The Waterloo Black Hawks now sit one win away from advancing the USHL Western Conference Finals. That win could come Sunday (April 24, 2016).

Waterloo seized the lead in the opening minutes Saturday, and Cale Morris held off the Lincoln Stars during a 4-3 Young Arena playoff victory.

Morris made 38 stops, including 15 during the third period, allowing the home team to stay out of reach. The victory gives the Black Hawks a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five first round series against Lincoln.

The Hawks were off to a good beginning during the opening period. Waterloo capitalized in transition at 4:21 when Nick Swaney found a loose puck and stuffed it into the net, following Ronnie Hein’s efforts to maneuver into the offensive zone. Waterloo followed up by capitalizing in the opening seconds of a power play at the ten minute mark. Swaney was setup beside the net a fed a pass to Ronnie Hein barreling up the slot. Hein scored on one touch past the glove of Peyton Jones.

Lincoln moved back within one during a power play at 16:26 as Trevor Hamilton snuck in to score from the left circle after a cross-slot feed by Grant Jozefek.

The Hawks matched their two-to-one scoring ratio in the second period, although the goals came in a different order. At 6:13, Jones could not knock down Zach Yon’s shot from the left circle; it went off the Stars netminder and in. Lincoln drew back within a goal at 13:42 when Tanner Laczynski knocked in a chance from close range. However, Waterloo went back ahead by two goals at 15:35; Ben Newhouse came to the ice on a change and jumped right into a rush. Newhouse flipped a shot-like pass toward the net, but really a deft pass, Ryan Lohin swooped in to knock the puck between the pipes.

Lincoln’s Anthony Wyse recorded the only goal of the third, putting a shot through traffic and into the net from the left circle at 8:42.

Game Four in the USHL Western Conference Semifinal series will be played at Young Arena on Sunday. Gates open at 4:05 ahead of a 5:05 opening faceoff. For tickets, call the Domino’s Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680 or visit waterlooblackhawks.com.

GOALS BY PERIOD
          1  2  3  -  T
Lincoln   1  1  1  -  3
Waterloo  2  2  0  -  4 - Final

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