The Waterloo Black Hawks scored three times in the last one minute and 40 seconds on Saturday at Fox Valley Ice Arena, turning a two-goal deficit into a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Steel.
Trailing 4-1 going to the third, Waterloo did not allow the league's highest scoring team to put a shot on net during the final frame. The Hawks had 21 shots over the last 20 minutes and a whopping 48-15 edge in the final count.
It was the fourth time this season that Waterloo has rallied to win after facing a multigoal deficit at the second intermission.
Sam Rinzel started the comeback at 12:17 of the third period when Grayson Badger forced a turnover in the left circle. Rinzel moved in to snap a low shot inside the opposite post past Christian Manz.
The 4-2 count held, and Waterloo lifted goaltender Jack Spicer with four minutes remaining. The Hawks were still skating six-on-five with 1:40 left when Gavin Lindberg came from behind the Steel net to set up Garrett Schifsky at the top of the crease for a bang-bang score.
A prime opportunity to tie the game missed the net by inches in the following shift; Gennadi Chaly's deflected shot from the right point turned toward Griffin Erdman's at the left edge of the crease. Erdman redirected the puck through Manz's pads but just wide off the opposite post.
Undeterred by the near miss, the Hawks eventually did get the equalizer with 31.8 left. Waterloo's second extra attacker goal came when Sam Rinzel unloaded an attempt from the deep slot, and Lindberg tipped it in.
Not satisfied to play for overtime, Waterloo's only lead of the night came as the result of a barrage on their final trip up the ice. Owen Baker chased down a puck in the offensive zone, letting go of a sharp-angled backhander. That created a rebound for Erdman in the right circle. Manz knocked down his try, but Myles Hilman was there to pounce at the top of the crease with 12.2 seconds to go.
The result moves Waterloo's winning streak to seven straight, matching a seven-game run in November. While that earlier sequence came entirely on home ice, four wins within the current streak have been earned on the road.
The Hawks had held Chicago to seven first period shots, but the Steel were still ahead 2-0 at the first intermission. Mack Celebrini opened the scoring during a power play at 9:12. Receiving a pass out of the opposite corner, he stepped quickly to the slot before lifting his chance under the crossbar. Less than two minutes later, Chicago doubled their lead when Michael Emerson banged in an attempt to cap a two-on-one rush.
The score was unchanged until shortly after the midpoint of the second. After a successful penalty kill, a Waterloo shot in transition missed the net, but Gavin O'Connell pulled the puck off the right boards and into the slot for Caden Brown. A low shot from between the circles beat Manz inside the post, extending Brown's point streak to eight-in-a-row.
The Steel responded with two quick goals. The team's were skating four-on-four when Christopher Delaney cut to the net to set up Charlie Major with an open side at 12:08. Then at 14:51, Jayden Perron swiped the puck and fed Quinn Finley to slip in a backhander.
On the way home from Chicago, the Black Hawks will catch the Dubuque Fighting Saints Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. matchup at Mystique Ice Center.
Waterloo 0 1 4 - 5
Chicago 2 2 0 - 4
1st Period-1, Chicago, Celebrini 19 (Moldenhauer, Finley), 9:12 (PP). 2, Chicago, Emerson 20 (Harvey, Moldenhauer), 11:02. Penalties-Brisson Chi (high sticking), 3:42; Robertson Wat (tripping), 7:23; Dowd Chi (interference), 19:09.
2nd Period-3, Waterloo, Brown 5 (Erdman), 10:53. 4, Chicago, Major 5 (Delaney, Dowd), 12:08. 5, Chicago, Finley 11 (Perron), 14:51. Penalties-Erdman Wat (slashing), 8:35; Matikka Wat (roughing), 11:32; Eperjesi Chi (roughing), 11:32.
3rd Period-6, Waterloo, Rinzel 4 (Pionk), 12:17. 7, Waterloo, Schifsky 13 (Lindberg, Matikka), 18:20. 8, Waterloo, Lindberg 8 (Rinzel, Matikka), 19:28. 9, Waterloo, Hilman 13 (Erdman, Baker), 19:47. Penalties-Hady Chi (roughing), 4:17; Geary Wat (roughing), 8:02; Brisson Chi (roughing), 8:02.
Shots on Goal-Waterloo 13-14-21-48. Chicago 7-8-0-15.
Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 0 / 3; Chicago 1 / 2.
Goalies-Waterloo, Spicer 15-4-0-0 (15 shots-11 saves). Chicago, Manz 11-6-1-1 (48 shots-43 saves).
A-1,552
Referees-Hunter Mottinger.
Linesmen-Michael Ifkovits, Matthew Bleck.
