Eight for Effort in Game One

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USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Eight for Effort in Game One

May 9, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Teddy Townsend produced a hat trick, and Reid Morich added four points Friday during the Waterloo Black Hawks' 8-5 Game One win against the Muskegon Lumberjacks during the Clark Cup Final.

The Young Arena crowd of 2,956 was happy to fling their caps to the ice as Townsend completed the feat before the midpoint of regulation. However, anxiety set in as the Lumberjacks whittled the Hawks four-goal margin back to one later in the second period. Eventually Morich helped put the game out of reach with a pair of third period scores.

The win during the opening game in the best-of-five series gives Waterloo seven consecutive home ice victories, setting a new team playoff record.

The only hiccup in the first period came before the first whistle of the game. At 1:29, Jack Christ was backpedaling behind the Waterloo net, and from there dropped a pass to Finn McLaughlin. The Muskegon defenseman hit the net from near the left dot.

It only took Waterloo nine seconds to turn the tide. After a Hawks faceoff win, Ty Mason stepped into the offensive zone and scored on a long, low shot from the right side.

The Hawks seized the lead with two more goals - scored just 22 seconds apart - in the mid-stages of the period. Townsend had the first one, cutting across the slot to his left and shooting back to his right for a go-ahead tally at 9:04. In the next shift, Sam Huck added to the lead at 9:26, capitalizing when Nick Kosiba nudged the puck his way.

Townsend produced his second of the period at 16:43. In transition, Reid Morich put the puck on Townsend's stick with a pass across the slot; Townsend stickhandled Stephen Peck down before sliding in a low attempt.

At 8:33 of the second, Townsend completed his hat trick. Following an offensive zone faceoff win, Townsend fired a chance that was stopped, then collected his own rebound to make it a 5-1 game. Just nine days earlier, Townsend recorded a hat trick against the Lincoln Stars. Friday's outburst makes him the only junior-era Black Hawk to ever have a pair of three-goal nights during the playoffs.

Nonetheless, Muskegon drew back within one before intermission. Vaclav Nestrasil started the rally from the edge of the crease at 11:59. Then the Lumberjacks added two more in the last three minutes before intermission. McLaughlin notched his second of the night on a shot through a screen from the high slot at 17:14. Just over a minute later, Ivan Ryabkin and goalie Carter Casey ended up in the net together; a video review awarded the goal to Ryabkin, reversing the call on the ice.

Morich gave Waterloo some crucial breathing room just 1:11 into the third. This time it was Townsend on the setup; Morich received his pass at speed near the top of the crease, yet still was able to stickhandle and push the puck in along the ice.

Less than five minutes remained when Grady Deering added the only special teams goal of the night. Nine seconds into the advantage at 15:14, Deering chipped in the rebound of Dylan Compton's one-timer.

Each team then scored one with the Muskegon net empty. At 16:25, the Lumberjacks were skating six-on-five when Chase Stefanek banged in an opportunity from the top of the crease. However, Morich answered into Muskegon's open net with 49.7 to go, sealing the win.

Game Two between the Black Hawks and Lumberjacks is on Saturday. Good seats still remain for the rematch, starting at $19, available from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or by calling the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.

Muskegon 1 3 1 - 5

Waterloo 4 1 3 - 8

1st Period-1, Muskegon, McLaughlin 1 (Christ, Galanek), 1:29. 2, Waterloo, Mason 1 (Compton, Bogas), 1:38. 3, Waterloo, Townsend 7 (Morich, Phelan), 9:04. 4, Waterloo, Huck 1 (Kosiba, Bogas), 9:26. 5, Waterloo, Townsend 8 (Morich), 16:43. Penalties-Ramos Wat (head contact), 12:04; Stefanek Mus (slashing), 13:27.

2nd Period-6, Waterloo, Townsend 9 (Jette), 8:33. 7, Muskegon, Nestrasil 5 (Galanek, Klee), 11:59. 8, Muskegon, McLaughlin 2 (Spitznagel, Stefanek), 17:14. 9, Muskegon, Ryabkin 6 (Lawrence), 18:36. Penalties-No Penalties

3rd Period-10, Waterloo, Morich 4 (Townsend, Peddle), 1:11. 11, Waterloo, Deering 4 (Compton, McMorrow), 15:14 (PP). 12, Muskegon, Stefanek 4 (Lawrence, Klaers), 16:25. 13, Waterloo, Morich 5 (Deering, Jette), 19:10 (EN). Penalties-Klee Mus (high sticking), 15:05.

Shots on Goal-Muskegon 10-12-14-36. Waterloo 13-14-7-34.

Power Play Opportunities-Muskegon 0 / 1; Waterloo 1 / 2.

Goalies-Muskegon, Gadzhiev (4 shots-1 saves); Peck (29 shots-25 saves). Waterloo, Casey (36 shots-31 saves).

A-2,956

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