ICY SAVE — Fairmont Area netminder Rachel O’Connor (1) stonewalls Worthington forward Kessey Aljets (13) on a close-range shot during Big South Conference hockey action Tuesday night at Martin County Arena in Fairmont. O’Connor went on to make 26 saves to net the win. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Fairmont Area senior netminder Rachel O’Connor stopped two pivotal solo breakaway opportunities, stonewalled a 2-on-none chance and even denied a 3-on-zero break to help the Cardinals halt a five-game skid on the ice.

O’Connor recorded 26 saves, while eighth-grade teammate Maia Goerndt’s first varsity goal proved the difference in Fairmont Area’s 3-2 Big South Conference hockey victory over the Worthington Trojans on Tuesday night at Martin County Arena.

“That’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen her play in net,” Cardinals’ assistant coach Eric Householder said in reference to O’Connor. “She didn’t give up any breakaways and like the rest of the team, was really focused on the task at hand — getting us back in the win column.

“We can’t rest on this (victory) too long as we’ve got a tough game against Marshall on Thursday, but it’s nice to get the hard-fought win tonight.”

Mackenzie Householder and Macy Militello combined to stake Fairmont Area to a 2-0 lead after the completion of the first period, with O’Connor turning away nine Worthington shots on net.

Mackenzie Householder settled the puck at the right point and hammered a quick-wrister inside the right pipe for an unassisted twine-finder and one-goal edge with 9:51 remaining in the initial frame.

O’Connor then maintained her shutout by using her glove to deflect Worthington’s 2-on-none rush along the left wing. Fairmont Area’s senior goalie denied a direct blast by Kory Nickel to keep the game at 1-0.

Militello then doubled the Cardinals’ margin by firing a left-wing shot that curled over Trojan goalie Lillyana Newman’s right shoulder and squeezed into the webbing in the top left shelf. Alexis Newville slid the pass to Militello at the 3:03 juncture in the opening frame.

Riley Nickel nearly sliced the Trojans’ gap in half by unleashing a shot from the right wing on a 3-on-zero break, but O’Connor managed to use her shoulder to alter the rising liner at the 6 1/2-minute mark of the second frame.

Maia Goerndt then cradled Corene Moeller’s perfect lead pass near the blue line, skated at Newman and flipped a right-to-left wrister into the webbing for a 3-0 lead with 4:08 left in the second.

Kessey Aljets, who generated a dozen or more of Worthington’s 28 shots on goal, finally managed to stuff home an O’Connor original ricochet for an unassisted goal with 3:20 left in the second frame.

After O’Connor stonewalled Aljets with no Cardinal defenders back during a Trojan power-play with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Aljets finally converted yet another power-play chance with a right-to-left liner at the 8:34 juncture. O’Connor turned away two late shots to cap her victory between the pipes.

Newman finished with a game-best 33 saves for the Trojans.

Fairmont Area (3-5-1) travels to Red Baron Arena in Marshall on Thursday night to face the host Tigers in a 7 p.m. conference game.

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Worthington 0-1-1–2

Fairmont 2-1-0–3

Scoring Plays

1st Period

FA–Mackenzie Householder (unassisted), 9:51.

FA–Macy Militello (Alexis Newville), 3:03.

2nd Period

FA–Maia Goerndt (Corene Moeller), 4:08.

WOR–Kessey Aljets (unassisted), 3:20.

3rd Period

WOR–Kessey Aljets (unassisted), PP., 8:34.

Shots on goal: Fairmont Area 14-8-14–36; Worthington 9-9-10–28.

Saves: Rachel O’Connor (FA) 26; Lillyana Newman (WOR) 33.

Penalties: Fairmont Area 5 for 10 minutes; Worthington 4 for 8 minutes.

Power-play chances: Worthington 1-for-5; Fairmont Area 0-for-4.

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Boys Hockey

Worthington 7, Fairmont Area 3 — The Trojans netted a four-goal margin of victory over the Cardinals during Big South Conference ice action Tuesday night in Worthington.

Worthington led 2-0 after one period before Fairmont Area mounted a second-segment comeback to trim the home team’s lead to 4-3.

Brock Lutterman generated two goals to fuel the Cardinals’ rally, while teammate Mathew Cone netted one goal during the middle 17-minute frame.

The Trojans outscored the Cardinals, 3-0, in the third period to cap their winning ways.

Cardinals’ netminder Carson Johnson recorded 28 saves between the pipes.

Fairmont Area (1-4) plays host to Marshall at 7 p.m. Thursday night at Martin County Arena in Fairmont.