on Goal-Des Moines 4-6-6-1-1-18. Waterloo 13-8-7-7-0-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Des Moines 1 / 2; Waterloo 0 / 0.
Goalies-Des Moines, Dahlmeir 21-23-1-1 (35 shots-31 saves). Waterloo, Vachon 22-12-0-0 (10 shots-9 saves); Spicer 13-12-0-2 (7 shots-4 saves).
A-3,034
United States Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2024
- Saints Finish Historic Regular Season on Saturday Night - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Steel Drop Regular Season Finale 4-1 - Chicago Steel
- Playoff Hockey Starts Monday - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Buccaneers Win Season Finale - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stampede Dominates Force - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Stars Drop Regular-Season Finale to Sioux City - Lincoln Stars
- Lancer Cap off the Season with a Three-Game Win Streak - Omaha Lancers
- Storm Completes Regular Season, Sets Sights on Playoffs - Tri-City Storm
- Lumberjacks Clinch 2nd Seed in 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Six Lumberjacks Record Multiple Points In 7-3 Win Over Chicago - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Series Preview - Final Week of Regular Season Sends Jacks to Chicago - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Rewind: Taking a Look Back at Friday Night's Action in the USHL - USHL
- Storm Set for Final Game of Regular Season - Tri-City Storm
- Saints Host Riders to Finish Regular Season - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Phantoms Clinch Home Ice with 5-3 Win Over Team USA - Youngstown Phantoms
- Omaha Starts Weekend with 5-3 Win in Kearney - Omaha Lancers
- Six Lumberjacks Record Multiple Points in 7-3 Win Over Chicago - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Stars Beat Musketeers, Clinch Playoff Berth - Lincoln Stars
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