WILLMAR - Three Willmar goals in the middle frame broke open a 1-1 game and sent the Cardinals into the Section 2A girls hockey final on Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter after a 5-2 victory over Mankato East/Loyola.
Jennie Mattison scored the go-ahead goal on a Willmar powerplay with 3:15 gone in the second period at the Cardinal Arena on Saturday afternoon. Five different players notched goals for Willmar. Baylie Young stopped 26 shots in the Willmar cage.
Willmar (11-11-2), the top seed, will play No. 3 Hutchinson, which eliminated Mankato West 4-3 Saturday night in Mankato.
