
Saints Drop Last Matchup of Season with Waterloo
March 21, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (37-16-1-2, 77 pts) fell on Friday 7-3 to the Waterloo Black Hawks (28-15-6-4, 66 pts) to finish their season series.
Just 16 seconds after Gavin Cornforth's second goal of the night to cut Waterloo's lead to 4-3 at 6:12 of the third, a major for head contact was called against Teddy Merrill and the Saints were forced to kill a five-minute penalty. The Hawks scored twice, with Grady Deering completing a hat trick and Brendan McMorrow extending the lead to 6-3.
Cornforth's goal brought the Saints' deficit to one after it had reached three late in the second. Two Waterloo goals in 57 seconds in the final five minutes of the second created that Waterloo advantage.
After just 50 seconds, the Saints stormed back ahead with Michael Barron's 19th of the season on a rebound off the end-glass after Torkel Jennersjö's shot went over the bar and bounced back to the blue paint. Lucas Van Vliet earned his second assist of the night and the Saints crawled back within two after the second period.
Following Deering's first of the night just 53 seconds into the first, Cornforth scored his first of two, a power-play goal to break the Fighting Saints record for career power-play goals. The 17th power-play goal of his career and ninth such goal of the season tied the game up late in the first.
Kaedan Hawkins' sixth goal this season against Dubuque and 19th overall put Waterloo in front early in the second before the two quick goals toward the end of the period.
Liam Beerman made 30 saves in his first regulation loss since Oct. 18 for Dubuque. The Fighting Saints finish the eight-game season series with a 7-1-0-0 record against Waterloo.
The Saints return to play on Saturday in another crucial matchup with the Madison Capitols.
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