USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Waterloo Black Hawks Weekly Preview

January 3, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


A Complete Set

This weekend, the Black Hawks travel to Lincoln for the only time during the 2023/24 schedule. Games against the Stars Friday (7:05 p.m.) and Saturday (6:05 p.m.) at the Ice Box will conclude the season series between the clubs. Back in October, Waterloo and Lincoln met at Young Arena on consecutive Fridays. On the 20th of that month, the Hawks needed a six-on-five goal from Griffin Erdman in the final minute of regulation to set up a 4-3 shootout win. One week later, Lincoln scored first, but Calvin Vachon stopped 36 other shots. Five unanswered goals propelled the Hawks to a 5-1 result. The rematch was dominated by special teams: Waterloo was four-for-four on the power play, while the Stars were zero-for-nine.

Producing Pluses

Defenseman Nick Fascia was +6 during three games last week. On Thursday, his +3 night included an assist; Waterloo topped the U.S. National Team Development Program Under 17s 7-4. There were no pluses or minuses Saturday in Dubuque during a game that was scoreless in regulation and overtime, but Fascia was +3 again on Sunday when the Hawks defeated the Fighting Saints 6-2. That performance included his third goal of the season. Only four other players in the league were +6 or better last week (four of them play for the league-leading Fargo Force). Fascia is now +7 this season, tying Carson Reed for the best mark among Hawks defensemen. Fascia has three goals and five assists in 25 games.

Deering Makes Leap

Grady Deering produced his first USHL game-winning goal Sunday. The power play score broke a 2-2 tie during the second period of Waterloo's 6-2 victory. The Des Moines native now has 16 points (six goals, ten assists) and is tied for sixth in team scoring during his first Hawks campaign. Deering has been particularly productive in power play situations, charting three goals and seven assists. The 18-year-old tallied seven of his points (two goals, five assists) in December.

Big Finish in December

The Black Hawks won three games to complete last month's schedule. It is the first time Waterloo has won three times in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day since posting a 3-1-0 mark in that span during 2020. A year earlier, the Hawks were 3-0-0 coming out of the USHL's 2019 Holiday Break.

Recent Games

Myles Hilman had a hat trick and Teddy Townsend broke a 4-4 tie to give Waterloo a 7-4 victory against the U.S. NTDP last Thursday. Then Jack Spicer starred on Saturday and Sunday, stopping 64 of 66 total shots during 1-0 and 6-2 wins against Dubuque. Spicer was named the USHL Goaltender of the Week.

For complete box scores from previous Black Hawks games, visit ushl.com.

Check out the Waterloo Black Hawks Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2024


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