Photo Courtesy of the USHL [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/4fb02531-985b-4722-aabc-b8c3a7a3f1e6.png] Photo Courtesy of the USHL The 2025 Clark Cup Final resumes Friday, with the Waterloo Black Hawks [https://waterlooblackhawks.com/]and Muskegon Lumberjacks [https://muskegonlumberjacks.com/]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. Photo Credit: Stephanie Lyn Photography [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/096be436-80cf-4a33-9300-96877cf0c74f.jpeg] Photo Credit: Stephanie Lyn Photography 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 [https://stormhockey.com/index.aspx]on the way to the Clark Cup. Waterloo also took two at the Ice Box versus the Lincoln Stars [https://lincolnstars.com/index.aspx]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 [https://dubuquefightingsaints.com/]have the next-widest goal distribution during these playoffs with 12 scorers apiece. The 2018 Fargo Force [https://fargoforce.com/]are the last team to have 17 different goal-scorers in the same post-season. No USHL [https://thehockeynews.com/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 [https://madcapshockey.com/]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. Photo Courtesy of the Muskegon Lumberjacks [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7a57af08-efd0-409e-a0a1-4464a063bd9f.jpeg] Photo Courtesy of the Muskegon Lumberjacks 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.
