Waterloo Black Hawks defenseman Jake Ryczek contributed a goal and three assists Friday, leading his team to a 7-4 home victory at Young Arena against the Tri-City Storm.

The affair included Waterloo’s second-highest goal total of the season, bested only by a 9-5 decision against the Sioux Falls Stampede on October 15th.

Both the Hawks and Storm led during the opening 20 minutes. Tri-City went ahead after just 33 seconds, capitalizing on a turnover near the Waterloo blue line, which led to Linus Weissbach’s one-on-one look and backhander past Robbie Beydoun. Waterloo tied the score at 4:24; Chase Pilawski jumped into a rush headed for the offensive zone and got just enough of a cross-slot pass to knock the puck across the goal line.

Ryczek gave the Hawks a favorable margin at 12:15. Ethan Johnson set up Ryczek near the top of the right circle, and the defenseman snapped it through traffic and past Dayton Rasmussen. The Storm leveled the game on Adam Goodsir’s power play goal at 15:24, sending the teams to intermission at an even count.

Another Storm power play goal put the visitors back in front at 3:43 of the second; Weissbach scored in transition on a wrister from the left circle. However, it was all Hawks from that point to intermission. Jackson Cates registered the first of four second period Waterloo goals on a backhander from close range at 9:13. Ethan Johnson’s steal at the Tri-City blue line allowed him to spring to the net and lift a shot under the crossbar at 13:28, resulting in the first multigoal lead of the night for either side.

Waterloo’s two additional second period goals were separated by 42 seconds. Following a faceoff scramble in the left wing circle, Garrett Klee fired a puck under the crossbar at 16:20. Within a minute, Shane Bowers added his name to the scoresheet. Going to the front of the net, a pass from Kevin Charyszyn deflected into the net off Bowers’ chest. A video review confirmed a good goal at 17:12.

The teams traded goals in the third, beginning at 2:04 when Garrett Wait worked a puck free near the side of the Tri-City net, creating Charyszyn’s backhander from the inside edge of the left circle. Logan Drevitch recorded the final goal of the evening at 8:15, finishing an odd-man rush to set the final score.

The Hawks and Storm meet for an instant rematch Saturday at 7:05. After the game, the Hawks’ 2017 John Deere jerseys will be auctioned to benefit Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters. For tickets – including discounted seats for Deere employees and families – call the Domino’s Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.

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