WINDOM — The Fairmont Area Cardinal girls hockey team started off 2020 with a 3-1 Big South Conference triumph over the Windom Area Eagles on Thursday night in Windom.

The Cardinals scored once in each period to secure the two-goal margin of victory.

Toria Robillard used a double assist from Marissa Becker and Meakin Bang with 15:49 left in the opening period to account for the Eagles’ only score of the matchup.

Jozie Hoefker connected on a first-period equalizer with 11:28 left off an assist from Macy Militello to draw the Cardinals even at 1-all.

Joni Becker then gave Fairmont Area the lead with 10:04 left in the second period when she used an assist from Tegan Roskop to get past the Windom Area goalkeeper.

Bella Larson followed with an insurance goal off a Mackenzie Householder assist with 7:46 left in the third period to seal the Cardinals’ winning performance.

Goaltender Rachel O’Connor made 19 saves to net the win for the Cardinals, who outshot the Eagles 33-20 in the matchup.

Fairmont Area (4-9-1, 3-4 Big South) plays host to Luverne at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Martin County Arena.

Windom Area (3-11, 1-7) plays host to Morris/Benson Area at 5:30 p.m. tonight.

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Boys Hockey

Windom Area 5, Fairmont Area 3 — The Eagles scored two first-period goals to take a lead they would not relinquish during Big South Conference boys hockey action Thursday night in Windom.

Alex Espenson used a Wyatt Haugen assist with 8:46 left in the first period and Haugen scored unassisted with 24 seconds remaining in the opening period to build the Eagles’ early lead.

Austin Fredin made it a 3-0 advantage when he used a Simon Pell assist with 12:58 left in the middle period before Alec Reutzel got Fairmont Area on the scoreboard.

Reutzel scored off an Eli Anderson assist on a power-play opportunity with 5:04 left in the second period.

Simon Pell scored unassisted for Windom Area to open third-period scoring with 15:33 left to go ahead 4-1.

Kaiden Musser gave the Cardinals an unassisted, short-handed goal at the 7:17 mark of the final period before Thomas Claeys used a Nikolas Flanagan assist with 5:58 left to bring the Cardinals within one.

Kyle Espenson gave the Eagles an insurance goal with 30 seconds left off a Haugen assist to take the 5-3 lead.

Windom outshot Fairmont Area 54-16 in the conference clash.

Carsen Musser made 49 saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Dan Stubbe netted the win for Windom Area with 13 stops.

Fairmont Area (2-9, 1-5 Big South) travels to Redwood Falls for a 1 p.m. game Saturday.

Windom Area (2-7-1, 2-4) plays host to Morris/Benson Area at 8 p.m. tonight.