The Waterloo Black Hawks overcame a three-goal third period deficit to scratch out a 4-3 shootout win against the Sioux City Musketeers at Tyson Events Center Saturday.
The Hawks have now won three-in-a-row. Saturday's win followed up a 4-2 home victory against Sioux City. Waterloo also remained perfect in overtime this season, improving to 5-0 in games settled after 60 minutes.
The visitors needed an early third period goal to spur the comeback, and Myles Hilman provided it. At 1:20, Gennadi Chaly fired a shot to the net. Hilman was a step from the edge of the crease, where he tipped the puck, making it arc up and over goalie Croix Kochendorfer.
Then the big netminder could not get down fast enough to deny a power play opportunity at 10:45. Caden Brown ripped it through traffic and between Kochendorfer's pads. The goal was Brown's second of the weekend and fifth point in four games since joining the Hawks.
Oliver Flynn finished the comeback with 3:25 to go. The puck came to him between the circles, and Flynn's wrister made it just inside the post to the stick side.
The Hawks were called for too many men on the ice in overtime but persevered thanks to Jack Spicer, who totaled four saves in the five-minute frame and 23 for the game.
Spicer also stopped four of five shootout attempts. Sioux City's Tomi Leppanen netted a shot in the third round after Gavin O'Connell had slipped in a low chance for Waterloo in the top of the frame.
Aaron Pionk's attempt proved to be decisive when he hit the top corner with a fifth-round wrister. Spicer made that conversion stand up by denying Dylan Godbout.
The Musketeers' first period Saturday had been more productive than their entire Friday performance. A goal at 7:02 was the result when Brian Nicholas batted in a rebound out of midair. Max Strand had set up that goal, and at 11:43, Nicholas set up Strand with a pass across the top of the crease to make it 2-0. Sioux City's third score came on a power play at 17:26 when Grant Slukynsky spun a pass into the right circle, leaving Dylan Godbout with an open side.
Waterloo's three-game weekend concludes on the road Sunday when the Black Hawks visit the Tri-City Storm in Kearney, Nebraska at 3:05 p.m.
Waterloo 0 0 3 0 - 4
Sioux City 3 0 0 0 - 3
1st Period-1, Sioux City, Nicholas 2 (Strand), 7:02. 2, Sioux City, Strand 2 (Kopecky, Nicholas), 11:43. 3, Sioux City, Godbout 8 (Poitras, Slukynsky), 17:26 (PP). Penalties-Rinzel Wat (hooking), 8:54; Brown Wat (bench minor-too many men), 16:03; Shahan Sc (boarding), 18:49.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Leppanen Sc (checking from behind, misconduct-checking from behind), 10:03.
3rd Period-4, Waterloo, Hilman 11 (Chaly), 1:20. 5, Waterloo, Brown 2 (Baker, Rinzel), 10:45 (PP). 6, Waterloo, Flynn 3 16:35. Penalties-Zueger Sc (major-tripping, game misconduct-tripping), 8:04.
1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-O'Connell Wat (bench minor-too many men), 0:49.
Shootout - Waterloo 2 (Brown NG, Hilman NG, O'Connell G, Schifsky NG, Pionk G), Sioux City 1 (Brown NG, Conmy NG, Leppanen G, Slukynsky NG, Godbout NG).
Shots on Goal-Waterloo 6-13-21-0-1-41. Sioux City 11-5-6-4-0-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 1 / 3; Sioux City 1 / 3.
Goalies-Waterloo, Spicer 11-4-0-0 (26 shots-23 saves). Sioux City, Kochendorfer 4-3-1-3 (40 shots-37 saves).
A-2,161
