Hockey Roundup: Northern Lakes Lightning strikes down Willmar

WILLMAR — Rose Aldridge scored two goals, including the game-winner midway through the third period, to give Northern Lakes a big victory over Willmar.

The Lightning beat the Cardinals 2-1 Thursday at the Willmar Civic Center.

Aldridge opened the scoring 40 seconds into the game, getting an assist from Ava Merta. Willmar tied it up late in the first period. Sophia Quinn scored at 16:12 on the power play. Chloe Lownsbury assisted.

That’s where it stayed until Aldridge’s unassisted goal at 10:10 of the third period.

Willmar out-shot the Lightning, 33-9.

Willmar beat Northern Lakes 3-1 Dec. 3 in Pequot Lakes.

Both teams are in Section 6A and vying for top seeds. Willmar went into the contest with a No. 18 QRF power ranking. Northern Lakes was No. 29. Fergus Falls was No. 8 and River Lakes was No. 17.

The Cardinals next play at 7 p.m. Monday against Prairie Centre in Long Prairie.

Northern Lakes (11-10-1)          1     0     1 — 2
Willmar (12-11-0)                       1     0     0 — 1
FIRST PERIOD –  (1) NL: Rose Aldridge (Ava Merta), 0:40 … (2) W: Sophia Quinn (Chloe Lownsbury), 16:12 PP. 
SECOND PERIOD –  No goals
THIRD PERIOD – (3) NL: Aldridge (unassisted), 10:10
GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – Willmar: Halle Mortensen 7/9 … Northern Lakes: Katherine Stephens 32/33

Emily Johnson and Camryn Iverson each had a pair of goals to lead Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato to the victory over the Morris/Benson/Area Storm at Litchfield.

Lydia Schultz, Stella Hillman and Abby Woefel also scored goals for the Dragons.

Kortney Sanasack had MBA’s goal.

Litchfield/D-C won the first meeting between the teams 10-1 on Dec. 29 in Benson.

The Dragons’ have a quick turnaround and play Mound-Westonka/Southwest Christian at 7 p.m. Friday in Litchfield. MBA plays Worthington/Fulda at noon Saturday in Morris.

MBA (1-17-1)                            0     0     1 — 1
Litchfield/D-C (11-10-1)           2     1     4 — 7
FIRST PERIOD –  (1) LDC: Lydia Schultz (Stella Hillman), 11:24 … (2) LDC: Camryn Iverson (Hillman), 16:47. 
SECOND PERIOD –  (3) LDC: Emily Johnson (Krista Tormanen), 3:59
THIRD PERIOD – (4) LDC: Hillman (unassisted), 4:40 … (5) LDC: Iverson (Grace Braaten), 5:34 … (6) LDC: Johnson (Gabby Robertson), 10:09 … (7) LDC: Abby Woelfel (Emma Grangroth), 12:20 … (8) MBA: Kortney Sanasack (Karlie Bruns), 15:40
GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – MBA: Ava Breuer 36/43 … Litchfield/D-C: Janelle Quast, 9/10

Alexandria improved to 6-4-0 in the Central Lakes Conference with a shutout victory against River Lakes at the River Lakes Civic Arena in Richmond.

With the loss, the Stars drop to 3-7-0 in the CLC.

River Lakes plays Morris/Benson Area at 6 p.m. Monday in Richmond.

Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato completed the season sweep of Mound-Westonka with a one-goal victory at Thaler Hockey Arena in Mound.

The Dragons won the first meeting between the teams, 6-4 on Jan. 11 in Litchfield.

Keyton Johnson recorded a hat trick for Litchfield/D-C, including the eventual game winner at 4 minutes, 25 seconds of the third period. Zachary Zwilling and Gavyn Lund also tallied goals in the victory.

The Dragons’ next game is against New Ulm at 7 p.m. Thursday in Litchfield.

Mound-Westonka (7-10-0)          2     1     1 — 4
Litchfield/D-C (11-7-0)                 1     3     1 — 5
FIRST PERIOD –  (1) MW: Joseph Erickson (Michael Doshan, Maxwell Krebsbach), 4:26 … (2) LDC: Gavyn Lund (unassisted), 5:56 … (3) MW: Cooper Kantola (Krebsbach, Andrew Swanson), 9:59 PP
SECOND PERIOD –  (4) LDC: Keyton Johnson (Jack Hillman, Daniel Estrada), 0:53 … (5) MW: Doshan (Cooper Kantola), 4:34 PP … (6) LDC: Zachary Zwilling (Gavin Hanson), 6:00 … (7) LDC: Johnson (unassisted), 14:42 SH
THIRD PERIOD – (8) LDC: Johnson (Hanson, Hillman), 4:25 … (9) MW: Ethan Dorniny (Kantola), 13:54
GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – Mound-Westonka: Mason Evanson 33/38 … Litchfield/Dasse-Cokato: Travis Halonen 22/26

Central Lakes-leading Sartell left the Koronis Civic Arena in Paynesville with a win over River Lakes.

The Sabres are now 7-1 in the CLC while the Stars drop to 3-4 in conference play.

It is the second one-goal victory for Sartell over River Lakes this season. The Sabres won the first meeting, 1-0 on Dec. 14 in Sartell.

The Stars next play Breckenridge/Wahpeton at 1 p.m. Saturday in Paynesville.