WARHAWKS STOMP RHINOS

Dec 19, 2022

The Willmar WarHawks scored early and often during the first game of the NA3HL Showcase in Blaine, MN at the Super Rink. It took Braydon Buckingham less than 2 minutes to find the back of the net with a feed from Smith and Kankelfrtitz for his 11th on the season. 20 Seconds later, Tyler Misialek scored with the assist going to Luc Corbin and Gunnar Sibley added to the early scoring netting a goal at the 5:16 mark from Misialek and Smith to take an early 3-0 lead. Gavin Simon made it 4-0 at 13:18 of the first on a play from Sweetland and Schutt.

Willmar came out of the locker room and wasted no time in the second with a Michael Sweetland goal at the 1:33 mark with El Paso netting their lone goal a few minutes later on an unassisted goal by Mike Sobaski. Braydon Buckingham quickly deflated the Rhinos scoring 46 seconds after on a feed from Kankelfrtitz making it 6-1 5 minutes into the 2nd. The period saw 5 power plays with the WarHawks being shorthanded twice but neither team capitalized with the man advantage. The WarHawks added two more tallies from Misialek and Jonston making it 8-1 WarHawks going into the third.

A fast start was the theme in the first game of the NA3HL Showcase with Blaise Schutt getting his first of the year 2:03 into the third period. A few minutes later Schutt lit the lamp again with the assist going to Sweetland and McCarthy to make it 10-1 WarHawks. The Rhinos failed to get anything going on two later power plays sealing the 10-1 victory for Willmar. Shots on goal were 83 to 33 in favor of the WarHawks with Michael D’Orazio stopping 32 of 33 shots.

WarHawks face the New Jersey Titans today (Monday) at 3:15 and you can catch the action on HockeyTV.