AMES – Caleb Raisty made 27 saves as the Waterloo Warriors advanced to the Midwest High School Hockey League tournament finals with a 3-2 win over the Dubuque Devils Saturday at the Ames Ice Arena.
Waterloo will play either Kansas City, 4-2 winners over Des Moines Oak Leafs in the other semifinal Sunday as it tries to win its ninth MHSHL title in program history.
The Warriors most recently won in 2019.
Dubuque scored first as Dane Schope found the back of the net with 8:54 left in the first period. But just 36 seconds later the Warriors tied it on an unassisted Braydan Kirchmann goal.
Waterloo surged ahead wth two goals 22 seconds apart in the second.
Defenseman Landon Sturch scored with 4:14 left, and then Carter Frost made it 3-1 with 3:52 remaining on assists from Kirchmann and Jameson Clark.
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Dubuque scored a power-play goal just 2:20 into the third, but Raisty and the Warriors made their one-goal lead standup.
The championship game will start at 2:30 p.m.
POSTSEASON HONORS: Three Warriors earned MHSHL honors.
Junior defenseman Landon Sturch and junior goalie Caleb Raisty were named to the all-league team as well as the 2020-21 all-star team.
Junior forward J.T. Metcalf was an honorable mention selection to the all-star team.
Waterloo 3, Dubuque 2
SCORE BY PERIODS
Dubuque 1 0 1 — 2
Waterloo 1 2 0 – 3
FIRST PERIOD – 1. Dubuque, Dane Schope (Blake Bakey, Owen King), 8:06, 2. Waterloo, Braydan Kirchmann (unassisted), 8:42. Penalties – Blake Bechen, Dub (interference), 16:04.
SECOND PERIOD – 3. Waterloo, Landon Sturch (unassisted), 12:46, 4. Waterloo, Carter Frost (Kirchmann, Jameson Clark), 13:08. Penalties – Gage Pillack, Wat (tripping), 5:59.
THIRD PERIOD – 5. Dubuuqe, Blake Bakey (Schope, King), 2:20, pp. Penalties – Cooper Johnson, Wat (tripping), :35. Frost, Wat. (hooking), 4:37.
Shots on goal: Waterloo 20, Dubuque 29,
Goalies – Dubuque, Isaac Tillman (17 saves). Waterloo, Caleb Raisty (27 saves).