The Waterloo Black Hawks finished January with an 8-1-0 record thanks to Saturday's 5-1 home ice victory against the Sioux City Musketeers.

The Black Hawks won for the 15th time in 20 games at Young Arena this season.  No United States Hockey League club has more home ice victories.  The win also lifted the Hawks five points clear for second place in the USHL Western Conference and to within five points of the league-leading Fargo Force.
 
In the first period, Waterloo scored early and the Musketeers answered late.  Griffin Erdman received a pass in the high slot and quickly slipped it to Gennadi Chaly in the right circle.  The Hawks defenseman beat a screened Croix Kochendorfer from near the right faceoff dot at 4:38.  The Musketeers' response came at 18:15 when Ben Poitras moved to the inside edge of the left circle for an attempt which was redirected in by Sawyer Scholl near the top of the crease.

The Hawks did all the scoring in the second, retaking the lead at 3:39.  David Klee brought the puck across the blue line on right wing and found Zach Bade trailing the play.  Bade whizzed a shot past the net and off the end glass; the puck pinballed back into the crease, catching Kochendorfer and changing direction again, this time across the goal line.

Two late goals build the lead shortly before intermission.  After a faceoff win in the Musketeer zone, Jaedon Kerr tried a shot from the left point.  The rebound landed near the opposite post, leaving Myles Hilman with an open side for his team-leading 15th goal of the year.  The Hawks added to the margin at 18:05, moments into Sioux City's only power play of the night.  Garrett Schifsky shot the draw to the blue line, springing Gavin Lindberg on a shorthanded breakaway.  Lindberg hit an upper corner with a wrister from near the top of the left circle.

Lindberg's goal was a huge setback to Sioux City's comeback hopes.  The rest of the Musketeer power play was turned away, and the visitors were limited to only four shots on goal in the third period.  Waterloo's James Hong added a final tally almost six minutes into the third.  Hong received a pass from Chaly in the high slot and fired his chance over Kochendorfer's shoulder on the stick side.

Jack Spicer made 20 saves and Waterloo outshot Sioux City 39-21.

The Hawks go on the road to meet the Dubuque Fighting Saints Thursday before returning home for Friday and Saturday home games against Fargo next weekend.

Sioux City 1 0 0 - 1
Waterloo 1 3 1 - 5

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Chaly 7 (Erdman, Hilman), 4:38. 2, Sioux City, Scholl 6 (Poitras, Strand), 18:15. Penalties-Strand Sc (slashing), 12:52; Doran Sc (hooking), 19:15.

2nd Period-3, Waterloo, Bade 6 (Klee, Badger), 3:39. 4, Waterloo, Hilman 15 (Kerr, Baker), 17:44. 5, Waterloo, Lindberg 9 (Schifsky), 18:02 (SH). Penalties-Kerr Wat (roughing), 17:56.

3rd Period-6, Waterloo, Hong 10 (Chaly), 5:56. Penalties-Zueger Sc (slashing), 13:31.

Shots on Goal-Sioux City 5-13-3-21. Waterloo 14-15-10-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Sioux City 0 / 1; Waterloo 0 / 3.
Goalies-Sioux City, Kochendorfer 7-5-1-3 (39 shots-34 saves). Waterloo, Spicer 17-5-0-0 (21 shots-20 saves).
A-2,335
Referees-Conor Harrington, David Lilly.
Linesmen-Brent Gawlik, James McQuesten.