Nick Romeo's second goal during Friday's game gave the Dubuque Fighting Saints a 6-5 win against the Waterloo Black Hawks at Young Arena.
It was the Saints' second win at Young Arena in a three-week span, and both by the same count. Romeo wasn't with Dubuque when they last visited on October 28th, but he made the difference Friday. After not scoring during his first four USHL appearances, he broke a 5-5 tie from close range with just 1:05 to go.
Earlier in the matchup, Romeo had completed the Fighting Saints' comeback from a 3-0 deficit. Waterloo had raced to the early lead, thanks to a big first period. Jakub Altrichter and Griffin Erdman scored at 9:04 and 9:24 respectively. It was the first of four instances during the game when two goals were recorded less than a minute apart. Gavin Lindberg added another while the Hawks were shorthanded with just 33 seconds remaining before intermission.
However, the Fighting Saints were still on a power play and had enough time to draw a goal back before the break. Noah Powell did with 2.3 seconds to go before the horn.
That was the beginning of a four-goal Dubuque run as the Saints eventually swung to the lead in the second. Erik Pahlsson scored shorthanded at 2:02, then Romeo tied the game at 10:29, receiving the puck at the edge of the crease and holding on long enough to find a gap for the equalizer. Pahlsson came from behind the net and notched his second from the right circle to give Dubuque their first lead – 4-3 – at 18:19.
Waterloo earned a reversal 33 seconds later. Altrichter's shot missed the net, and Gavyn Thoreson found the carom off the end wall. Thoreson bagged his third assist of the game when John Mustard chopped the puck across the goal line a moment later.
The Hawks went back ahead at 9:02 of the third when a turnover led to a three-on-none look from the Dubuque blue line and Griffin Erdman set up a trailing Carson Reed to make it 5-4 Hawks.
The game's last quick-scoring sequence went the Saints' way when Michael Barron hit the net from between the circles 20 seconds later, creating the 5-5 tie that Romeo broke with 65 seconds left.
Waterloo came up short despite outshooting the visitors 39-28
The Hawks get right back to action on Saturday against another Dupaco Cowbell Cup rival, the Des Moines Buccaneers. The Black Hawks Family 4-Pack is available for the game until noon on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Dubuque 1 3 2 - 6
Waterloo 3 1 1 - 5
1st Period-1, Waterloo, Altrichter 4 (Thoreson, Mustard), 9:04. 2, Waterloo, Erdman 5 (Brown, Kerr), 9:24. 3, Waterloo, Lindberg 5 (Thoreson, Kerr), 19:27 (SH). 4, Dubuque, Powell 2 (St. Louis, Vaisanen), 19:58 (PP). Penalties-Erdman Wat (holding), 18:49.
2nd Period-5, Dubuque, Pahlsson 11 (King), 2:02 (SH). 6, Dubuque, Romeo 1 (Scott), 10:29. 7, Dubuque, Pahlsson 12 (Scott, Vaisanen), 18:19. 8, Waterloo, Mustard 8 (Thoreson, Altrichter), 18:52. Penalties-Cornforth Dbq (slashing), 1:31; Vaisanen Dbq (holding), 7:29.
3rd Period-9, Waterloo, Reed 3 (Erdman), 9:02. 10, Dubuque, Barron 7 (Sondreal, Powell), 9:22. 11, Dubuque, Romeo 2 (King), 18:55. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Dubuque 8-8-12-28. Waterloo 20-10-9-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Dubuque 1 / 1; Waterloo 0 / 2.
Goalies-Dubuque, Reidler 9-2-1-2 (39 shots-34 saves). Waterloo, Spicer 1-5-0-0 (28 shots-22 saves).
A-2,505
