Hawks Power (Play) to Cup Final

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USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Hawks Power (Play) to Cup Final

May 1, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Power play goals in the first and second period and a 27-save effort by Carter Casey have sent the Waterloo Black Hawks to the Clark Cup Championship series with Thursday's 3-0 win against the Lincoln Stars.

The Game Four win propelled the Hawks past Lincoln, three-games-to-one in the Western Conference Final. Waterloo will move on to the Clark Cup series against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. It's the Hawks' first opportunity to skate for the Cup since falling to the Indiana Ice in 2014.

Playing the late minutes to chants of "M-V-P," Casey turned in 14 third period saves, completing his second consecutive shutout. He had stopped 27 Lincoln shots in Game Three. Casey joins Matt DiGirolamo (2007) and Jared Moe (2018) as the only Waterloo netminders with multiple shutouts during the same postseason.

Kaeden Hawkins scored for the sixth consecutive game, putting Waterloo ahead 16:19 into the first period. Hunter Ramos set him up with a past across the slot, and Hawkins buried a power play one-timer from the right dot. The goal ties him with Muskegon's David Deputy for the postseason lead; both forwards have scored eight times.

On the advantage again at 11:28 of the second period, Hawkins tipped Dylan Compton's half slap shot. Yan Shostak made the save, but Grady Deering pounced on the rebound near the top of the crease.

Deering later added the final goal of the night with just over two minutes to go, scoring into an empty net from near his own blue line.

Waterloo penalty killing was just as critical as the team's power play success. While the Hawks went two-for-five on the advantage, the penalty killers were a perfect five-for-five. Waterloo denied all 12 Lincoln power plays during the series.

Full details related to the Clark Cup Final Series, including ticket information, will be released soon. This will be the seventh time the Black Hawks have played for the USHL's postseason title during Waterloo's junior era. The Hawks are seeking to bring home the championship for the first time since 2004.

Lincoln 0 0 0 - 0

Waterloo 1 1 1 - 3

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Hawkins 8 (Ramos, Compton), 16:19 (PP). Penalties-Deering Wat (cross checking), 10:30; Shlaine Lin (high sticking), 14:31; Anderson Lin (roughing), 17:44; Townsend Wat (holding), 17:44; Weber Lin (slashing), 19:04; Compton Wat (interference), 19:41.

2nd Period-2, Waterloo, Deering 2 (Hawkins, Compton), 11:28 (PP). Penalties-Maltais Lin (hooking), 2:41; Markonidis Lin (high sticking), 4:54; Herrington Lin (cross checking), 8:03; Morich Wat (goalie interference), 8:03; Anderson Lin (cross checking), 9:56.

3rd Period-3, Waterloo, Deering 3 17:57 (EN). Penalties-Jette Wat (slashing), 0:51; Hawkins Wat (head contact), 5:17; Rombach Lin (10-minute misconduct), 20:00; Jette Wat (10-minute misconduct), 20:00.

Shots on Goal-Lincoln 7-6-14-27. Waterloo 14-14-6-34.

Power Play Opportunities-Lincoln 0 / 5; Waterloo 2 / 5.

Goalies-Lincoln, Shostak (33 shots-31 saves). Waterloo, Casey (27 shots-27 saves).

A-2,269

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