×

Fairmont secures first-round playoff win over Windom

Staff photo by Caleb Brinton ABOVE: Fairmont's Alexis Haycraft works around the Windom Eagles' defense in the Section 3A Girls Hockey Quarterfinals at Martin County Arena.

FAIRMONT – The No. 3-seeded Fairmont Cardinals put on an explosive offensive performance in the Section 3A Girls Hockey Tournament Quarterfinals Thursday, earning a 7-2 win over the No. 6-seeded Windom Eagles.
The win was secured through puck possession and a fast start.
“Our game plan today was to come out playing fast,” said Fairmont head coach Aaron Haycraft. “We talked about playing fast, winning puck races, winning pucks down low and keeping the puck down low, and working from there in the offensive zone and just dominating possession of the puck. And I think we did that today. I’m super proud of the girls.”
Halyn Haycraft and Mariel Parish each scored two goals to lead the Cardinals, while Alexis Haycraft finished the night with six assists. Ilana Moeller stopped 22 shots in net for the Cardinals.
The first period started as a battle in the corners with each team jockeying for puck possession. Fairmont was coming out on top, consistently maintaining control. There was 12:59 left in the first when Fairmont went on the first power courtesy of a tripping penalty assessed to Windom. A minute and 20 seconds later, a penalty on Harper Artz for body checking brought things to four on four for the remaining 40 seconds of the Windom penalty. Despite having the advantage, the Eagles were unable to capitalize.
There was 8:47 left in the period when Alexis Haycraft found the back of the net off of a feed from Parish from behind the net out in front of the Windom goalkeeper. As the battle for control continued Fairmont was assessed a penalty for roughing, this time on Lauren Bettin which gave Windom their second advantage of the night. Windom did capitalize this time with a shot off the stick of Reagan Haugen and the assist coming from Lyvia Mcmanigle, which tied things up at 1-1.
Fairmont wasted no time reclaiming the lead 10 seconds later, finding an easy path into the offensive zone when the Haycraft sisters again connected, this time the goal coming off the stick of Halyn Haycraft that beat the keeper to put the Cardinals back in front 2-1. Windom was having some penalty trouble in the first, finding themselves again in the box with 3:14 left on the clock due to a hooking penalty. Again, Windom was called for another penalty, giving Fairmont the five-on-three advantage. While unable to capitalize on the five-on-three, the Cardinals were able to capitalize on the man advantage when Halyn Haycraft struck again, bouncing a puck off the far crossbar blocker side of the Windom goalie to put the Cardinals up 3-1.
The second period opened pretty much the same as the first, with Fairmont going on the power play 29 seconds into the period. Despite the advantage, Fairmount was unable to convert and the defensive battle continued, with neither team willing to give up the next goal.
There was 7:12 on the clock when a loose puck in front of the goalie set up a goal for Windom. Fairmont responded 30 seconds later off the stick of Parish, assisted by Alexis Haycraft and Harper Artz to put the Cardinals up by two again. A minute later, a clean zone entry by Artz found the Cardinals in a position to score again and Artz did not waste this opportunity, putting it in just under the crossbar over the top of the Windom goalkeeper for her second point of the night that put the Cardinals up 5-2 at the sound of the buzzer.
Penalty problems were a running theme throughout the game for the Eagles, who found themselves in the box two minutes into the third period. Bettin found the back of the net for a power-play goal, putting the Cardinals up 6-2. With less than 15 minutes remaining on the clock, a knuckling puck thrown to the net by Avery Kurt went past the goaltender for the final goal of the night.
The Cardinals will head to Luverne for the semifinals on Saturday.

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today