A Win They'll Always Remember

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USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

A Win They'll Always Remember

April 23, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


The Waterloo Black Hawks came back from two third period deficits and won in double overtime Tuesday, edging the Sioux Falls Stampede 6-5 at Young Arena.

With the victory, the Hawks avoided a winner-take-all fifth game in the series, advancing from the best-of-five set three games to one. Waterloo is now 5-1 during postseason play and has won eight of nine dating back to the closing days of the regular season.

Brendan McMorrow ended the game 2:32 into the second overtime. Hunter Ramos snagged the puck just outside the Stampede blue line; as the Hawks got onside, Ramos fed McMorrow. Waterloo's leading goal-scorer then lifted his long chance from the high slot into the top corner.

It was the only time the Hawks led during the game.

In fact, Waterloo trailed for approximately three quarters of regulation on Tuesday after the Stampede struck twice during an 18-shot first period. The opening goal at 12:40 came on Joseph McGraw's second chance. His first try from the left edge of the crease was stopped, but McGraw collected his own rebound and flipped in the puck from the other side of the paint.

Then with 18.9 seconds to go before intermission, Austin Baker won a faceoff, and Alex Rybakov set up a Bryce Ingles' one-timer. The shot made it inside the post right of Carter Casey.

The Hawks drew within a goal twice in the second period, but were still down by a pair at the intermission. Dylan Compton scored Waterloo's first of the night at 2:54 when Ramos hit him with a pass across the slot, and Compton snapped a wrister to the net.

McGraw reestablished the two-goal lead at 7:34, making his way up the rink and sliding across the slot before squeezing a transition opportunity inside the post.

Kaeden Hawkins blasted home a power play one-timer seconds into a Waterloo advantage at 13:42. Compton set the table for the chance. Minutes later, Brady Peddle had a glorious chance to tie it, triggering a shot as the trailer on a three-on-one rush. Aiden Wright made a clean glove save to preserve the lead.

Then McGraw completed his hat trick with 1:17 left before intermission, lifting the puck in off the crossbar from the left circle.

The comeback began in earnest with Chase Jette's goal at 9:13 of the third. Peddle recorded the first of his two assists when he put the puck wide of the Sioux Falls net, but Reid Daavettila redirected the bounce off the end wall toward the top of the crease. Jette was waiting there to turn the chance across the goal line.

Almost four minutes later, Reid Morich finally brought the Black Hawks even. Compton hit him with a 100-foot pass at the Sioux Falls blue line, and Morich dashed up the slot to beat Wright with a wrister to the glove side.

Then disaster struck with 5:21 to play. The Hawks coughed up the puck deep in their own zone, and McGraw collected it on left wing. In the process, the forward also collected his fourth point of the night by setting up JJ Monteiro to score from the left dot.

Undeterred, the Hawks sent a sixth attacker to the ice in the final two minutes and put the pressure on for one more equalizer. Ty Mason blasted a shot toward the net from the left point. Wright made the initial save, but the puck popped up into the air with the netminder waving vainly to swat it away. Instead, Morich stepped in to knock the floating puck down and across the goal line with 58.6 left.

The first overtime which followed was scoreless, despite a Sioux Falls power play when the Hawks were caught with too many men on the ice. Each team had 11 shots during the first extra period. Sioux Falls would eventually finish with a 49-44 shots edge.

Casey ended the night with a USHL career-best 44 stops. During all four games in the series, he recorded at least 30 saves.

Now the Black Hawks advance to the Western Conference Final series against the Lincoln Stars. Lincoln will host Games One and Two. Full schedule details and ticket information for the best-of-five set will be revealed soon.

Sioux Falls 2 2 1 0 0 - 5

Waterloo 0 2 3 0 1 - 6

1st Period-1, Sioux Falls, McGraw 2 (Ingles, James), 12:40. 2, Sioux Falls, Ingles 1 (Rybakov, Baker), 19:41. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-3, Waterloo, Compton 1 (Ramos, McMorrow), 2:54. 4, Sioux Falls, McGraw 3 (Renkowski, Wright), 7:34. 5, Waterloo, Hawkins 4 (Compton, Deering), 13:42 (PP). 6, Sioux Falls, McGraw 4 (Nordberg, Bongo), 18:43. Penalties-Wyttenbach Sf (tripping), 9:47; Grimes Sf (roughing, unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:33; Ramos Wat (roughing), 13:33.

3rd Period-7, Waterloo, Jette 3 (Daavettila, Peddle), 9:13. 8, Waterloo, Morich 1 (Compton, Peddle), 13:01. 9, Sioux Falls, Monteiro 1 (McGraw), 14:39. 10, Waterloo, Morich 2 (Walker, Mason), 19:01. Penalties-No Penalties

1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Ramos Wat (bench minor-too many men), 13:34.

2nd OT Period-11, Waterloo, McMorrow 5 (Ramos), 2:32. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Sioux Falls 18-11-8-11-1-49. Waterloo 6-11-12-10-5-44.

Power Play Opportunities-Sioux Falls 0 / 1; Waterloo 1 / 2.

Goalies-Sioux Falls, Wright (44 shots-38 saves). Waterloo, Casey (49 shots-44 saves).

A-1,744

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