After leading for much of the second and a portion of the third period, the Waterloo Black Hawks fell to the Sioux City Musketeers 5-3 on Sunday night at Young Arena.
While the wind outside was blowing steadily from the west, momentum inside the rink swirled throughout the game, favoring each team at different points. Musketeer goalie Jack Fichthorn helped Sioux City weather a Hawks attack which included a season-high 37 shots on goal. Fichthorn turned in a personal best 34 saves.
Both teams exchanged goals during the middle portion of the first period. William Tomko scored first for the visitors at 7:48. A pass across the slot by Luke Garry left Tomko with a tap-in to an open side.
The Black Hawks responded 91 seconds later. Adyn Merrick's initial shot popped away from Fichthorn; Rio Treharne found the loose rebound to flip in a backhander.
In the second, the Hawks took the lead, but the period ended in a 2-2 tie. Toby Carlson scored the go-ahead goal during a power play at 8:41. Shooting from near the top of the left circle, he squeezed the puck between Fichthorn and the post to his right.
However, Trey Jefferis retied the game with 24.3 seconds left before intermission. After forcing a turnover, Jefferis stepped across the slot and sent a wrister under the crossbar to level the two sides. The period saw fights between Morgan Brady and Max Anderson, then Jackson Schneider squared up with Dallas Vieau.
Waterloo went back ahead with Ty Mason's third period power play goal at 12:57. The Hawks' leading goal-scorer was set up to blast in the go-ahead goal from the top of the left circle by Tyler Deakos.
This time Sioux City responded quickly. Elias Vatne squeezed a transition chance past Michael Chambre at 15:17. The tie lasted 95 seconds; Shayne Gould moved out of the right corner, and centered for Gavin Garry, who finished a tap-in chance for the eventual game-winner.
Tomko scored into an empty net with under one second remaining to pad the final margin.
The Hawks are home to celebrate New Year's Eve Wednesday at 6:35 against the Des Moines Buccaneers. All fans in attendance will receive $10 in free arcade play from Cadillac Xtreme Bowling Center. Tickets are available now from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or by calling the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.
Sioux City 1 1 3 - 5
Waterloo 1 1 1 - 3
1st Period-1, Sioux City, Tomko 12 (Garry, Bailey), 7:48. 2, Waterloo, Treharne 2 (Merrick, Rieber), 9:19. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-3, Waterloo, Carlson 5 (Schneider), 8:41 (PP). 4, Sioux City, Jefferis 19 19:36. Penalties-Bailey Sc (tripping), 3:13; Tomko Sc (head contact), 7:16; Rieber Wat (tripping), 9:39; Anderson Sc (instigator, major-fighting, game misconduct - instigator), 9:51; Brady Wat (major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 9:51; Whiterabbit Wat (holding), 15:04; Vieau Sc (10-minute misconduct, checking from behind, major-fighting), 17:05; Schneider Wat (game misconduct - instigator, instigator, major-fighting), 17:05.
3rd Period-5, Waterloo, Mason 16 (Deakos, Viviano), 12:57 (PP). 6, Sioux City, Vatne 5 (Garry, Lyons), 15:17. 7, Sioux City, Garry 1 (Gould, Jefferis), 16:52. 8, Sioux City, Tomko 13 19:59 (EN). Penalties-Tomko Sc (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:19; Whiterabbit Wat (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:19; served by Bailey Sc (too many men), 12:16.
Shots on Goal-Sioux City 6-10-11-27. Waterloo 16-14-7-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Sioux City 0 / 2; Waterloo 2 / 3.
Goalies-Sioux City, Fichthorn 7-8-0-0 (37 shots-34 saves). Waterloo, Chambre 3-5-0-0 (26 shots-22 saves).
A-2,002
