WATERLOO, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (39-12-3-4, 85 pts) shutout the Waterloo Black Hawks (33-24-0-1, 67 pts) 2-0 on Tuesday night to clinch the third regular-season conference title in Tier-I franchise history.

Kevin Reidler recorded his third shutout of the season and 26th win with 28 saves in the victory. He stopped 14 Waterloo shots in the opening frame to keep the Hawks off the board and the Saints allowed just 14 shots the rest of the way.

Just past the halfway mark in regulation, Erik Påhlsson converted on a back-door pass from linemate Beckett Hendrickson to put the Saints ahead with his 24th goal of the season. Seamus Powell recorded his 26th assist of the season on the play as well.

Less than three minutes later, Påhlsson found Hendrickson at the side of the net on a power play. Hendrickson rammed the puck on net and snuck it inside the post to put the Saints ahead 2-0 with his 24th and sixth as a Saint. Gavin Cornforth also assisted on the power-play tally and Dubuque held the lead the rest of the way.

The Fighting Saints have dominated the Hawks on special teams all season, converting above 40% on the power play and above 85% on the penalty kill entering the matchup. Hendrickson's goal was the Saints' lone conversion on three power-play chances and the kill stopped all four Waterloo opportunities to win the special-teams battle.

With four games remaining, the Fighting Saints have locked up the top seed in the Eastern Conference and have secured home-ice advantage through the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Saints have earned the top seed in their conference two previous times in the franchise's Tier-I history, winning the West in 2010-11 and the East in 2012-13. They have not held home-ice advantage in the Conference since that playoff run in 2013.

The Fighting Saints travel to Chicago on Friday to begin a home-and-home with the Steel.