Hawks Push Phantoms to OT
USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Hawks Push Phantoms to OT

Published on February 21, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


Jack Hextall scored 55 seconds into overtime to settle a twisting, turning game at Young Arena Friday night, winning it for the Youngstown Phantoms against the Waterloo Black Hawks 6-5.

Hextall was gliding to his left near the top of the circle when he flipped in the decisive goal during the first shift of overtime. He waited long enough after the carry-in from center for traffic to form at the edge of the crease, then was on target for the winning tally.

The goal was Hextall's fourth point of the night (two goals, two assists). Waterloo's Cullen Emery also had two goals and two assists. Emery's second goal had tied the game with 1:23 to go; feeding the puck from the left circle and targeting Salvatore Viviano at the opposite post, the pass hit a defenseman and caromed in. The Hawks were skating six-on-five at the time.

Emery's late goal erased Waterloo's only deficit during regulation. A night earlier, the Hawks had trailed for nearly the entirety of the weekend-opener versus the Phantoms, which finished 3-1.

In just the first 20 minutes during the rematch, Waterloo and Youngstown combined for more offense than they had during all of Friday's contest. The Hawks bagged the opening goal on the rush at 7:32. Ty Mason hit Dylan Nolan with a pass across the slot, and Nolan fired the resulting chance past Owen Lepak.

Just over four minutes later, Mason recorded his first goal of the night. Atte Vikla triggered a shot from the left point, and the Hawk captain tipped it up and in for his 20th goal of the season.

At 12:17, the Phantoms responded when Hextall took away a puck in the Hawks' zone and set up Evan Jardine for a score from the right circle.

The teams then exchanged power play tallies. The Hawks got the first one at 13:37; Viviano was behind the net and fed Mason for a pointblank finish from the top of the crease. Youngstown converted their special teams chance at 17:01 when Cooper Simpson threaded a pass to Hextall across the top of the crease. Hextall put the puck into an open side.

Emery added to the Waterloo lead with the only goal of the second period at 7:29. The teams were skating four-on-four when he moved off the left wing boards and dodged a couple of defenders. Making it to the slot, Emery beat Lepak over the goaltender's shoulder.

However, Youngstown reeled off three straight in the third to turn the multigoal deficit into a late lead. Their comeback started when Jardine hit the net on a power play at 3:32 from almost the same spot as his first goal.

Then, defenseman Matej Teply produced his third goal of the weekend, sending a half-slapshot between the pipes from the top of the right circle at 11:25.

Simpson gave Youngstown the lead at 14:15. With an initial shot apparently headed wide of the net, the Phantoms' leading scorer found the puck and jammed it in when the puck was knocked down near the opposite post.

Saturday's finish was Waterloo's second overtime or shootout loss during the team's current 13-game winless streak.

The Hawks close the weekend on the road Sunday against the Omaha Lancers at 5:05 p.m. The next Waterloo home game is Saturday, February 28th against the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Seats are on sale from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or by calling the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.

Youngstown 2 0 3 1 - 6

Waterloo 3 1 1 0 - 5

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Nolan 8 (Mason, Laliberte), 7:32. 2, Waterloo, Mason 20 (Vikla, Emery), 11:36. 3, Youngstown, Jardine 19 (Hextall), 12:17. 4, Waterloo, Mason 21 (Viviano, Emery), 13:37 (PP). 5, Youngstown, Hextall 16 (Simpson, Murphy), 17:01 (PP). Penalties-Heš Yng (cross checking), 13:04; Mason Wat (slashing), 16:45; Murphy Yng (interference), 18:01.

2nd Period-6, Waterloo, Emery 6 (Vikla), 7:29. Penalties-Žemlička Yng (roughing), 7:07; Carlson Wat (roughing), 7:07; Vikla Wat (high sticking dbl minor), 10:59; Timm Wat (high sticking dbl minor), 20:00.

3rd Period-7, Youngstown, Jardine 20 (Murphy, McKinnon), 3:32 (PP). 8, Youngstown, Teply 6 (Hextall, Murphy), 11:25. 9, Youngstown, Simpson 27 (Whiterabbit, Huston), 14:15. 10, Waterloo, Emery 7 (Vikla, Schneider), 18:37. Penalties-No Penalties

1st OT Period-11, Youngstown, Hextall 17 (McKinnon, Murphy), 0:55. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Youngstown 9-9-16-1-35. Waterloo 13-5-6-0-24.

Power Play Opportunities-Youngstown 2 / 5; Waterloo 1 / 2.

Goalies-Youngstown, Lepak 10-3-0-1 (24 shots-19 saves). Waterloo, Callaway 3-5-1-1 (35 shots-29 saves).

A-2,833

Check out the Waterloo Black Hawks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2026


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