WarHawks lead early but lose to top team Bulls
NA3HL Hockey
North Iowa 12, Willmar 2
Goals from Eli Slagter and Marquez Ginger were the lone bright spots in a disappointing Willmar effort, as the WarHawkssuffered a 12-2 defeat to North Iowa on Saturday from the Willmar Civic Center.
In three losses to the Bulls this season, Willmar has been outscored by a combined margin of 29-5.
As lopsided as the final result became, the WarHawks actually held an early lead. After Slagter’s unassisted goal tied the score at 1-1, Ginger put the team ahead 17 minutes, 2 seconds into the opening period after he was assisted by Jake Santarelli and Zack Bender.
However, receiving a helper from Jordan Roo, Austin McNeil tied the game 72 seconds before the period buzzer sounded.
From then, the visitors notched three goals in the second period before unleashing seven in the third.
With two goals in the second period and one score and an assist in the third, Lucas Wahlin had four points, as did Justin Daly, who tallied one goal and three assists. Jackson Vercellono and Nick Bowlin also added three helpers.
The WarHawks will next play against Alexandria at 7:10 p.m. this Saturday at the Runestone Community Center.
North Iowa 2 3 7 — 12
Willmar 2 0 0 — 2
FIRST PERIOD – (1) N: Sean Sullivan (Matt Dahlseide, Nick Bowlin), 4:45, PP … (2) W: Eli Slagter 8:58 … (3) W: Marquez Ginger (Jake Santarelli, Zack Bender), 17:02 …
(4) N: Austin McNeil (Jordan Roo), 18:48. Penalties: (1) W: Trent Sylvester (tripping, minor), 3:55
SECOND PERIOD – (5) N: Roo (Cam Fagerlee, Carter Wagner), 4:24, PP … (6) N: Lucas Wahlin (Jackson Vercellono, Justin Daly), 14:43 … (7) N: Wahlin (Daly, Callahan Nauss), 18:41. Penalties: (2) W: Caleb Brownell (holding, minor) 3:24 … (3) N: Noah Roitman (roughing, minor), 10:47 … (4) N: Austin McNeil (tripping, minor), 17:10
THIRD PERIOD – (8) N: Dahlseide (Bowlin, Sota Isogai), 1:40 … (9) N: Daly (Vercellono, Wahlin), 2:17 … (10) N: Roitman (Mason Enright, Evan Sivets), 8:09 … (11) N: Fagerlee (Roo, Jack Kubitz), 10:24 … (12) N: Wahlin (Daly, Vercellono), 12:27 … (13) N: Dahlseide (Isogail, Bowlin), 15:45 … (14) N: Enright (Nauss, Mc-Neil), 18:02, PP. Penalties: (5) W: Johnny Rowell (tripping, minor), 17.34 … (6) W: Slagter (cross checking, minor), 18:36 … (7) Sullivan (cross checking, minor), 18:37 GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS –North Iowa: Evan Babekuhl (W) 31/33 … Willmar: Luke Weberg (L) 30/37 … Luc Haggitt 11/16
