Hawks Have Impressive Start
September 24, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
Five different Waterloo Black Hawks scored their first United States Hockey League goals on Saturday in a 5-2 season-opening win against the Youngstown Phantoms in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania during the USHL Fall Classic.
The Hawks led from the early minutes, then enjoyed an early third period scoring outburst on their way to the victory. Veteran goalie Emmett Croteau was solid in the crease with 25 saves, and Waterloo killed six of seven Youngstown power plays, including a pair of five-on-three situations.
Aaron Pionk scored the first Black Hawks goal of the season and the only goal during the opening period. Swiping a puck in the offensive zone, he stepped into the left circle and snapped a wrist shot past Jacob Fowler. The unassisted score came at 1:53.
Waterloo celebrated another early goal near the start of the second. James Hong kept the puck alive on the right boards, setting up Gavyn Thoreson’s power play score over the right shoulder at 3:02.
Youngstown drew a goal back with 1:47 left before the second intermission. Croteau made a pokecheck on Matthew Perkins’ transition chance, then a save in short succession following a Hawks turnover. However, Youngstown broke through on their third opportunity of the sequence when Andrew Strathmann pushed the puck across the goal line.
The Hawks put the game out of each by scoring three times in the span of 1:52 during the opening minutes of the third. Myles Hilman sped to the net and capitalized on a feed from Thoreson at 2:47 to start the surge. Just 31 seconds later, Griffin Erdman was waiting near the top of the crease to redirect a pass coming across the right circle from Tyler Procious.
Keith McInnis became the second defenseman with a Saturday goal, taking a feed from Jake McLean and rifling in his shot from the left circle off the crossbar.
The Phantoms converted their seventh and final power play for the game’s last goal with 10:49 to play. William Whitelaw found the net off of Croteau’s glove.
Waterloo finished the day with a 36-27 edge in chances.
The Hawks wrap up their trip to the Pittsburgh area on Sunday afternoon with a 1:30 p.m. contest against USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
Youngstown 0 1 1 – 2
Waterloo 1 1 3 – 5
1st Period-1, Waterloo, Pionk 1 1:53. Penalties-Schifsky Wat (tripping), 3:53; Bishoff Yng (goalie interference), 16:11.
2nd Period-2, Waterloo, Thoreson 1 (Hong, McLean), 3:02 (PP). 3, Youngstown, Strathmann 1 (Perkins), 18:13. Penalties-Geary Wat (interference), 0:32; Perkins Yng (hooking), 1:56; Laubach Yng (high sticking), 3:15; Thoreson Wat (hooking), 8:44; Baker Wat (roughing), 10:22; Dolzhenko Yng (hooking), 15:11.
3rd Period-4, Waterloo, Hilman 1 (Thoreson), 2:47. 5, Waterloo, Erdman 1 (Procious, Flynn), 3:18. 6, Waterloo, McInnis 1 (McLean, Robertson), 4:39. 7, Youngstown, Whitelaw 1 (Strathmann, Rozzi), 9:11 (PP). Penalties-Rinzel Wat (tripping), 0:17; Geary Wat (tripping), 6:48; Erdman Wat (tripping), 8:21; Strathmann Yng (roughing), 17:14; Lindberg Wat (roughing), 17:14.
Shots on Goal-Youngstown 9-11-7-27. Waterloo 10-10-16-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Youngstown 1 / 7; Waterloo 1 / 4.
Goalies-Youngstown, Fowler 0-1-0-0 (36 shots-31 saves). Waterloo, Croteau 1-0-0-0 (27 shots-25 saves).
A-
Referees-Andrew Rasky, Adam Tobias.
Linesmen-Patrick Giles, Austin March.
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