WATERLOO - Nothing feels better than a plan that works to perfection.

Entering Wednesday's United States Hockey League draft, the Waterloo Black Hawks had two No. 1 targets on their draft board - one forward and one defenseman.

The Black Hawks got both.

With its first pick, 10th overall, Waterloo grabbed Ben Miller, a forward from Oakland Township, Mich.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Miller registered 52 points - 26 goals and 26 assists - in 43 games while helping the St. Louis Bandits win the North American Hockey League championship.

In the second round, 19th overall, the Black Hawks snared defenseman George Hughes of Taft Prep, the same school that produced Drew MacKenzie and protected Black Hawks player Kevin Nugent.

"Much like last year when we got (Drew) MacKenzie and (Chad) Billins, Miller was our No. 1 forward we wanted and Hughes was our No. 1 defenseman on our board," Black Hawks assistant coach Shane Fukushima said.

With 13 players protected and an additional four on their futures list, the Black Hawks had just six Phase I picks.

Phase I of the draft allows all 12 USHL teams to select players until their roster reaches 23.

After every team had reached 23 players, Phase II of draft started where each team selects players until it has 30.

After its first six picks, Waterloo felt it had accomplished many of its draft goals.

"I guess I've been doing this too long to start doing jumping jacks, but we feel good," Black Hawks head coach P.K. O'Handley said. "We feel we have a good nucleus of players coming back and hope we've picked some guys who will push those guys down or out.

"Getting those two guys first and second (Miller and Hughes) … those kids definitely can play. We're excited."

Miller is considered a power forward, and Fukushima describes him as a physical player and a great competitor.

"I've been coming to Black Hawk camps in Spooner since I was 14," the 18-year old Miller said. "To get drafted in the first round, by the Black Hawks … I'm very excited.

"I know coach O'Handley is a great coach. He knows how to win and proves it by leading his teams to a lot of victories. I'm excited to play for him and see what he can teach me."

After Miller and Hughes, who is described as being similar to John Lee, the Black Hawks drafted three forwards and a defensman with its final four picks of Phase I.

In the third round, they selected New York Bobcats forward Matt Irving.

Irving had 28 goals and 26 assists in 37 Atlantic Junior Hockey League games.

"He's a bit of an unknown, but we feel he is a diamond in the rough," Fukushima said.

The Black Hawks dipped back into the NAHL with its fourth-round pick ? forward Aaron Pietila of the Marquette Rangers.

Pietila had 20 goals and 32 assists along with 110 penalty minutes in 46 games.

"We added some experience, grit and toughness with Aaron," said Fukushima.

Defenseman Steven Hoshaw of Culver Academy was Waterloo's fifth round pick. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds he will add size on the Black Hawks blueline.

In the sixth round, Waterloo grabbed Minnesota high school standout J.T. Brown of Rosemont, a forward.

Brown had 32 goals and 35 assists in 28 games for Rosemont this season and was a Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist along with Burnsville's Tyler Barnes, a Black Hawks protected player.

"He really knows how to shoot the puck and has a lot of offensive ability. We feel he can put up big points in this league," Fukushima said.

In Phase II, Waterloo looked to the future while also hoping to find a steal or two.

"At that point of the game, we think you can still find guys who probably are worthy of a top-five round pick," Fukushima said. "Those guys have just as good of a shot at making our team as the higher-round guys."

The Black Hawks will get to see their new charges in action on June 13-15 in Spooner, Wis. at the first of two try-out camps the team will hold at the Northwest Sports Complex, it's training home.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com