WATERLOO - There is no place like home and for the Waterloo Black Hawks, a quick click of the skates and a quick goal in the first period sent a rainbow of applause throughout Young Arena.

Tyler Barnes creased the Lancer net just 26 seconds into the first period as the Hawks cruised to a 5-1 victory over Omaha Saturday night.

It was the first victory for the Hawks (1-2-1) this season.

"I was a little nervous how the boys would react after the long trip from Indiana this morning," Black Hawks coach P.K. O'Handley said. "It was good to get back home here and play in front of this crowd. I think they helped get the adrenaline flowing, and our boys responded very well."

The Black Hawks traveled throughout the night and arrived at Young Arena at 5 a.m. Saturday.

"We were a little tired but our penalty kill carried us tonight," O'Handley said. "There is an old adage in hockey that your best penalty kill is your goalie, and tonight Joe Howe played a great game."

Howe turned away 22 shots by the Lamcers, including 11 from the penalty kill, with three occasions of skating to a 5-on-3 disadvantage.

"I really didn't see that many shots as our penalty killing unit blocked a lot of shots out front," Howe said. "They allowed me to see the puck pretty good, and they made my job easier."

Howe has planted himself solidly in net for the Black Hawks as he enters his second year with the team.

"When you skate out on the ice with this crowd, it just gets you pumped up and I get goose bumps every time," Howe said. "It just gives us that extra kick we need."

The Black Hawks have been tough at home during O'Handley's tenure. They produced a 22-4-4 record last year at Young Arena and captured their opener this year.

The Black Hawks added to their total midway through the first period as Eriah Hayes intercepted a pass in front of the Lancer net and scorched a shot passed Danny Sullivan for a 2-0 advantage.

Omaha trimmed the lead in half in the second on a short-handed goal.

The Black Hawks put the game on ice in the third as Keegan Meuer and Lee Moffie scored three minutes apart for a 4-1 lead.

Craig Smith rounded out the scoring with a redirection of a Moffie shot that found the back of the net.

The Black Hawks have a history of starting out slow in the early season, but have proven that it is what happens in the end that counts.

"There is an old saying that, 'it is not how you begin, but how you finish,'" O'Handley said. "We made a quick rebound, and now we need to go on."

The Black Hawks have had slow starts the past three years but have reached the finals the last two.

Contact Rod Payne at sportsdoor@wcfcourier.com

SCORE BY PERIODS

Omaha 0 1 0 ? 1

Waterloo 2 0 3 ? 5

FIRST PERIOD - 1. Waterloo, Tyler Barnes (Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Craig Smith) :26; 2. Waterloo, Eriah Hayes (unassisted) 13:50. Penalties - Seth Ambroz, Omaha (boarding) 5:11; Joe Tolles, Omaha (holding) 9:02; Brett Beebe, Wat. (tripping) 17:23.

SECOND PERIOD - 3. Omaha, Jake Hauswirth (unassisted) 2L56. Penalties - Louis Leblanc, Omaha (highsticking) 1:21; Troy Power, Omaha (highsticking) 3:25; Ian Ruel, Omaha (hooking) 7:05; Moffie, Wat. (slashing) 14:15; Nick Larson, Wat. (roughing) 16:11; Larson, Wat. (unsportsmanlike) 16:11; CJ Ludwig, Omaha (roughing) 16:11; Dan Sova, Wat. (roughing) 16:11; Danny Kristo, Omaha (highsticking) 17:31.

THIRD PERIOD - 4. Waterloo, Keegan Meuer (Hayes, Sova) 1:40; 5. Waterloo, Lee Moffie (Craig Smith, Mike Fink) 4:33; 6. Waterloo, Smith (Moffie) 12:24. Penalties - Leblanc, Omaha (hooking) 3:49; Chris Student, Wat. (hooking) 6:25; Meuer, Wat. (crosschecking) 7:59; Patrick wey, Wat. (tripping) 9:18; Beebe, Wat. (hooking) 15:10; Dan Brown, Omaha (holding) 16:18; Craig, Wat. (unsportsmanlike) 17:44; Samuels-Thomas, Wat, (crosschecking) 17:44; Samuels-Thomas Wat. (unsportsmanlike) 17:44; Ambroz, Omaha (slashing) 19:28; Ambroz, Omaha (roughing) 19:28; Ryan Hill, Wat. (roughing) 19:28.

SHOTS ON GOAL

Omaha 4 10 10 - 24

Waterloo 15 7 12 - 34

Goalies - Omaha, Danny Sullivan (29 saves), Waterloo, Joe Howe (23 saves).

Officials - Referee, Curtis Marouelli. Linesmen, Aaron Mills and Brian Oliver.

Att - 3,421.