WILLMAR — The Willmar WarHawks took an early lead and never let up in a 7-2 NA3HL victory over the Alexandria Blizzard on Tuesday.
The WarHawks got first-period goals from Collin Kerchoff, Nickita Moissev and Jeremiah Konkel 8:09 into the game before 450 fans at the Willmar Civic Center Arena.
Kerchoff wound up with two goals for Willmar. He’s a forward from White Lake, Michigan, with 14 goals and 26 assists in 39 games this season.
Also scoring goals for the WarHawks were: Patrick Wyers, Nolan Grier and Jake Hosszu.
Cooper Olson made 22 saves to get the win in net for Willmar.
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The WarHawks close out the regular season with three straight games, all starting at 7:10 p.m. They play Thursday at New Ulm against the Steel, then are host to New Ulm on Friday and Saturday.
Willmar 7, Alexandria 2
Alexandria (23-20-1-1) 1 1 0 — 2
Willmar (29-14-1-0) 3 3 1 — 7
FIRST PERIOD – (1) W: Collin Kerchoff 13 (Tate Hammitt, Ben Luedtke) 2:44 … (2) W: Nickita Moiseev 2 (Jake Hosszu, Enzo Tarducci) 4:09 … (3) A: Sean Kenny 13 (Charlie Larsen) 4:52 … (4) W: Jeremiah Konkel 23 (Blake Keller, Hammitt) 8:09. PENALTIES: (1) W: Patrick Wyers (boarding-minor, 2 min) 10:29 … (2) Bailey Rosch (served by Matt Scribner, interference-minor, 2 min) 11:40) … (3) W: Moissev (tripping-minor, 2 min) 16:05 … (4) W: Nolan Grier (charging-minor, 2 min) 19:32.
SECOND PERIOD – (5) W: Grier 12 (Brady O’Brien) 4:47 … (6) W: Hosszu 1 (Mason Hendrickson, Samuel Miller) 6:09 … (7) W: Kerchoff 14 (Luedtke, Grier) 6:43 … (8) A: Charlie Larsen 4 (Benjamin Tschida, Karsten Senden) 19:26. PENALTIES: (5) W: Moiseev (checking from behind-major, 5 min) 16:28 … (6) W: Moiseev (checking from behind-game misconduct, 20 min) 16:28.
THIRD PERIOD – (9) W: Patrick Wyers 22 (Hendrickson, Ethan Mock) 16:55. PENALTIES: (7) W: Ethan Mock (cross checking-minor, 2 min) 5:32 (8) W: Mock (holding-minor, 2 min) 5:32 … (9) W: Konkel (tripping-minor, 2 min) 10:55 … (9) A: Larsen (kneeing-minor, 2 min) 13:59.
GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – Alexandria: Andrew Tuttle (4:09 1st period) 6/8, Rosch (55:51) 28/33 … Willmar: Cooper Olson 22/24
