No two teams have been to overtime more than the Waterloo Black Hawks and Muskegon Lumberjacks, and Thursday – as the teams again played beyond 60 minutes – the visiting Hawks prevailed 3-2 at L.C. Walker Arena.

Ace Cowans ended the affair 1:40 into extra time. Moving up right wing, Cowans’ low shot trickled through the pads of Adam Brizgala. The Muskegon netminder scrambled in the crease but could not locate the puck before it crossed the goal line.

It was the eighth game requiring overtime for both Waterloo and Muskegon this season. The Hawks have now won seven of those contests.

Waterloo’s Jake Ryczek had recorded the only goal of the first period. At 7:29, Jackson Cates navigated behind the Muskegon net and dropped a pass back to Ryczek at the right point. His wrist shot found its way through traffic and inside the post.

A little more than a full period later, Nick Swaney swelled the lead to 2-0, sliding the rebound of a Michael Farrandino shot into an open cage.

However, the Lumberjacks rallied with two five-on-three power play goals within the span of 1:16 at the end of the period. Andrei Svechnikov rifled in a shot from the right circle at 18:08, followed up by Koby Bender’s tally from the opposite side of the crease at 19:24.

Robbie Beydoun stopped all of Muskegon’s even-strength chances, finishing with a total of 35 saves in his 11th win of the season.

Waterloo’s middle game of three in three days will be Friday night on the road against the Bloomington Thunder. Saturday, the Hawks return home for New Year’s Eve (read more) against the Madison Capitols. Game time is 6:05 p.m., and good seats are still available. Order online at waterlooblackhawks.com or call the Domino’s Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.

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