PAPILLION, NE – With an early puck bouncing the wrong direction, the Anderson Cup champions were facing an immediate sobering effect from their regular season conference championship. At no more than 2:53 into the first period the Waterloo Black Hawks scored the first goal of the 2009 USHL playoffs.
With an early strike, Waterloo placed Green Bay in a tight position early as the Gamblers were forced to play catch up immediately within the series. Jordan Samuels-Thomas of Waterloo placed the opening notch just under the cross bar past Green Bay goal tender Reid Eliingson. Waterloo would hold their 1-0 lead through the first intermission.
During intermission the essential capitalizing adjustments were made in the Gambler locker room as Green Bay tallied their first goal off of the stick of Anthony Hayes at 2:54. With two more goals for Green Bay in the second period, Green Bay placed themselves into a commanding 3-1 lead at the second intermission.
The third period resulted in little action on the score sheet as Green Bay managed to hold the Black Hawks in check the remainder o the evening. Green Bay scored their final goal, an empty netter at 18:24 from William Rapuzzi.
With the win, Green Bay has taken a 1-0 series lead in the first round of the best-of-five playoff schedule as Eliingson managed to stop the remaining 29 shots on goal from Waterloo.
Contact john.strathman@prohockeynews.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.