The Tri-City Storm recovered from a second intermission deficit to defeat the Waterloo Black Hawks 4-3 Saturday in Kearney, Nebraska, at Viaero Center.
The Hawks' night included a pair of four-on-four goals. Waterloo has now outscored opponents 5-0 this season in four-on-four situations. However, the Hawks did not score a five-on-five goal during the weekend. Waterloo had dropped a 6-2 decision Friday.
With the Hawks leading 2-1 going to the final period in Saturday's rematch, A.J. LaCroix tied the game at 4:42, scoring from close range after the Storm forced a turnover deep in the Waterloo zone.
The visitors went back ahead on Jacob Delaney's second goal of the game at 9:40. His power play blast from the left point made it through traffic and past Ivan Zhigalov.
Tri-City answered on a power play less than three minutes later. Jake Rozzi's tip on a rising shot by Trevor Connelly was ruled to have been legal following a lengthy review.
The Storm took the lead in the final special teams sequence of the game when Ryan Smith wrenched a puck free during a Hawks power play, scoring an unassisted shorthanded goal with 4:41 remaining. Waterloo could not level the count while skating with a sixth attacker during the final two minutes.
The Hawks outshot Tri-City in every period, finishing with a 33-25 shots advantage.
In the first period, Waterloo had survived 73 seconds spent two-men shorthanded, but Tri-City scored just after the Hawks had come back to full strength. At 12:46, Nolan Roed's pass across the slot found Smith in the left circle; Smith put his attempt under the crossbar.
After two more Tri-City power plays in the second – including another 30 seconds of five-on-three time - it looked like the Hawks would spend the last six minutes of the second period shorthanded. However, an offsetting slashing penalty to Roed changed the trajectory of the minutes before intermission. Skating four-on-four, Delaney blasted a shot toward the net from along the left boards. It was going to go wide, but hit a defensemen and ricocheted right past Zhigalov. After that goal at 15:35, on the ensuing shift, Griffin Erdman sped up right wing and around a defender who fell down. Erdman roofed his shot under the crossbar 28 seconds after Delaney had tied the game.
The Black Hawks are back on home ice for games on Friday and Saturday. Both matchups are part of the Dupaco Cowbell Cup series: the Dubuque Fighting Saints visit to open the weekend, followed by the Des Moines Buccaneers the next night. Seats for each game are available by calling the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680 or visiting
tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com.
Waterloo 0 2 1 - 3
Tri-City 1 0 3 - 4
1st Period-1, Tri-City, Smith 5 (Roed, Lukashevich), 12:46. Penalties-Connelly Tc (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 0:20; Mustard Wat (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 9:54; McInnis Wat (tripping), 10:41.
2nd Period-2, Waterloo, Delaney 3 (Townsend), 15:35. 3, Waterloo, Erdman 4 (Brown), 16:03. Penalties-Connelly Tc (head contact), 4:02; Morich Wat (tripping), 6:20; Thoreson Wat (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 7:50; Smith Tc (too many men), 9:40; Kerr Wat (high sticking dbl minor, holding), 13:54; Roed Tc (slashing), 15:26.
3rd Period-4, Tri-City, Lacroix 2 (Posthumus, Crandell), 4:42. 5, Waterloo, Delaney 4 (Erdman, Mustard), 9:40 (PP). 6, Tri-City, Rozzi 3 (Connelly), 12:08 (PP). 7, Tri-City, Smith 6 15:19 (SH). Penalties-McEwen Tc (interference), 7:57; Fascia Wat (cross checking), 11:23; Briere Tc (hooking), 14:37.
Shots on Goal-Waterloo 11-13-9-33. Tri-City 5-12-8-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 1 / 6; Tri-City 1 / 6.
Goalies-Waterloo, Spicer 1-4-0-0 (25 shots-21 saves). Tri-City, Zhigalov 1-3-1-0 (33 shots-30 saves).
A-1,425
