It was an exciting Friday and Saturday night in PartyTown, with both games going to over-time, Des Moines came out on top Friday, then Waterloo prevailed on Saturday...

SATURDAY NIGHT VS SIOUX FALLS
Emil Ohrvall recorded his fourth hat trick of the season, including the overtime winner, during the Waterloo Black Hawks’ 4-3 Saturday night effort against the Sioux Falls Stampede at Young Arena.

The hats still fell to the ice even though the game was over as Ohrvall tickled the twine at 1:40 of extra time. Griffin Ness slipped him a pass across the slot in transition, and Ohrvall roofed his shot from the right circle. The winning goal came after a game-saving stop by Black Hawks goalie Logan Stein on Anthony Romano, and two pointblank chances for the Stampede’s Austen Swankler, which both missed the net.

Ohrvall also produced a hat trick against the Stampede in Sioux Falls on October 19th during a game which the Hawks lost in overtime, 6-5. The forward’s three three-goal games since that effort have all included game-winning goals: against Lincoln November 17th and versus Omaha January 24th. Ohrvall’s big night began early. Sioux Falls Stampede defender Ryan Johnson fell down, and the Black Hawks capitalized for the first goal 4:51 into the action. Vladislav Firstov was there to pick up the puck and feather it across the top of the crease to Ohrvall. The veteran forward flipped it into an open side.

Ohrvall scored his second on a power play at 12:13. Hank Sorensen got to the puck on the right wing wall and slipped a pass into the circle; Ohrvall and rifled a shot over goalie Alec Calvaruso’s shoulder.

The teams exchanged power play goals in the second. Waterloo’s second period power play goal came with just seconds left on an advantage. James Marooney kept in a clearing attempt and connected with Kyle Haskins, who was left alone in the slot. Haskins beat Calvaruso to the glove side at 14:19.

The Stampede rallied to tie it, with two third period goals. But, the Black Hawks pulled it out in O.T. - Stein finished with the victory on 24 saves.

During the 1st intermission Saturday night, the Black Hawks recognized the Waterloo Warriors, on their Midwest High School Hockey League championship. (see photo)

Townsquare Media - Shawn McKenna
Townsquare Media - Shawn McKenna
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FRIDAY NIGHT VS DES MOINES
Three short-handed goals sank the Black Hawks Friday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Des Moines Buccaneers at Young Arena.

In the first period, the Black Hawks had gone ahead on their first shot of the night.  At 4:12, Hank Sorensen moved the puck parallel to the blue line to Mason Palmer at the left point.  Palmer’s low shot made it through traffic and past Roman Durny, inside the post at the goaltender’s left.  The Bucs answered on the first of three successive power plays.  Veteran Reed Lebster was on the doorstep to bang in the rebound of a T.J. Walsh try from the high slot.

The second period was progressing well until a Waterloo power play went awry.  Griffin Ness scored five-on-five at 11:08.  He followed his initial shot to the net and lifted in the rebound from a sharp angle, originating from below the right circle.  The Black Hawks made it a two-goal margin at 14:27 while penalty killing.  When the puck escaped the Waterloo zone, Matej Blumel found it at the red line and beat Durny on a breakaway backhander.

Unfortunately, the Bucs scored twice – separated by 20 seconds – in similar fashion.  Matt Brown shielded the puck in transition and got close enough to snap in a shorthanded wrister at 16:12.  Michael Mancinelli followed up with a breakaway when an errant pass escaped to neutral ice, erasing Waterloo’s lead while the Black Hawks were still on a power play.

Des Moines took their only lead of regulation with their third successive shorty at 10:48 of the third.  For the second time, it was Brown in transition; this time, he finished a breakaway look by slipping in a well-placed low shot.

Palmer saved a standings point for Waterloo with his second goal of the night.  Set-up from behind the net by Zach Michaelis, Palmer took time to settle the pass between the hashmarks.  As the Buccaneer defense scrambled Palmer’s direction they also screened Durny, and Palmer beat the Des Moines netminder low to his left for the second time.

COMING UP THIS WEEKEND
Waterloo’s eighth consecutive game versus an opponent from the USHL Western Conference will be Saturday in Fargo against the Force. The Black Hawks remain tied for 2nd place in the Western Conference with Sioux Falls at 69 points, a full ten points behind 1st place, Tri-City.

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