FAIRMONT — The St. Peter/LeSueur-Henderson Bulldogs started and ended the game with the momentum to mark a 5-1 Big South Conference boys hockey win over the Fairmont Area Cardinals on Tuesday at Martin County Arena.

Bulldogs forward Hunter Wilmes played a major part in controlling the momentum, recording three points in the win.

“One thing Hunter can really do is shoot the puck, so if you give him space, he can take advantage and he did that tonight,” Bulldogs head coach Shea Roehrkasse said. “He did a nice job of getting open and his linemates helping him out and finding him.”

Wilmes laid in the first goal for the Bulldogs at the 13:43 mark of the first period. A little over a minute later Cardinals junior goalie Colby Kuhl turned away shots from Matt Plieseis and Tyson Sowder. But, forward Dominic D’Amato’s rebound got away from Kuhl for a 2-0 Bulldogs lead after one period.

“We made a couple really nice plays, a couple good solid rebound goals and one really nice shot (in the first period). Sometimes when that happens so early, you sit back and think it’s going to continue to happen,” Roehrkasse said. “We had kind of a lull there in the second period.”

The Cardinals took advantage of that lull right away as sophomore center Tanner DeWar scored with an assist from Tony Nuss. DeWar flipped the puck in 39 seconds into the middle frame, catching Bulldogs goalie Andrew Regner offguard.

“The second period was by far our best period,” Cardinals head coach Kris Olson said. “That (goal) was the pickup they needed. It got them going through that period, anyway.”

The Bulldogs answered back, though at the 11:24 mark of the period. Defender Ken Ringler sent the puck up the ice to Plieseis, who crossed from left to right and found open net.

The Bulldogs entered the third period with a 3-1 lead and added on to it after making minor adjustments.

“I think what helped is that we started to cycle the puck a lot more and move the puck instead of guys trying to do it on their own. Communication was a lot better, which always helps,” Roehrkasse said. “It was just one of those periods where we had some success early and that helps to lead a good, solid period.”

With 8:43 remaining in the final period, Isaac Westphal used two short passes from Sowder and Wilmes to score the team’s fourth goal of the night.

Sowder added another assist, but this time, to Wilmes with 6:48 to go in the contest. Sowder came from behind the net and connected with Wilmer for the final score of the night. The Bulldogs closed out the game outshooting the Cardinals, 22-6.

“We came out flat and ended flat,” Olson said. “Focus was a big thing in this game, and if you don’t have that, you’re going to miss passes, you’re not going to be where you need to be position-wise.

“It just creates an uphill battle and that’s what we made for ourselves tonight.”

Kuhl made 48 saves for the Cardinals, while Regner had six to record the win.

Fairmont Area (5-12) hosts Marshall at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader with the Cardinals girls hockey team. St. Peter/LeSueur-Henderson (5-9-1) hosts Windom Area at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in LeSueur.

SPLSH    2-1-2–5

FA            0-1-0–1

Scoring Plays

1st Period

SPLSH — Hunter Wilmes (unassisted), 13:43.

SPLSH — Dominic D’Amato (Matt Plieseis, Tyson Sowder), 12:34.

2nd Period

FA — Tanner DeWar (Tony Nuss), 16:21.

SPLSH — Plieseis (Ken Ringler), 11:24.

3rd Period

SPLSH — Isaac Westphal (Sowder, Wilmes), 8:43.

SPLSH — Wilmes (Sowder), shorthanded, 6:48.

Shots on goal: St. Peter/LeSueur-Henderson 17-14-22–53; Fairmont Area 3-4-6–13.

Saves: Colby Kuhl (FA) 15-13-20–48; Andrew Regner (LSHSP) 3-3-6–12.

Penalties: St. Peter/LeSueur-Henderson 3 for 6 minutes; Fairmont Area 2 for 4 minutes.

Power-play penalties: Fairmont Area 0-for-3; St. Peter/LeSueur-Henderson 0-for-2.

Girls Hockey

Waseca 3, Fairmont Area 1 — The Bluejays scored two goals in the third period to pocket the Big South Conference win over the Cardinals on Tuesday night in Waseca.

Hailie Tegmeier scored in the first period for the Bluejays. Averi Dahlberg and Gabriela Armstrong notched a goal apiece in the third.

Anna Nordquist scored the Cardinals’ lone goal.

Fairmont Area (7-9-2) hosts Marshall at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in a doubleheader boys hockey team.

Fairmont      0-0-1–1

Waseca         1-0-2–3

Scoring Plays

1st Period

W — Hailie Tegmeier (unassisted), pp., 8:56.

2nd Period

No scoring.

3rd Period

W — Averi Dahlberg (Haley Holtz), 7:15.

FA — Anna Nordquist (unassisted), 6:18.

W — Gabriela Armstrong (Cali Pederson), 4:11.

Shots on goal: Waseca 16-5-7–28; Fairmont Area 6-12-7–25.

Saves: Sadie Sandersfeld (FA) 15-5-5–25; Danni Dahris (W) 6-12-6–24.

Penalties: Waseca 6 for 12 minutes; Fairmont Area 3 for 6 minutes.

Power-play chances: Waseca 1-for-3; Fairmont Area 0-for-6.