File photo by Travis Rosenau The New Ulm Steel’s Jack Laser handles the puck in front of teammate Nicholas O’Brien (7) during a Nov. 11, 2022, NA3HL game with Willmar at the New Ulm Civic Center. The Steel defeated Willmar on Friday 6-3 in Willmar and then downed Willmar 5-1 in New Ulm on Saturday, with Laser adding a goal and an assist.

NEW ULM — In a game that saw a combined 140 minutes in penalties — 53 to New Ulm and 87 to Willmar — the New Ulm Steel finished off a weekend sweep of the WarHawks.

Gus Cantwell followed up a hat trick on Friday night with his 21st and 22nd goal of the season Saturday night to lead the Steel past Willmar 5-1 at the New Ulm Civic Center in an NA3HL game.

Charlie Sullivan, Jack Laser and Connor Sousa each scored a goal also for New Ulm.

Cooper Kantola added two assists, with Cantwell, Nick O’Brien, Aiden Swee, Charlie Olson, Johnny Thrasher, Laser and Lahoussine Salama each adding helpers.

Steel goalie Nolan Lacosse stopped 30 of 31 WarHawks shots in the game.

The win was also important in that it now gives the Steel (13-17-3) a 3-point lead over Willmar for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division.

“This win and sweep was huge for our playoff chances,” Steel head coach Alex North said. “To get another win tonight gave us some separation. We are climbing the ladder as much as we can. Now we look forward to playing at Alexandria Wednesday and then a weekend series in St. Louis.”

The Steel took a 1-0 lead when Sullivan scored his fifth goal of the season at the 14:30 mark of the first period, with Swee and Kantola getting assists.

New Ulm carried that lead into the second period before Cantwell made it 2-0 on a shot from the slot on assists from Salama and Laser.

That lead held until Willmar cut it to 2-1 on a short-handed goal.

It was a period that saw a combined 14 penalties whistled on both teams.

“Both teams are very passionate and a lot of teams are not used to being swept by us,” North said.

New Ulm added three more goals in the third period — as they had Friday night — with Cantwell, Laser and Sousa putting the final touches on the biggest sweep of the season.

Laser and Sousa’s goals were on the power play as the Steel went 2 for 11 on power plays in the game.

North said that he was not surprised by the amount of penalties called in the game, with one New Ulm player and two Willmar players ejected from the game.

“It is not a surprise when these two teams get together,” North said. “They pointed to it as Rivalry Night last night there and that is pretty accurate.”