Hawks – Buccaneers on Saturday

The Waterloo Black Hawks and Des Moines Buccaneers have met 39 times since the beginning of the 2020/21 season.  Perhaps it's appropriate that the Hawks will open this season's home schedule with their most familiar opponent of recent years.  In fact, during the 2023/24 campaign, Des Moines became Waterloo's most common opponent in the USHL's junior era (beginning in 1979/80).  The Hawks have met the Buccaneers on 256 occasions. The Sioux City Musketeers are next with 249 regular season matchups against Waterloo.  Saturday's tilt with the Buccaneers at Young Arena begins at 6:35.

Home Openers at Young Arena

The Black Hawks are 16-12-4 when playing their first home game of a new season at Young Arena.  Five of those games have been against Des Moines; Waterloo is 2-2-1 in home openers against the Bucs.  This will be the second consecutive season that the first game on Commercial Street will be against Des Moines.  On September 28th last fall, Dylan Compton scored two goals and Calvin Vachon made 22 saves during a 4-3 Waterloo win.  The Hawks have won their last four home openers, dating back to 2021.  
 
Late Additions, Strong Starts

Drew Waterfield, Viktor Eriksson, and Salvatore Viviano were each added to the Black Hawks' roster after the beginning of Waterloo's exhibition schedule.  Each recorded at least one point last week during the USHL Fall Classic.  Waterfield tallied a goal and an assist during the Hawks' opener against the Muskegon Lumberjacks Wednesday.  Then Thursday, Eriksson had two goals versus the Dubuque Fighting Saints, making him the first Black Hawk with multiple goals this season.  Viviano assisted on Eriksson's second goal less than 48 hours after officially joining the Hawks.

Power Play Goals

The Black Hawks scored a power play goal in each game last week, converting two of eight advantages.  Waterloo is one of five USHL clubs with multiple power play tallies at this stage of the season.

Recent Games

The Black Hawks began their new schedule at the USHL Fall Classic last week on neutral ice in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.  The Muskegon Lumberjacks erased two Waterloo third period leads in the first game, eventually slipping past the Hawks 4-3 in a shootout.  Ty Mason scored the first goal of the season and also added an assist during the opener, while Phileas Lachat made 27 saves.  Back in action Thursday, the Dubuque Fighting Saints scored a pair of first period goals, staying out of reach during a game which finished 5-2.  Viktor Eriksson recorded both Waterloo scores.

Wednesday, September 17 MUSKEGON 4, Black Hawks 3 (SO)  Recap
Thursday, September 18 Black Hawks 2, DUBUQUE 5  Recap

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The Black Hawks' first game at Young Arena this fall will be against the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday, September 27th at 6:35 p.m.  The season-opener is presented by Rydell Auto with a pregame party planned for SingleSpeed Brewing's downtown Waterloo taproom.  For tickets to the matchup against Des Moines or any other Black Hawks regular season home game, visit tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or call the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.