WILLMAR — The Alexandria boys hockey team controlled the pace from the opening puck drop to the final buzzer on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Cardinals outshot Central Lakes Conference opponent Willmar 65-21 as they skated away with a 4-1 win at the Willmar Civic Center to open the 2026 calendar. The victory, the team’s third in the past four games, pushed Alexandria back above the .500 mark on the season through 10 contests.
After a scoreless opening stretch, Bennett Waldorf broke through late in the first period, scoring with less than four minutes remaining with Harlan Rehm and Ehren Anderson credited with assists. Alexandria carried that momentum into the second, when Grady Olson made it 2-0 near the six-minute mark of the frame off a setup from William Thornburg and Owen Klimek.
Willmar answered late in the period as Luke Larson scored to cut the deficit in half from the Cardinals’ two-goal lead, but Alexandria kept its composure and responded with a strong third period. Thornburg pushed the lead back to two near the midway point and Brody Berg iced the game with an even-strength goal in the final minute off an assist from Evan Klimek.
Alexandria’s shot advantage was steady all night, taking at least 20 shots on goal in all three periods, while Willmar’s best push came in the second before being held to four shots in the third. Alexandria went 0-of-5 on power-play chances for the game but were 6-of-6 on the penalty kill.
Alexandria senior forward Brody Berg battles for leverage with Willmar junior forward Luke Larson near Willmar’s net in a Central Lakes Conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at Willmar Civic Center Arena.
Michael Lyne / West Central Tribune
Both Olson and Thornburg finished the game with two points, courtesy of a goal and an assist. Rehm, Anderson, Owen Klimek and Evan Klimek each finished with assists. Owen Bruder scored the victory in goal, stopping 20-of-21 shots faced by the hosting Willmar Cardinals.
Larson’s goal for Willmar (6-4) in the second period was unassisted, while goaltender Eli Ewert was busy throughout the game and finished with 61 saves in the losing effort.
Alexandria (5-5) returns home to battle Sartell at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Runestone Community Center.
Blake Durham is the Sports and Outdoors Editor at the Echo Press. He joined the newspaper in September 2025 and covers various sports in Alexandria and throughout Douglas County. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2022.