A four goal second period gave the Waterloo Black Hawks a very happy Thanksgiving on Thursday during a 5-2 win at Young Arena against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

After a scoreless first, the RoughRiders went to the lead 21 seconds into the middle frame. Only four seconds after a two-man advantage became a five-on-four power play, Marek Valach flipped in a shot on a play which had originated behind the Waterloo net.

The Black Hawks roared back in the shifts which followed. Garrett Wait triggered the annual Teddy Bear Toss at 1:54, scoring in transition from the left circle off a feed from Bobby Trivigno. Shorthanded 33 seconds later, Jack Drury was hauled down on a breakaway but converted the resulting penalty shot by squeezing the puck through the pads of goalie Blake Pietila.

Waterloo added another pair of goals minutes before intermission. Ethan Johnson forced a turnover at center; his shot was blocked but came to Matej Blumel at the top of the crease. Blumel knocked the disc across the goal line at 15:04. On their first power play of the night at 16:51, the Hawks added another tally on Drury’s redirection of Jackson Cates’ attempt from the right dot.

The Hawks built their lead to its largest margin at 7:28 of the third period when Cates pulled the puck out of a net-front scramble and fired it into an open side. Cedar Rapids drew back within three goals at 16:58 on a redirection by Kevin Lombardi. Ilya Sushko took the shot tipped by Lombardi.

Jared Moe made 20 saves for the win as the Hawks out shot the RoughRiders 28-22.

The Black Hawks visit the Cedar Rapids for a return game on Saturday, the first of three consecutive Waterloo matchups on the road.

Story Contributed By: Time Harwood (Waterloo Black Hawks Media Relations). Photo Courtesy: David Mahncke Photography.

More From K92.3