The 2025 Clark Cup Final resumes Friday, with the Waterloo Black Hawks and Muskegon Lumberjacks knotted at 1-1 in the best-of-five series.
The first two games were played at Young Arena in Waterloo, which has seen a packed house this entire post-season.
During eight playoff games at home, 17,936 fans came out to cheer on the Black Hawks. It is Waterloo’s biggest post-season attendance total since 2008.
With the series switching to Muskegon, it’s the Lumberjacks’ turn to grab home ice advantage and get their fans hyped up.
The Black Hawks are 2-2 on the road during this year's playoffs, while Muskegon sports a 4-1 mark at Trinity Health Arena. Three possibilities could occur this weekend: the teams could split Game 3 and Game 4, the Lumberjacks could win both, or the Black Hawks could win both.
History has not been on the Hawks’ side away from home during the post-season. Waterloo has won just two road games during the same playoff series four times since 1979-80, when the USHL implemented all-junior roster requirements.
In 2004, the Hawks achieved the feat against both the Danville Wings and Tri-City Storm on the way to the Clark Cup. Waterloo also took two at the Ice Box versus the Lincoln Stars in both 2018 and 2022.
Ty Mason and Sam Huck each scored their first 2025 Clark Cup Playoff goals during Game 1 against Muskegon. They became the 16th and 17th different Hawks to notch a goal during this post-season.
The Lumberjacks and Dubuque Fighting Saints have the next-widest goal distribution during these playoffs with 12 scorers apiece. The 2018 Fargo Force are the last team to have 17 different goal-scorers in the same post-season. No USHL team in the 21st century has had 18.
Goaltender Carter Casey has played 732 minutes during the 2025 post-season. Liam Beerman of the Fighting Saints has the next highest total (396 minutes). Casey’s time on ice represents the most playoff minutes since Simon Latkoczy of the Madison Capitols was in the crease for 861 minutes during 2022.
The last Black Hawk goalie to play more post-season hockey was Cal Petersen (759 minutes) in 2014. Stephon Williams holds the single-playoff team record in this statistical category: 894 minutes in 2012.
The 13 goals Waterloo and Muskegon combined to score during Game 1 last Friday were the most during any Clark Cup Final game since the USHL adopted Tier 1 standards ahead of the 2002/03 season. The Hawks prevailed 8-5, led by Teddy Townsend’s hat trick and a four-point (two goals, two assists) night by Reid Morich.
During Game 2, Morich gave Waterloo a 1-0 lead early in the second period, but Muskegon did all the other scoring for a 4-1 decision.
Shika Gadzhiev earned the win for the Jacks with a dominant bounce-back performance. His defensemen helped out with numerous blocked shots and deflected passes.
David Deputy's two goals included the game winner and regained his lead in the USHL post-season. The win was the first Clark Cup Final victory in Jacks franchise history.
Puck drop for Game 3 on Friday is set for 7:10 Pm ET, with Saturday’s Game 4 scheduled for 6:10 Pm ET.