USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Hawks Win with Special Teams

January 5, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


The Waterloo Black Hawks netted a pair of power play goals and a shorthanded game-winner Friday during a 4-3 road win against the Lincoln Stars at the Ice Box.

Each team entered the matchup on a three-game upswing. The favorable result gives the Hawks their third four-game winning streak of the 2023/24 season, as well as third place in the United States Hockey League Western Conference.

The scoring started with first period power play goals for each side separated by one minute and 24 seconds. The Hawks had the first one at the six-minute mark. Gavin Lindberg snapped a shot past Yan Shostak from the right circle. Keaton Peters answered on a Lincoln advantage which began moments later. Peters was set up in the slot by Matthew Maltais and notched the equalizer on a low shot.

At 9:04, Lincoln went to the lead. After the Stars dug a puck out of the left corner, Jared Mangan slung a pass to the right circle hashmark, and Blake Montgomery hit the net from there.

Myles Hilman tied it with 1:50 left in the period. Grady Deering did the dirty work on the end wall to set up Hilman from the left circle.

Hilman struck again on a power play at 7:19 of the second. The puck came right to him from the rebound of Connor Brown's shot, and Hilman lifted it into the net from a sharp angle. However, the lead only lasted 23 seconds before German Yavash tied the score by redirecting Adam Kleber's attempt from the right point.

The Hawks were shorthanded for more than seven consecutive minutes at the end of the second and start of the third. The situation resulted from double-minor high sticking penalties, first to Tyler Miller before a slightly overlapping call against Jaedon Kerr. Nonetheless, Waterloo took the lead during that time.

At 2:21 of the third, Reid Morich forced a turnover before his stick was swatted out of his hands. Undaunted, Morich kicked a pass to Deering, who scored Waterloo's seventh shorthanded goal of the season from the top of the crease.

The Hawks did not add to the lead during a five-minute power play of their own as the third period continued. However, Jack Spicer stopped all seven Lincoln shots in the third - and 25 in the game - to pick up the victory.

The season series between the Black Hawks and Stars wraps up on Saturday in Lincoln when the teams meet for a 6:05 p.m. rematch.

Waterloo 2 1 1 - 4

Lincoln 2 1 0 - 3

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Lindberg 10 (Hilman), 6:00 (PP). 2, Lincoln, Peters 11 (Copeland, Maltais), 7:24 (PP). 3, Lincoln, Montgomery 11 (Mangan, Spinale), 9:04. 4, Waterloo, Hilman 7 (Deering, Kerr), 18:10. Penalties-Montgomery Lin (high sticking), 5:24; Fascia Wat (slashing), 7:10.

2nd Period-5, Waterloo, Hilman 8 (Brown), 7:19 (PP). 6, Lincoln, Yavash 5 (Kleber, Maltais), 7:42. Penalties-Mangan Lin (hooking), 3:00; Masa Lin (tripping), 7:09; Yavash Lin (boarding), 13:53; Miller Wat (high sticking dbl minor), 15:30; Kerr Wat (high sticking dbl minor), 19:05.

3rd Period-7, Waterloo, Deering 7 (Morich), 2:21 (SH). Penalties-Maltais Lin (major-head contact, game misconduct), 3:52.

Shots on Goal-Waterloo 15-14-11-40. Lincoln 7-14-7-28.

Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 2 / 5; Lincoln 1 / 3.

Goalies-Waterloo, Spicer 4-6-0-0 (28 shots-25 saves). Lincoln, Shostak 9-9-0-1 (40 shots-36 saves).

Check out the Waterloo Black Hawks Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2024


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