WATERLOO — It wasn’t necessarily the way the Waterloo Black Hawks wanted to head into the United States Hockey League Clark Cup playoffs.
The Des Moines Buccaneers scored three times in the first four minutes of the third period erasing a three-goal deficit Saturday before pulling out a 5-4 shootout win over the Black Hawks in the regular-season finale at Young Arena.
Waterloo head coach Matt Smaby said there is nothing that can be done about the meltdown.
“No time to think about it,” Smaby said. “What is done is done. It is the time of the year for short-term memory.
“I think our group has prepared for this moment all year. Lots of good lessons, lots of things to lean on, lots of experiences we can use moving forward.”
The Black Hawks began a best of three Clark Cup playoffs series Monday against the Lincoln Stars. The winner will advance to a best of five Western Conference semifinal against the Sioux City Musketeers.
Waterloo went 3-1 against Lincoln during the regular season, including 2-0 at home.
“We’re going to turn the page and get ready for Lincoln,” Smaby said.
Saturday started strong for Waterloo.
The Black Hawks were on the attack from the get-go as it took them just 2 minutes and 5 seconds into the first to score. Defenseman Carson Reed won a puck in the corner and his centering pass found Hilman all alone for a one timer that beat Buccaneer goalie Ethan Dahlmeir between the pads.
Defensemen Will Felicio scored his 10th of the season with 6:28 left in the opening period on a nice feed from Grady Deering, and then Hilman made it 3-0 with 3:05 left to intermission on feed from Jakub Altrichter.
Griffin Erdman also assisted on the final two goals of the period.
Des Moines got a power play goal from Liam Watkins with 4:40 left in the period, but Reid Morich made it a three-goal lead once again on unassisted tally with 20 seconds left in second.
But things fell apart in the third as the Buccaneers scored on the first three shots of the third period and erased a 4-1 deficit in the first 4:04 of the period.
“We got away from taking care of the puck,” Smaby said. “When you turnover the puck in this league it comes right back you. We made it easy for them to create offense with our poor puck decisions.
“They will have to flush it right away, that is important. There is nothing we can do about it. We cannot look behind us. We can’t look ahead. We just have to be present and in the moment.”
Waterloo finished the regular season with a 35-25-2 record and finished third behind Fargo and Sioux City in the Western Division standings.
National champions
Three former Waterloo Black Hawks won a NCAA Division I hockey title Saturday.
Connor Caponi, Miko Matikka and Garrett Brown were part of a Denver University team that topped Boston College, 2-0, in St. Paul., Minnesota Saturday in the Frozen Four championship game.
It was the Pioneers 10th national title.
Photos: Black Hawks vs. Des Moines on Saturday, April 13
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 1
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 2
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 3
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 4
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 5
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 6
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 7
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 8
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 9
HKY Black Hawks vs. Des Moines 10
Des Moines 5, Waterloo 4
SCORE BY PERIODS
Des Moines0;1;3;0;0;1 -- 5
Waterloo;3;1;0;0;0 -- 4
FIRST PERIOD – 1. Waterloo, Myles Hilman (Carson Reed), 2:05, 2. Waterloo, Will Felicio (Grady Deering, Griffin Erdman), 13:32, 3. Hilman (Jakub Altrichter, Erdman), 16:55. Penalties – None.
SECOND PERIOD – 4. Des Moines, Liam Watkins (Ben Kevan, Edison Engle), 15:20, pp, 5. Waterloo, Reid Morich (unassisted), 19:40. Penalties – Erdman, Wat (tripping), 13:46, Jackson Nevers, Wat (slashing), 16:28.
THIRD PERIOD – 6. Des Moines, Garett Drotts (unassisted), 1:42, 7. Des Moines, Paul Minnehan (Ilya Protas, Joe Gramer), 3:14, 8. Brittan Alstead (Aiden Van Rooyan), 4:04. Penalties – None.