Black Hawks Force Game 5 on Tuesday

Nick Swaney’s hat trick led the Waterloo Black Hawks to a playoff series-extending 7-4 win against the Tri-City Storm at Young Arena Saturday.

Entering the night trailing two-games-to-one in the best-of-five affair, the win was a necessity and forces a fifth and decisive road game on Tuesday.

It took Waterloo until the closing minutes to shake the pesky Storm.

Following a third period Tri-City goal, the game was tied 3-3 for just 47 seconds when Sam McCormick put Waterloo in front for good at 12:13.  Coming up left wing, McCormick’s shot hit the heel of goaltender Jake Kielly’s glove, popping up over his shoulder before falling into the net.

The Hawks added to their new lead to extinguish hope for another rally by the visitors. At 15:56, Swaney flipped in his second goal of the night after Kielly had made an all-out stop on Liam Pecararo’s first chance.  Mikey Anderson added another insurance goal at 17:12 during a power play, stepping in from the left circle to snap a wrist shot to the net through
traffic.

Tuesday’s fifth game in Kearney will begin at 7:05. The winner will meet either the Dubuque Fighting Saints or Bloomington Thunder in the USHL Clark Cup Championship Series, starting next weekend.

GOALS BY PERIOD
          1  2  3  -  T
Tri-City  0  2  2  -  4
Waterloo  2  1  4  -  7 - Final
  ^ Best-of-5 Series Tied, 2-2

BYUTTON