SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) –The Sioux Falls Stampede rallied from a two-goal deficit, but couldn’t make a second rally and fell 5-2 to the Waterloo Black Hawks Friday night at the PREMIER Center. Maddox Fleming scored two power play goals for the Herd while Jackson Irving took the loss in goal, stopping 28 of 33 shots in goal. The Herd dropped to 3-3-0 on the season and travel to Sioux City on Saturday night.
The Black Hawks came ready to play and the Stampede stumbled a bit out of the gates on Friday night. It remained scoreless though until the 10:25 mark when Waterloo tallied the games first goal. Garrett Shifsky brought the puck into the Stampede zone and skated into the right circle where he wristed a shot past the glove side of goaltender Jackson Irving for a 1-0 lead. Minutes later a similar situation presented itself when Owen Baker accepted a pass in the circle and wristed a shot that this time beat Irving five-hole for a 2-0 lead.
The Hawks were buzzing after the goal, but Irving and the Stampede were able to keep them off the board. Sioux Falls would finally get some luck go their way when they were awarded a power play with just over three minutes remaining in the period and they would cash in. Max Rud sent a pass from the right point to the left circle for Maddox Fleming who one-timed the puck right past Waterloo goaltender Jack Spicer to make it a 2-1 game. Waterloo outshot the Stampede 18-6 in the period.
Sioux Falls would tie the game in the second when Fleming struck again on the power play at 12:59 on a highlight reel goal. Sam Harris brought the puck behind the net and then did a no-look, behind the back pass to Fleming who quickly knocked it home to tie the game at two and send the PREMIER Center faithful to their feet. The celebration would be short lived however as the Black Hawks responded just 25 seconds later when Nicholas DeGraves wristed a shot from the right circle that clipped Irving’s stick and bounced into the net for a 3-2 lead. Sioux Falls outshot Waterloo 10-6 in the period.
The Herd were hoping for a third period comeback, but things got more difficult just 4:45 into the period when the Hawks would take advantage of yet another Stampede turnover and scored on a two-on-one break for a 4-2 lead off the stick of Shifsky again. Waterloo would add a goal late in the period on the power play to seal a 5-1 victory.
Waterloo outshot the Stampede 9-7 in the third period and 33-23 on the night. Sioux Falls finished the game with 2-for-3 while Waterloo was 1-for-3.
The Herd return to action Saturday night when they travel to Sioux City to face the Musketeers at 6:05 PM. Fans can catch the game live on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 105.1-FM, 107.9-FM and KELO.com starting at 5:40 PM.
