April 24, 2024 - 79 Games Today

Gavin O'Connell's Almost-Hat Trick

February 4, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release

The Waterloo Black Hawks flipped a late two-goal deficit into a 4-3 overtime win against the Fargo Force at Young Arena Saturday.

Gavin O'Connell scored twice in the third period to force overtime. His bid for the hat trick and game-winner was turned aside, but Sam Rinzel was right there to finish the contest on the rebound. Several dozen hats came to the ice in response to the bang-bang finish. It was the fifth time Waterloo has won on a night when they trailed after 40 minutes but the first time they have celebrated such a comeback in front of home fans.

The Force led 3-1 with just over six minutes remaining and the Hawks were about to go to a power play. In a delayed penalty situation, O'Connell bulled across the line and between two Fargo defenders. He was falling to the ice as he pulled a wrister inside the post at the right of Anton Castro.

A six-on-five extra attacker faceoff in the offensive zone left to the game-tying score. The puck went to the left wing corner off the draw; when it came free, the Force did not challenge Caden Brown, who had time to set up behind the net. On his wraparound attempt, the puck skidded to the opposite side of the crease, and O'Connell banged it in for his fifth goal during Waterloo's three-game weekend.

Jack Spicer made a pair of stops in the early shifts of overtime, and the extra period was about two minutes old when the Hawks turned O'Connell loose. The second-year forward sped up right wing, gaining a step, and cut across the top of the crease for a backhanded stuff attempt. Castro turned the chance aside, but the Fargo netmidner was flat on the ice after his all-out initial save. Rinzel followed up from the edge of the painted ice to touch off a celebration for 21 Hawks players, as well as 2,800 Waterloo fans outside the glass.

The result keeps the Hawks within four points of Fargo for the USHL Western Conference lead.

The Force had recorded the lone goal of the first period. At 15:17, at deflected pass appeared to disrupt a Fargo rush. However, the puck was left lying flat on the left circle hash mark, and Verner Miettinen snapped a low shot inside the post to make it 1-0.

Miettinen added a power play goal in the second period at the 10-minute mark. He was in the right circle and a pass originating out of the opposite corner found him through traffic. Miettinen was able to flip it in before Spicer could move from right to left.

Waterloo drew back within one with 4:18 left before the second intermission. Jaedon Kerr fed a pass to the top of the crease, where James Hong was waiting to bang it in.

Fargo's second power play conversion came 1:14 out of intermission. This time, it was Miettinen on the setup, slinging a pass to the netmouth for Girts Silkalns to score from close range, making it a 3-1 Force lead.

Spicer turned away the rest of Fargo's shots and the period turned increasingly into the Hawks' favor. Waterloo outshot the Force 20-8 in the third and overtime. That tipped the final count to 37 chances for the Hawks versus 30 for Fargo. Spicer made 27 saves for his 18th victory.

The Hawks are on the road for the next two weekends, starting Friday in Kearney, Nebraska, against the Tri-City Storm.

Fargo 1 1 1 0 - 3

Waterloo 0 1 2 1 - 4

1st Period-1, Fargo, Miettinen 9 (Menghini), 15:17. Penalties-Smolen Fgo (elbowing), 4:12; Brown Wat (holding), 10:01; Schifsky Wat (slashing), 15:44.

2nd Period-2, Fargo, Miettinen 10 (Silkalns, Knuble), 10:00 (PP). 3, Waterloo, Hong 11 (Kerr, Brown), 15:42. Penalties-Stender Fgo (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 3:56; Walos Fgo (cross checking), 3:56; Klee Wat (cross checking), 3:56; Klee Wat (high sticking), 9:39; Scott Fgo (hooking), 17:07.

3rd Period-4, Fargo, Silkalns 5 (Miettinen, Knuble), 1:14 (PP). 5, Waterloo, O'Connell 12 13:51. 6, Waterloo, O'Connell 13 (Brown, Lindberg), 18:53. Penalties-Pionk Wat (hooking), 0:35; Smolen Fgo (hooking), 2:08.

1st OT Period-7, Waterloo, Rinzel 6 (O'Connell), 2:21. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Fargo 12-10-6-2-30. Waterloo 7-11-18-1-37.

Power Play Opportunities-Fargo 2 / 4; Waterloo 0 / 4.

Goalies-Fargo, Castro 11-8-1-1 (37 shots-33 saves). Waterloo, Spicer 18-6-0-0 (30 shots-27 saves).

A-2,803.