This weekend was full of emotion, excitement and pride. Not only did the boys beat the number one team in our division Friday night, they also got to wear Americas colors for our annual Military Night.
The boys arrived back from break on Monday and got back to work. They knew that in a few short days, they’d have to take on the #1 and #2 teams in the West division in their first two games of 2026. On Friday night, the WarHawks took on the Minnesota Moose who have beaten the Hawks in every contest so far this season.
Friday’s game was in front of one of the WarHawks biggest crowds so far this season. And boy, did they get their money’s worth. Not only did they see a home town win, they also got bonus hockey. In the first 4 minutes of the 1st period, the Moose were able to capitalize on a power play and get the game’s first goal. Just 30 seconds later, Callaghan makes a zone entry in the slot. He passes to Wanka waiting by the far half wall and Wanka shoots. Elliot Domagala crashes the net and finds a loose puck behind the goalie to tie the game up. Domagala must have liked that feeling of scoring in the 1st so he decided to do it again 9 minutes later. The boys do a great job of keeping the puck in their offensive zone, spoiling multiple break out attempts by the Moose. Brown snags a bad pass by the Moose defensemen and shoots, hitting the goalie high and popping the puck in the air. Amazingly, Domagala bats the puck out of the air to get his 2nd goal of the night. When he was interviewed between periods he jokingly gave credit to his baseball skills for being able to score that goal. 2 minutes later, to the second, Brown has a great forecheck in the corner and sends the puck to M. Jackson who shoots. Carson Wendorff gets the rebound at the top of the far circle, shoots high blocker, besting the Moose tendy for the 3rd time in the 1st period. The Moose score one late in the 1st, 3-2 good guys going into the 2nd.
There’s a reason hockey fans either love or hate the first few minutes or last few minutes of a period, as they are the most dangerous times in the sport. Friday night, WarHawks fans were on the not so great part of that to start the 2nd. The Moose came back from intermission with a vengeance, showing why they’re ranked #1 in the hardest division in the NA3HL, scoring 2 goals in the first minute and a half. The boys are back to trailing by 1. 6 minutes later the WarHawks go on the power play. Domagala wins the faceoff and Wendorff gives the puck to Callaghan who shoots. Off the rebound, Elliot Domagala gets his hat trick!
Shockingly, no goals happened in the 3rd but both goalies stood on their heads. We get bonus hockey! Overtime starts and the Moose gain possession right away. After a back and forth where no one really had possession, the Moose get the first real opportunity to win it with a wrap around that resulted in two players headed to the box. Still 3v3 hockey. WarHawks gain possession off the faceoff in the boys defensive zone and make their way down the ice. After what felt like an eternity, a Moose player knocks his own net off and we get a faceoff in the offensive zone. Mikko Brown, Timmy Vaculik and Mason Wanka are picked to be the 3 WarHawks for this shift. Wanka wins the faceoff but eventually, the boys loose possession and the Moose go on an odd man rush, just Timmy and Brummer in net stand in the way of the Moose winning the game. Brown has a beautiful backcheck and Timmy gains possession and feeds it to Wanka in the neutral zone. Mason Wanka brings the puck into the offensive zone and then through the slot. Cross body shot, beating the Moose tendy glove side for the game winner! The WarHawks just beat the #1 team in the division and the #2 team in the league!
Saturday night the boys hosted the Lumberjacks. If you’ve been a WarHawks fan for even a little while, you know that there’s not a lot of love lost for these two teams. To call them rivals is an understatement.
It was also Military Night and the boys got to wear their military jays for the last time of the season. The atmosphere was electric. The WarHawks organization honored Sergeant Frank Ryland of the US Army and was presented a military jersey that will be hung at the local Willmar VFW.
The first 10 minutes of the game it was all WarHawks. Both Mason Wanka and Aidan Callaghan scored. Unfortunately, the Jacks finished the period with two goals as well. The Jacks were the only team to score in the 2nd period as well.
The Jacks were on the receiving end of the infamous first minute curse. Elliot Domagala scored while left all alone in the slot during a WarHawks power play in the beginning of the 3rd. It seemed as if the fans were going to get lucky again and see some overtime bonus hockey. But with 3 minutes left in the 3rd, the Jacks were able to capitalize on a few mistakes and got the win. The boys had left it all on the table beating the #1 team in the West the night before and almost had another upset.
The WarHawks are on the road the next few weekends but are back on home ice January 30th for Youth Hockey Night and January 31st to take on the Blizzard and Wilderness! Multiple different ticket options here:
