The Lincoln Stars avenged their three-game 2022 playoff series loss to the Waterloo Black Hawks, winning the 2023 rematch with a 3-1 score in the decisive third game at Young Arena Sunday.
It is the first time that the Stars have advanced from a postseason set against Waterloo in five tries. The best-of-three series went to its full duration after Lincoln won Game One 7-2, and the Hawks took Game Two 6-1. Sunday marks the first time Waterloo has been eliminated from the playoffs with a home ice loss since 2014.
Lincoln notched the only goal of the first period as the result of a turnover they forced inside their own blue line. Breaking out three-on-one, Mason Marcellus dropped a pass to Jack Larrigan trailing the play. Larrigan hit the top corner with a wrister at 11:42.
Ben Robertson evened up the game at 6:16 of the second. Caden Brown won a faceoff and Roberson slid to the top of the right circle before sending a shot over Cameron Whitehead's left shoulder. However, Waterloo missed a chance to take the lead late in the period, skating for more than four minutes on a fruitless power play after a major penalty to D.J. Hart.
The Hawks did not score during the remaining power play time early in the third, and instead, the Stars went in front at 2:34. Larrigan's all-out effort along the right boards kept the puck in the Waterloo zone, allowing Marcellus to lift a long wrister in from the deep slot.
Through nearly 17 minutes of the third, Waterloo recorded just two shots on goal. Bringing Emmett Croteau to the bench, the Hawks generated a few more late chances. However a turnover allowed Daniel Sambuco to make his way up the rink with a clear path to the open net for a game-sealing score at 18:48.
Whitehead stopped 19 shots for the win as the Stars outshot Waterloo 23-20.
Saturday's game ends Waterloo's playoff run in the conference semifinal round for the second consecutive spring. Nonetheless, it was a year in which the Hawks won 40 regular season games for just the third time in club history. The organization now shifts focus to 2023/24 and beyond, with Phase I of the United States Hockey League Draft on Tuesday evening.
Lincoln 1 0 2 - 3
Waterloo 0 1 0 - 1
1st Period-1, Lincoln, Larrigan 2 (Marcellus), 11:42. Penalties-Yavash Lin (roughing), 8:28.
2nd Period-2, Waterloo, Robertson 1 (Erdman, Brown), 6:14. Penalties-Nelson Lin (cross checking), 13:00; Hilman Wat (roughing), 13:00; Hart Lin (major-roughing, game misconduct), 15:52.
3rd Period-3, Lincoln, Marcellus 3 (Larrigan, Buckberger), 2:34. 4, Lincoln, Sambuco 1 18:48 (EN). Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Lincoln 5-12-6-23. Waterloo 7-8-5-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Lincoln 0 / 1; Waterloo 0 / 3.
Goalies-Lincoln, Whitehead (20 shots-19 saves). Waterloo, Croteau (22 shots-20 saves).
A-2,353
