By WJBC staff

Bloomington, IL – Bloomington faced arguably the hottest team in the United States Hockey league and came up just short 4-2 against the Waterloo Black Hawks Saturday night. Goaltender Cale Morris continues to steal the show in the USHL as of late, making 36 saves on the Thunder and making 86 saves on the weekend.

Bloomington is now 20-19-7 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season, while the Black Hawks are streaking in the Western Conference but still eight spots out of the playoffs with an 18-21-5 record.

With 13 saves in the opening period, the goaltender began to show why he is 9-1-2 since joining the Black Hawks as all Bloomington’s 13 opportunities were turned away. One chance made the difference in the frame. John Wiitala (Ohio State University) connected on a breakaway pass and pushed it to the back of the net with one hand on the stick to make it 1-0 at 10:44.

Bloomington would open the second period looking for the equalizer and would almost get it. Matt Mendelson (Penn State University) had a goal stripped off the board when he tipped the puck and put it by Morris. The officials ruled it a high stick and the Thunder would eventually get another chance on a penalty shot. Ryan Galt (University of Nebraska-Omaha) came down on Morris and was hooked from behind, but couldn’t get following the penalty shot by the Larkspur, CO native.

Three seconds later Max Gottlieb (Brown University) fired a one timer to the back of the net to tie the game. The Old Bridge, NJ native has now scored four goals on the season and leads the defensive core for the Thunder with 17 points this season. However the Hawks would tally two goals to end the period, including one short-handed goal by Henrik Rommel to take the 3-1 lead into the dressing room.

The Hawks continued in the third with a goal at 1:34 as Tyson McLellan (University of Connecticut) potted his fourth of the season. The Thunder would get another to cut the lead in half at 7:40. Nikolas Koberstein (University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Montreal Canadiens) scored his fourth goal from the far-side wall, but it would be as close as the Thunder would come.

Neither team scored a power play goal and Logan Halladay (University of Minnesota) suffered his first regulation loss in five games making 22 saves.

Bloomington heads to Dubuque for their first road game since February 7th to take on the Fighting Saints. Dubuque sits just above the Thunder in the standings with 54 points and are coming off three games in three days this weekend.