Boys hockey: River Lakes tops Willmar

PAYNESVILLE — River Lakes goaltender Chris Skluzacek made 42 saves after Willmar outshot the Stars 43-18 and River Lakes scored in each period en route to posting a 3-1 Central Lakes Conference win Tuesday over the Cardinals.
Austin Stone scored 48 seconds into the game, Jake Herges scored on a power play early in the second period and Stefan Tomovic added more insurance early in the third to put the Stars up 3-0 before the Cardinals would strike.
“(Skluzacek) won the game for them,” said Willmar coach Dan Tollefson. “He was on his game again.”
The Stars also beat Willmar 3-2 on Dec. 6 in Willmar when Skluzacek made 43 saves. The Cardinals outshot the Stars 45-21 in that game.
Hunter Schneider kept Willmar from getting shut out Tuesday when he scored on a power play midway through the third period.
Willmar hosts Fergus Falls on Thursday.
River Lakes 3, Willmar 1
Willmar (0-6-1, 7-7-1) 0 0 1 — 1
River Lakes (4-5, 7-9) 1 1 1 — 3
FIRST PERIOD – RL: Austin Stone (Matt Kissner, Nick Bergeson) :48
SECOND PERIOD – RL: Jake Herges (Mathew Prozinski, Eric Zimmer) 2:14, pp
THIRD PERIOD – RL: Stefan Tomovic (Herges, Joe Spaulding) 5:52 … Wil: Hunter Schneider (Ryan Woltjer) 8:07, pp
GOALIE SAVES – Willmar: Joey Benson 5-6-4-15 … River Lakes: Chris Skluzacek 12-15-15-42