Waterloo Black Hawks

 February 12, 1927

Waterloo’s first hockey team takes the ice at the Cattle Congress Hippodrome. Organized by the Becker-Chapman American Legion Post, the squad wins 13-8 against visitors from Des Moines. The Becker-Chapman Post hosts games against opponents from surrounding states and Canada over four seasons, leaving the ice for the last time in February 1930.

 

Summer, 1962

A major Hippodrome (known as ‘Waterloo Auditorium’ by this time) renovation includes an ice plant and new concrete floor. Local business owners successfully apply for a “senior” team in the United States Hockey League. Veteran coach Oakie Brumm is hired to organize the roster, coach, and play defense. The Black Hawks finish the inaugural schedule 16-16-0.

 February 16, 1964

The Hawks are champions, thanks to a 7-6 overtime win against the Green Bay Bobcats. Defenseman Bud McRae goes to the net to swat in the winning goal. In the 60s, the USHL title is awarded exclusively based on regular season results, so the Hawks own the championship with three weeks left on the schedule.

 

November 26, 1964

A tradition starts unexpectedly. The Black Hawks defeat the St. Paul Steers 5-2 on Thanksgiving night behind a hat trick by Emery Ruelle and 24 saves from goalie Jim Coyle. The game has been rescheduled to the holiday evening due to the threat of a blizzard later in the weekend.

 February 18, 1968

Can anyone beat the Black Hawks? Waterloo’s fifth consecutive championship is assured with a 4-0 shutout of the Rochester Mustangs. Chris Batley scores twice and Jim Coyle makes 19 saves. This title-winning effort is the most dominant; the Black Hawks eventually wrap up the schedule with 27-6-1 record.

 November/December, 1968

The Black Hawks take an international tour. Playing almost every other day for three weeks, Waterloo travels to meet opponents in Switzerland, France, Sweden, and Finland. The challenging stretch takes the traveling party from the Alps to the Arctic Circle.

 

Summer, 1969

Waterloo moves up to pro hockey. The Iowa Stars come to McElroy Auditorium as the Central Hockey League affiliate of the Minnesota North Stars. Nearly all of the Stars eventually reach the NHL or rival World Hockey Association. Iowa just misses a regular season title and finishes as runner up in the playoffs but fails to meet financial expectations.

 April 6, 1974

After the Hawks and the USHL return to McElroy in 1970, Waterloo is in championship contention during the spring of 1974. However, the Thunder Bay Twins sweep the Hawks in a three-game Final series. Waterloo also plays for the title again in 1975, but the Twins repeat are champs, upending the Hawks in four games.

 Fall, 1977

To keep the USHL alive, the league merges with the Midwest Junior Hockey League. Waterloo, Sioux City, and Green Bay join three clubs from Minnesota. Playing with hybrid senior/junior rosters, the Hawks win playoff championships in April of 1978 and April of 1979, as well as the 1978/79 regular season crown.

 

Fall, 1979

The USHL completes the transition to all-junior rosters. Led by the high-scoring duo of Tom Horan and Bill Grum, plus local goalie Greg Davis, Waterloo wins their division and finishes as runner-up in the playoffs. The Hawks go on to make their only appearance in USA Hockey’s National Junior Tournament.

 Summer, 1980

Low attendance prompts Jack Barzee to relocate the Hawks to Dubuque, spawning the Fighting Saints. Waterloo hockey supporters raise $10,000 to acquire the Hennepin Nordiques, who are rechristened the “new” Black Hawks. Hennepin is the team which had defeated Waterloo for the championship months earlier.

 March 4, 1985

The Black Hawks complete their 48-game schedule with an 8-1 win against the North Iowa Huskies. Forward Tom Bissett finishes a remarkable year by setting a team record which still stands. The Seattle native produces 103 points (38 goals, 65 assists). Bissett advances to Michigan Tech and later plays in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings.

