Dubuque Drops In Friday

Friday will be the first of six games between the Waterloo Black Hawks and Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2026/27.  Dubuque won all five head-to-head games last year, on the way to earning second place in the USHL Eastern Conference.  The Fighting Saints were one of three league clubs with at least 40 wins in 2025/26.  So far during the new schedule, Dubuque has posted a 2-1-0 record, including a pair of victories at the USHL Fall Classic.  Waterloo enters the weekend with a 3-0-1 record.  The Hawks will be seeking to win their home opener for a sixth consecutive season.

New Cowbell Cup Formula

Last week, the teams involved in the Dupaco Cowbell Cup announced a new procedure to determine the competition's standings.  Head-to-head games involving Waterloo, Dubuque, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and Des Moines Buccaneers count toward the competition.  The percentage of earned points in each series will be averaged equally to establish a modified winning percentage.  As a result, no team will benefit from playing a particular opponent more than the others within this year's unbalanced schedule.
 
Geike Game Winners

Forward Jordan Geike scored game-winning goals during each of the first two weekends on this year's schedule.  The 20-year-old helped lift the Hawks past the Youngstown Phantom on September 18th, then scored the decisive goal against the Fargo Force last Saturday.  Only 27 games have been played in the USHL so far this season, yet remarkably, Geike is one of four skaters with multiple game-winning goals already.

Power Play Personnel

The Black Hawks have converted a league-leading five of 14 power play chances through four games.  Not surprisingly, several players have consistently contributed to that success.  Miles Jinman, Sal Viviano, and Caleb Deanovich are part of a five-way, league-leading tie with three power play points apiece.  Deanovich has the top total among USHL defensemen.  All of Jinman's special teams points are assists.

Recent Games

Déjà vu was on the menu in Fargo last weekend.  On both Friday and Saturday, the Force scored first during the opening period against the Black Hawks.  Waterloo power plays helped the Hawks swing to the lead.  Then in the final five minutes of regulation, a breakaway goal pushed the score to 3-1.  Each night, Fargo scored a six-on-five extra attacker goal, yet Waterloo held on to win both games, 3-2.  Sal Viviano led Waterloo with three total points (one goal, two assists).  Charlie Menard (40 saves) and Sebastian Charvat (37 saves) each provided solid performances in net.

Friday, September 25 BLACK HAWKS 3, Fargo 2  Recap
Saturday, September 26 BLACK HAWKS 3, Fargo 2  Recap

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Tickets are on sale now for the Waterloo Black Hawks' home opener on Friday, October 2nd against the Dubuque Fighting Saints at 6:35 p.m.  It will be the 65th consecutive season of hockey in Waterloo; arrive early for a commemorative giveaway, presented by Rydell Auto.  Tickets for October 2nd and all Hawks home games are available around the clock from tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or by calling the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.