WILLMAR -- Junior Matt Odom, scored a hat trick and senior Joel Schendel added two goals and two assists as the Willmar Cardinals exploded for a 9-2 victory over Morris/Benson Area in a boys non-conference hockey opener Tuesday night at the Civic Center.
Storm goalie Ross Benjamin was under siege as the Cardinals unleashed 59 shots on net. His 50 saves were impressive considering the onslaught.
The Cardinals not only beat the Braves to the puck but buttered the attack with slick passing.
"We did a lot right offensively," said Dan Tollefson, who was making his debut as Willmar's ninth head coach. "We got into some penalty trouble later which I don't like but the kids were creative on some of the scoring chances."
Willmar, which skated four lines most of the night, shot to the lead at 3:04 of the first frame on a Josh Mead goal. Andrew Kleven, Odom, Trent Fader and Odom, again, followed for a 5-0 lead by 14:25.
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MBA faces a rebuilding year after losing six of eight top scorers from a year ago when the Storm opened with an 8-5 win over Willmar in a 20-win season.
Kleven finished the night with two goals. Otto Pusrkonen notched two powerplay goals for MBA.
Willmar goalie Jon Mattison faced nine shots total.
Willmar 9, MBA 2
MBA (0-1) 0 1 1 -- 2
Willmar (1-0) 5 1 3 -- 9
FIRST PERIOD - Wil: Josh Mead (Travis Hanson, Raulin Magnuson) 3:04 ... Wil: Andrew Kleven (Matt Odom, Paul Schrupp) 4:08 ... Wil Odom (Schrupp, Matt Kroneberger) 8:21, powerplay ... Wi l: Trent Fader (Jordon Benson) 12:26 ... Wil: Odom (Joel Schendel 14:25
SECOND PERIOD - Wil: Joel Schendel (Magnuson) 3:16 ... MBA: Otto Pusrkonen (Jordan Lee, Peter Lindblad) 14:39, pp
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THIRD PERIOD - MBA: Pusrkonen (Lee, Mikey Siegel) 4;01, pp ... Wil: Schendel (Odom, Mead) 10:55 ... Wil: Odom (Adam Olson, Schendel) 11:27... Wil: Kleven (Jordan Baker, Magnuson) 16:32
GOALIE SAVES - Morris/Benson Area: Ross Benjamin 22-11-17-50 ... Willmar: Jon Mattison 1-2-4-7
