USHL Clark Cup Champion Will be Decided Tonight in Decisive Game 5
May 20, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
The Muskegon Lumberjacks and Waterloo Black Hawks are set to play a winner-take-all Game 5 to determine the USHL Clark Cup champion on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. CT at Young Arena in Waterloo, Iowa.
The game will be free to stream at the links below.
Watch on YouTube (Home Broadcast) - https://www.youtube.com/flohockey/streams
Watch on X (Home Broadcast) - https://x.com/FloHockey
Watch on FloHockey Facebook (Home Broadcast) - https://www.facebook.com/FloHockey
Watch on Waterloo Facebook (Home Broadcast)- https://www.facebook.com/WaterlooBlackHawks
Watch on Muskegon Facebook (Away Broadcast) - https://www.facebook.com/MuskegonJacks
*FloHockey subscribers will be able to watch Game 5 as usual on FloHockey.tv or via the FloSports mobile and connected TV apps.
Games 3 and 4 both headed to overtime with Muskegon scoring in double overtime in Game 3 last Friday and Waterloo overcoming a Lumberjacks last-second regulation game-tying goal to win Game 4 in the first overtime on Saturday.
After splitting Games 1 and 2 in Waterloo and Games 3 and 4 in Muskegon, the Lumberjacks eye their first league title in team history while the Black Hawks seek to capture the crown for the first time since 2004 when they defeated the Tri-City Storm at Young Arena. Black Hawks' alum Joe Pavelski assisted on the game-winning goal in the 2004 win.
Through the entirety of the Clark Cup Playoffs, Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev and Carter Casey have positioned their teams for success. Casey has seen more time in net than any other goalie in the playoffs, posting a 10-3-1 (W-L-OTL) record with a 2.45 goals-against average and .921 save percentage after injuries called him into action with just five games left in the regular season. After getting pulled in Game 1 of the Clark Cup Final, Gadzhiev rebounded to enter Game 5 with a 7-0-1 record, 1.94 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.
Offensively, the Lumberjacks are led by leading playoff scorer and 2026 NHL Draft top prospect Tynan Lawrence, who has seven goals and 10 assists through 17 games, though he's been held without a point for the last two games of the series. He's been supported by 2025 NHL Draft prospect Ivan Ryabkin, who is second in playoff scoring with seven goals and nine assists through 17 games. Ryabkin has a point in each game of the final.
Led by Teddy Townsend and Reid Morich, the Black Hawks have largely scored by committee with 17 different goal scorers. If another goal scorer finds the back of the net tonight, it will set a USHL Tier-1 record.
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