Two power play goals, a shorthanded score, and a perfect penalty killing performance all contributed to a 5-2 Waterloo Black Hawks road win Sunday against the Des Moines Buccaneers at the Mid-American Energy Company Recplex.
Ty Mason and Drew Waterfield each scored twice during the victory. Dane Callaway made 35 saves on a day where Des Moines had a shot advantage in all three periods.
The result ended a 16-game Waterloo winless streak dating back to mid-January. The Hawks are now 4-3-0 against the Buccaneers in 2025/26, including a pair of road victories.
Waterloo went ahead on the first shot of the game 2:25 into the contest. Rio Treharne made the setup from behind the net, clicking with Owen DeGraff waiting at the top of the crease to bang it in.
The 1-0 count held until a flurry of goals late in the first. Mason had the first of those on the power play with 4:03 left before intermission. The score was created in similar fashion, with Salvatore Viviano finding Mason on a feed originating from the end wall.
Des Moines drew a goal back with 1:19 left before intermission. During a scramble just outside the crease, Callaway was down after multiple Des Moines attempts; Ryan Seelinger used the opportunity to flip in the Buccaneer score.
Then Des Moines went to a five-minute power play with a checking from behind call against Treharne. However, it was the Hawks who scored 11.5 seconds before intermission. Waterfield swiped a puck near his own blue line, speeding the other way to find the net on the resulting breakaway.
Waterloo killed the remainder of the Des Moines power play in the second, then scored the period's only goal during their own five-minute advantage. It was a transition tally after an unsuccessful shorthanded Buccaneer chance. Hayden Russell found Mason, who put his shot under the crossbar from near the top of the right circle.
The Buccaneers outshot Waterloo 13-3 in the third period, but were held at bay until Seelinger's second of the night at 14:14, putting back the rebound of a Nick Koering try. Shortly thereafter, Des Moines went to their third and final power play, but could not draw any closer.
Alan Lendak went to the bench in the late minutes, and Waterloo sealed the result at 18:52. Mason gained control in the defensive zone and pushed the puck to Waterfield. He avoided a defender in the center circle, then made it up the rink for a tap in.
Sunday was the first of four consecutive road games for Waterloo. The Hawks are in action next on Friday against the Chicago Steel at Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Waterloo 3 1 1 - 5
Des Moines 1 0 1 - 2
1st Period-1, Waterloo, DeGraff 7 (Treharne, Waterfield), 2:25. 2, Waterloo, Mason 22 (Viviano, Russell), 15:57 (PP). 3, Des Moines, Seelinger 28 (Tylec, Koering), 18:41. 4, Waterloo, Waterfield 6 19:49 (SH). Penalties-St. Pierre Dm (head contact), 7:49; Wallin Dm (head contact), 14:54; Treharne Wat (major-checking from behind, game misconduct-checking from behind), 19:14.
2nd Period-5, Waterloo, Mason 23 (Russell), 10:58 (PP). Penalties-Mikel Dm (slashing), 7:39; Zielinski Dm (major-head contact, game misconduct-head contact), 10:34.
3rd Period-6, Des Moines, Seelinger 29 (Koering, Davenport), 14:14. 7, Waterloo, Waterfield 7 (Mason), 18:52 (EN). Penalties-Carlson Wat (high sticking), 6:21; Deanovich Wat (tripping), 15:59; Laliberte Wat (roughing), 19:45; Rieber Wat (roughing), 19:45; Carlson Dm (roughing), 19:45; Zidlicky Dm (roughing), 19:45; Mikel Dm (roughing), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Waterloo 9-9-3-21. Des Moines 12-12-13-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 2 / 4; Des Moines 0 / 3.
Goalies-Waterloo, Callaway 4-6-1-1 (37 shots-35 saves). Des Moines, Lendak 15-10-0-0 (20 shots-16 saves).
A-1,337
