Hawks Claim First Road Win
USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Hawks Claim First Road Win

Published on October 10, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Despite a multigoal first period deficit, the Waterloo Black Hawks recovered to claim a 5-4 victory against the Green Bay Gamblers Friday at the Resch Center.

The contest was Waterloo's first game in a hostile building this season. Dating back to 2024/25, it's the third consecutive head-to-head game between the Hawks and Gamblers which has been won by the team playing away from home.

Waterloo fell behind as Green Bay scored two opening period goals separated by 68 seconds. The first one came on the power play when Gavin Katz flipped in a backhander on the rebound of a shot by Andrew O'Sullivan at 10:55. Just over a minute later, Elliot Gulley capitalized unassisted when a Waterloo defender fell down; that left Gulley one-on-one against JJ Salajko, and the veteran Green Bay forward lifted his shot under the bar.

The comeback was on less than a minute after that. Rio Treharne blasted a shot toward the net from the slot. Joey Slavik's save setup a rebound chance which Ryan Whiterabbit converted for his first USHL goal. The Gambler lead was completely erased at 15:12. Toby Carlson pushed a pass from the extended goal line back to Chase Jette waiting at the hashmark of the right circle. Jette fired his chance past Slavik to the stick side and in off the post.

The second period included four more goals, with three of them scored by the visitors. At 3:25, Ty Mason gave the Black Hawks the lead, stepping through defenders to lift a shot over Slavik's glove. Then at the six-minute mark, the Gamblers were marooned on the ice following an icing call. Waterloo turned it into a goal moments after the faceoff with back-and-forth passing across the slot leaving Travis Lefere with an open side.

At 11:01, Viktor Eriksson made it a 5-2 Hawks lead during a power play. When Waterloo dug the puck out of the right corner, Eriksson was left alone to send a laser off the crossbar and in.

However, Gulley scored his second of the night with 51.2 seconds left before intermission, stepping between defenders before slipping in a backhander.

Green Bay did not score during an early third period power play, but Nick Knutson brought the Gamblers back within a goal at 2:16, squeezing a shot in from the right circle.

Despite power play time for both teams as the period continued, the score was unchanged for the remainder of the night.

Salajko finished with 25 saves for his first Waterloo win, as the Gamblers posted a 29-26 shots advantage.

The Black Hawks and Gamblers meet again on Saturday at 6:05. The instant rematch is also at the Resch Center.

Waterloo 2 3 0 - 5

Green Bay 2 1 1 - 4

1st Period-1, Green Bay, Katz 5 (O'Sullivan, Rozsival), 10:55 (PP). 2, Green Bay, Gulley 1 12:03. 3, Waterloo, Whiterabbit 1 (Treharne, Carlson), 12:49. 4, Waterloo, Jette 2 (Carlson), 15:12. Penalties-Meyer Wat (cross checking), 10:21.

2nd Period-5, Waterloo, Mason 3 (Treharne), 3:25. 6, Waterloo, Lefere 2 (Viviano, Emery), 6:00. 7, Waterloo, Eriksson 3 (Emery, Jette), 11:01 (PP). 8, Green Bay, Gulley 2 (Timm), 19:09. Penalties-Wooten Gb (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 6:44; Phillips Gb (roughing), 9:48; Rieber Wat (holding), 12:30; Pellitteri Wat (slashing), 19:38.

3rd Period-9, Green Bay, Knutson 1 (Timm), 2:16. Penalties-McKinney Gb (major-slew footing, game misconduct-slew footing), 3:47; Vikla Wat (holding), 8:53; Timm Gb (holding), 15:52; Lefere Wat (slashing), 18:25; Phillips Gb (roughing, game ejection-continuing altercation), 18:25.

Shots on Goal-Waterloo 11-7-8-26. Green Bay 7-12-10-29.

Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 1 / 4; Green Bay 1 / 4.

Goalies-Waterloo, Salajko 1-1-0-0 (29 shots-25 saves). Green Bay, Slavick 1-3-0-0 (16 shots-11 saves); Henriquez 1-1-0-1 (10 shots-10 saves).

A-1,312

Check out the Waterloo Black Hawks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2025


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