Junior hockey: WarHawks win big over Minnesota

WILLMAR — The WarHawks dominated the Minnesota Loons on Sunday evening to end the regular season on a three-game winning streak.

Willmar defeated the Loons 8-3 in an NA3HL game at Willmar Civic Center Arena. Thirteen skaters notched at least one point for the WarHawks.

Willmar was led by Luke McCarthy from Cottage Grove. He notched a hat trick, scoring a goal in all three periods, including his first on the power-play.

Willmar captain Michael Sweetland recorded the game-winning goal at 9:39 of the second period. The Stillwater native has 17 goals and 31 assists in 42 games.

Two WarHawks’ skaters alongside McCarthy earned three-point nights. Tyler Misialek and Braydon Buckingham each tallied one goal and added a pair of assists.

The schedule for the 2023 Fraser Cup Playoffs is yet to be released.

Minnesota (13-31-2-1)          1     0     2 — 3
Willmar (20-25-2-0)               2     3     3 — 8

FIRST PERIOD –  (1) W: Sam Holm (unassisted), 5:31 … (2) MN: Jack Hanson (Sebastian Schuehle), 13:16 … (3) W: Luke McCarthy (Jake Hosszu, Tyler Misialek), 14:54 PP. PENALTIES: (1) W: Hosszu (tripping-minor), 6:29 … (2) MN: Jack Kritzeck (slashing-minor), 7:21 … (3) W: Owen Johnston (slashing-minor), 10:43 … (4) W: Braydon Buckingham (slashing-minor), 12:49 … (5) MN: Evan Fritze (cross checking-minor), 14:02 … (6) W: Misialek (slashing-minor), 15:19 … (7) MN: Gavyn Lund (slashing-minor), 15:19.

SECOND PERIOD –  (4) W: Misialek (Braydon Buckingham), 2:29 … (5) W: Michael Sweetland (Buckinghman, Blaise Schutt), 9:39 … (6) W: McCarthy (Gaborik Olson, James Leach), 16:41. PENALTIES: (8) W: Spencer Bergman (holding-minor), 0:00 … (9) W: Johnston (roughing-minor), 7:10 … (10) MN: Schuehle (tripping-minor), 7:24 … (11) MN: Kritzeck (too many men-minor), 9:32 … (12) W: Buckingham (tripping-minor), 11:12 … 13) W: Nik Johnson (interference-minor), 14:29 … (14) MN: Willem Kerr (interference-minor), 14:29 … (15) W: Bergman (unsportsmanlike conduct-10 minute misconduct), 18:43.

THIRD PERIOD – (7) W: Buckingham (Misialek, Leach), 5:49 … (8) MN: Josiah Lambers (Kerr), 10:10 … (9) W: McCarthy (Hosszu, Gunnar Sibley), 13:35 … (10) MN: Fritze (George Moore, Hanson), 17:35 … (11) W: Bergman (Chandler Dennis, Brady Fairbanks), 17:47. PENALTIES: (16) MN: Lambers (holding-minor), 6:28 … (17) W: Holm (unsportsmanlike conduct-minor), 8:43 … (18) MN: Schuehle (cross checking-major), 8:43 … (19) W: Holm (unsportsmanlike conduct-10 minute misconduct), 8:43 … (20) MN: Leach (holding-minor), 14:11 … (21) MN: Lambers (roughing-minor), 14:11 … (22) MN: Kerr (unsportsmanlike conduct-10 minute misconduct), 14:11 … (23) Moore (holding-minor), 15:23 … (24) Cooper Brackett (facemask-major), 19:12.

GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – Minnesota: Janic Kennedy 41/49 … Willmar: Michael D’Orazio 15/16, Zackary Ortolano 4/6

Michael Sweetland, Christian Kankelfritz, Nik Johnson and Gavin Simon all scored goals for the Willmar WarHawks in their victory over the New Ulm Steel before 875 fans at the Willmar Civic Center Arena.

New Ulm (15-26-5-1)          0     1     1 — 2
Willmar (19-25-2-0)            1     2     1 — 4

FIRST PERIOD –  (1) W: Michael Sweetland 16 (Jake Hosszu, Hudson Zinda) 3:24. PENALTIES: (1) NU: Harrison Albrecht (high sticking-minor) 2:14 … (2) NU: Gus Cantwell (hooking-minor) 9:33 … (3) W: Vincent Lucio (cross checking-minor) 19:21.

SECOND PERIOD –  (2) W: Christian Kankelfritz 8 (Brady Fairbanks, Nik Johnson) 2:30 … (3) W: Johnson 4 (Luke McCarthy, Hosszu) 4:35 .. (4) NU: Jackson Heim 6 (Conner Souza, Albrecht) 5:12. PENALTIES: (4) W: Spencer Bergman (tripping-minor) 13:43.

THIRD PERIOD – (5) W: Gavin Simon 3 (unassisted) 6:09 … (6) NU: Cooper Kantola 4 (Heim, Jack Laser) 15:47, PP. PENALTIES: (5) NU: Zach Dalzell (head contact-minor) 13:06 … (6) W: Hosszu (high sticking-minor) 14:15 … (7) W: Lucio (checking from behind-minor) 14:47 … (8) NU: Parker Dorn (roughing-minor) 17:49 … (9) NU: Cantwell (roughing-minor) 18:27 … (10) W: Lucio (charging-minor).

GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – New Ulm: Alex Benson 42/46 … Willmar: Zackary D’Orazio 27/29.