NEW ULM -- Willmar's balanced attack outweighed being outshot 49-33 Tuesday as the Cardinals toppled New Ulm 7-1 in its season opener.
The Cardinals also beat New Ulm 7-4 in their season and home opener last year. Willmar's home opener this season is next Friday when it plays Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato at 8 p.m. in the first day of a two-day tournament.
The Cardinals scored in each period against New Ulm (1-1) with four coming in the middle stanza. Amelia Amon opened the scoring by netting a goal midway through the first period and Samantha Block finished the scoring with a goal at the 9:11 mark of the third. In between were goals from Annie Johnston, Miranda Roelofs, Shelby Schneider, Block and Lauren Sing.
Madison Sandberg tallied 48 saves to give JaColby Anderson a win in his first-ever game behind the boards as a varsity head coach. The Cardinals now play in St. Cloud on Friday in a Central Lakes Conference game against the St. Cloud Icebreakers.
Willmar 7, New Ulm 1
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Willmar (1-0) 2 4 1 -- 7
New Ulm (1-1) 0 1 0 -- 1
FIRST PERIOD - Wil: Amelia Amon 6:08 ... Wil: Annie Johnston (Lauren Sing) 6:20
SECOND PERIOD - NU: Brittany Denn 1:30 ... Wil: Miranda Roelofs (Riley Schneider) 4:35 ... Wil: Shelby Schneider (Brittney Serbus) 5:17 ... Wil: Samantha Block (Brooke Mayer, Johnston) 6:41, pp ... Wil: Sing (Serbus, Mayer) 12:39, pp
THIRD PERIOD - Wil: Samantha Block 9:11
GOALIE SAVES - Willmar: Madison Sandberg 16-14-17-48 ... New Ulm: Bailey Landreville 10-9-7-26
