Black Hawks Roughed Up By Cedar Rapids

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders built their lead in each period on Friday, downing the Waterloo Black Hawks 6-2 at Young Arena.

The visitors scored the only goal of the first period 2:01 into the action. During a shift with sustained pressure, the puck caromed to Charlie Curti off of a shot block, and he fired his chance into the net from above the left hash mark.

Phil Beaulieu converted a power play 4:04 into the second, snapping a wrist shot from the slot past Ben Blacker. The home crowd was hopeful that the Hawks had taken the lead two minutes later when Brock Boeser batted the puck into the net, but the goal was disallowed for contact with a high stick. On the ensuing shift, Cal Burke lifted a shot into the net from the left circle to put Cedar Rapids back ahead. The RoughRiders built their margin with a power play goal by Dylan McLaughlin at 14:53 of the period.

Another power play goal by Erik Foley on a rebound chance 33 seconds into the third period gave the RoughRiders a 4-1 margin for much of the final frame. With four defensemen on the ice at 14:17, Jeremy Davies stuffed a puck inside the post to bring the Hawks back within two goals. However, Foley set up a McLaughlin goal in transition at 16:37 to stifle the comeback bid, then bounced the puck into an empty net with a shot from his own blue line at 19:35 to complete the scoring.

Waterloo begins a three-game road trip Saturday, visiting the Sioux City Musketeers. The Hawks’ next home game is Friday, November 7th versus the Madison Capitols.