The Lincoln Stars were on the verge of winning Friday's game at least twice, but the Waterloo Black Hawks recovered to claim a 4-3 shootout win at Young Arena.

The Hawks found themselves behind for the first time late in the third period and sent a sixth attacker to the ice with just over two minutes remaining.  An attempt at Waterloo's empty net by Max Ferkodic could have sealed the outcome but hit the side of the net.  Instead, the Hawks tied the game with 33 seconds left when Carson Reed's shot from the left point was redirected under the crossbar by Griffin Erdman, forcing overtime.
 
An eventful extra period included seven combined shots on goal, plus a number of chances that were just off the mark.  Still tied, the game went to a shootout, and Lincoln's Jack Pechar converted a second round chance over Calvin Vachon's left shoulder.  Needing a goal to keep the game alive in the third frame, Teddy Townsend pulled the puck to his backhand at the last moment to slip his chance past Lucas Massie's left skate.

Neither team could score in the fourth round and the Star's Aidan Janz missed the net in the fifth.  Gavin Lindberg lifted the Hawks to a win with the next attempt.  Brining the puck straight in on Massie, the veteran forward snapped a low shot inside the post at the netminder's glove side.

It was just the second shootout in the United States Hockey League this season.  The Hawks have won both of them, also topping the Dubuque Fighting Saints 5-4 in a tie-breaker on September 30th.

Waterloo had recorded the only goal in the first period.  A four-on-four situation had just begun with a faceoff in the Stars zone; Carson Reed moved from the left point to the bottom of the circle, slipping the puck toward the top of the crease.  Jakub Altrichter was coming from the other direction, and redirected the feed across the goal line at 7:46 despite being simultaneously knocked to a knee.

The teams exchanged goals in the second period.  First, the Stars tied the contest with one second remaining on a power play.  At 10:40, Pechar's shot from the right point floated through traffic and inside the opposite post beside Vachon.

The Hawks went back in front on Nick Fascia's first goal for the team.  He was sprung for a breakaway backhander at 15:45.  John Mustard had won control in the neutral zone, slipping a pass to Gavyn Thoreson, and although Thoreson was at a dead stop, he found Fascia steaming up the ice.

Pechar's second power play goal of the game leveled the teams 13:04 into the third.  Shooting from the right circle, Pechar collected his own rebound after a Vachon save, then scored from a sharp angle.

Jared Mangan forced a turnover behind the Waterloo net which gave the Stars their late lead.  With 2:22 to go, Mangan wrenched the puck off the end wall, turning to wrap it inside the post.

However, with 65 minutes of work, 30 official saves, and four shootout stops, Vachon picked up his third consecutive win.  Arguably his most impressive save in regulation came 1:30 into the second period when he snuffed out a breakaway chance by Justin Varner.

The Hawks get another Friday home matchup against the Stars next weekend.  It's the first Family 4-Pack Night of the season with a redesigned, more flexible concession deal.  It's also National American Beer Day, with $4 tallboy cans of many of your favorite domestic beers.  For tickets, call the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680 or visit tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com.

Lincoln 0 1 2 0 - 3
Waterloo 1 1 1 0 - 4

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Altrichter 3 (Reed, Thoreson), 7:46. Penalties-Frost Wat (high sticking dbl minor), 6:56; Maltais Lin (tripping), 7:38; Peters Lin (high sticking), 17:58.

2nd Period-2, Lincoln, Pechar 2 (Mangan, Janviriya), 10:40 (PP). 3, Waterloo, Fascia 1 (Thoreson, Mustard), 15:45. Penalties-Masa Lin (hooking), 3:39; Kesselring Lin (slashing), 7:57; Thoreson Wat (hooking), 8:41.

3rd Period-4, Lincoln, Pechar 3 (Mangan, Janviriya), 13:04 (PP). 5, Lincoln, Mangan 4 (Montgomery), 17:38. 6, Waterloo, Erdman 2 (Fascia), 19:27 (EN). Penalties-Nycz Wat (hooking), 12:25.

1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout - Lincoln 1 (Peters NG, Pechar G, Mangan NG, Ferkodic NG, Janz NG), Waterloo 2 (Mustard NG, Thoreson NG, Townsend G, Altrichter NG, Lindberg G).
Shots on Goal-Lincoln 6-7-14-3-0-30. Waterloo 11-9-10-4-1-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Lincoln 2 / 3; Waterloo 0 / 4.
Goalies-Lincoln, Massie 0-2-0-1 (33 shots-31 saves). Waterloo, Vachon 3-1-0-0 (30 shots-27 saves).
A-2,657