Hockey: Blizzard earn two big wins over Granite City

The Alexandria Blizzard earned two big wins over the weekend as it beat the Granite City Lumberjacks on Friday on the road and on Saturday at home at the Runestone Community Center.

The Lumberjacks (35-5-2, 72 points) are in first place in the NA3HL Western Division, while Alexandria is second (29-10-2, 60 points).

Alexandria beat Granite City 5-0 on Friday in Sauk Rapids and pulled out a 4-3 overtime win in Alexandria on Saturday.

In Friday’s game, Ryan Hadland scored a first period goal for the Cardinals, while Charlie Larsen scored a power play goal in the second, and Wyatt Johnson scored a shorthanded goal. Alexandria iced the game with third period goals by Matt McIntyre (power play) and Joe Gronholz.

Hayden DeMars and Jack Whitmore had two assists in Friday’s goal for the Blizzard, while Jameson O’Flynn, Sean Kenny, Charlie Larsen, and Justin Wasvick had one.

Alexandria had a 27-24 shot on goal advantage in Friday’s win. Konrad Kausch picked up the win in net with 24 saves.

In Saturday’s game, Granite City scored a goal with two and a half minutes left in the third frame to tie the game at three and force overtime.

DeMars scored the overtime goal for the Blizzard off an assist by Larsen and Hadland.

The game was scoreless in the first period, but goals by Wasvick, Kenny, and O’Flynn helped the Blizzard gain a 3-2 lead in the second period.

Hadland, Michael DeBrito, Calvin Knight, Larsen, DeMars, Logan Lukasezck, Wasvick, and Cole Klingbeil had an assist in the win.

The Blizzard had a 41-31 shot on goal advantage. Kausch earned the win in net with 38 saves.

Alexandria is now 3-3 so far this season against Granite City.

Granite City and Alexandria have each secured one of the four spots that the western division gets in the NA3HL Fraser Cup Playoffs. The Mason City Toros (26-14-1, 53 points) have also secured a playoff spot, and one playoff spot in the division is still up for grabs.

The Blizzard have six games left this season, the four of which are at home. The Blizzard host the New Ulm Steel (14-24-5, 33 points) on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.