One of the two remaining original USHL franchises, the Waterloo (Iowa) Black Hawks began this season, their 31st in junior hockey, with a 2-6-0 record, including a 9-1 loss at Sioux Falls and a 7-0 Halloween drubbing at the hands of defending champ Indiana. Only Team USA’s long winless drought to begin the campaign kept head coach/GM P.K. O’Handley’s bunch out of the East Division cellar.

But as the calendar changed from November to December, a 6-2-0 run has rallied the Black Hawks from what had the look of a lost season to within a couple points of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East. This recent surge comes as no surprise to most league observers due to O’Handley’s sterling reputation build during his eight-year tenure in Waterloo, the second-longest such stint in the league. Entering this season, O’Handley’s teams have posted a 234-153-33 record, featuring four of the five 30-win seasons in team history and the 2004 Clark Cup championship.

The Black Hawks are offensively spearheaded by third-year forward Brock Montpetit, who is inching toward 100 USHL points, league sophomore J.T. Brown and reliable point producer Tyler Barnes, who has already scored more goals this year (10) than he did last season (nine). Fellow Black Hawks veteran and defenseman Zach Palmquist is among the top-10 scorers at his position and goaltender C.J. Motte, late of the NAHL’s Traverse City North Stars, is Waterloo’s workhorse in the blue paint.

The Phantoms will meet their fellow East Division club five times, three of those at home. The Covelli Centre will house the first-ever matchup between Youngstown and Waterloo Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 7:15 p.m. The Black Hawks will also spend the first weekend of 2010’s second month in the Buckeye State, playing back-to-back contests Feb. 5-6, both at 7:15 as well. The Phantoms travel to northeastern Iowa for single games Jan. 22 and Feb. 27.

Some familiar National Hockey League names that spent developmental time in Waterloo include 12-year pro Jason Blake, burgeoning San Jose Sharks star Joe Pavelski and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Eaton. In addition to the franchises lone Clark Cup, the Hawks also claimed the Anderson Cup for best regular-season record in 2006-07 and the East Division crown in 2002-03.

O’Handley is assisted by Shane Fukushima and Derrick Johnson on the Waterloo bench and William “Butch” Johnson is the team’s owner/president. Since 1995 the Hawks have played their home games at the downtown Young Arena and their team colors are black, red and white. 

 

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