 March 15, 1987

Waterloo wins the rubber game of a best-of-five playoff series against Dubuque. The Hawks break a 1-1 tie midway through the first period. The go-ahead goal is the first of seven straight for Waterloo, on the way to the 9-4 victory. The Hawks would not win another playoff series until 2003.

 

March 12, 1994

On the last night of the regular season, Waterloo edges the St. Paul Vulcans 5-4. Jason Blake’s winning score at 5:35 of overtime is his 50th goal and 100th point of the season. The USHL Player of the Year later reaches the NHL with Los Angeles Kings, eventually skating for the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Anaheim Ducks.

 January 14, 1995

After 32-and-a-half seasons at McElroy, the Black Hawks open Young Arena. Initial discussions about the new rink had started more than two years earlier. Andrew Tortorella scores the first Black Hawks goal in the new building in front of 3,250 fans. However, the visiting Fighting Saints skate away with a 5-3 win.

 October 1, 1999

A new rivalry is born as the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders visit the Black Hawks for the first time. The RoughRiders were formed when the North Iowa Huskies moved south. Waterloo races to a 4-0 lead and has a big night on the power play. With two goals from Darren Partch, the Hawks skate away with a 6-2 decision.

 

September 27, 2002

The P.K. O’Handley-Joe Pavelski era begins with a 2-1 season opening win against the Tri-City Storm. O’Handley would win over 600 regular season games as head coach through 2021. Pavelski became the USHL Rookie of the Year, on his way to later joining the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, U.S. Olympic Team, and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

 May 5, 2004

Pavelski’s final game with the Black Hawks is a Clark Cup Championship clincher. Mike Radja and Joel Hanson score the goals during a 2-1 Game Four win against Tri-City in front of a capacity Young Arena crowd. Playoff MVP Kevin Regan makes 35 saves.  It’s Waterloo’s first championship of any kind in 25 years.

 April 14, 2007

A three-way race for the Anderson Cup regular season championship goes to the final night on the schedule. Trailing the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders midway through the third period, Vince LoVerde scores the game-tying goal. Then with 2:41 to go, Paul Weisgarber gives the Hawks the only lead they’ll need in the 3-2 contest.

 August 2012

After finishing as the Clark Cup runners-up, the Hawks are invited to represent the United States during the IIHF-sanctioned Junior Club World Cup. Waterloo brings back silver medals as the result of wins against opponents from Czechia, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Future New York Islanders draft pick Eamon McAdam is recognized as the event’s top goalie.

 

April 5, 2014

The Hawks edge the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 3-2 in a shootout for a team-record 44th victory. This Anderson Cup-winning squad goes on to also reach the Clark Cup Final. The roster includes future NHLers Mark Friedman, Brandon Montour, Cal Petersen, Patrick Russell, Zach Sanford, and Nick Swaney.

 April 14, 2018

Another Anderson Cup race goes to the final night of the regular season. Matej Tomek makes 21 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Des Moines Buccaneers to secure Waterloo’s finish atop the standings. Jack Drury, Matej Blumel, and Jackson Cates will all reach the NHL during the years which follow. 

 March 11, 2020

Waterloo and Dubuque meet for a midweek makeup game. The Saints score in the first period, then add two empty net goals in the last minute of regulation for a 3-0 final. Later that week, the schedule is suspended (and ultimately, cancelled) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hawks are the Western Conference champions in the truncated season.

 

July 7, 2022

Defenseman Sam Rinzel is selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the 25th overall pick during the 2022 NHL Draft. Rinzel played for Waterloo before and after this notable moment. With the pick, Rinzel becomes the fourth Hawk ever chosen in the first round of the NHL Draft, joining Peter Ferraro (1992), Brock Boeser (2015), and Shane Bowers (2017).

 May 20, 2025

The Muskegon Lumberjacks edge the Hawks 4-3 overtime during the winner-take-all fifth game of the Clark Cup Final. Goals by Brendan McMorrow, Reid Morich, and Hunter Ramos put the game in the sudden death situation. It’s the seventh time since the beginning of the all-junior era that Waterloo has reached the Clark Cup Final.