Boys hockey roundup: Sauk Rapids downs Cards
WILLMAR — Zech Streed netted two goals and Hunter Schneider piled up three points with a goal and two assists for Willmar, but the Cardinals were swept away by the Storm of Sauk Rapids Tuesday in a 7-3 Central Lakes Conference loss.
Sauk Rapid’s 2-2-1 record includes a 6-1 win over Sartell and a 13-0 loss to Hermantown, the 2012 Class A runners-up to St. Thomas Academy.
The Storm scored three goals in a span of four minutes midway through the first period to take control. The visitors then tacked on two goals in each of the second and third periods.
“They were really strong on the stick and skates,” said Willmar coach Dan Tollefson. “They’re really disciplined and not flashy. They did the little things well.”
“We came out flat and they jumped on us. When it seemed we would get close, they slammed the door on us. It was one of those nights.”
Travis Kotchenbeutel and Matthew Meyer each netted two goals for Sauk Rapids, which held Willmar (0-2-1, 3-2-1) to just 19 shots on goal.
Levi Goosman was peppered with 26 shots and the Cardinal goaltender responded with 19 saves.
Willmar is at Alexandria on Thursday for a girls-boys doubleheader.
Sauk Rapids 7,
Willmar 3
Sauk Rapids (2-1, 2-2-1)......3 2 2 — 7
Willmar (0-2-1, 3-2-1)............1 1 1 — 3
FIRST PERIOD – SR: Travis Kotchenbeutel (Luke Althaus) 8:46 … SR: Kotchenbeutel (Ross Chapa, Althaus) 11:56 … SR: Brandon Duray (Matthew Meyer) 12:48 … Wil: Zech Streed (Hunter Schneider) 13:47
SECOND PERIOD – Wil: Schneider 2:56 … SR: Tyler Long (Chapa, Kotchenbeutel) 5:58 … SR: Meyer (Althaus, Joey Streeter) 12:57
THIRD PERIOD – SR: Meyer (Ryan Rutar) 11:13 … Wil: Streed (Schneider) 14:46 … SR: James Geisler (Duray) 16:20, pp
GOALIE SAVES – Sauk Rapids: William Mortenson 7-4-5-16 … Willmar: Levi Goosman 8-4-7-19
Non-Conference
Morris/Benson Area 4, Litchfield/DC 3
Tanner Picht scored three goals, all in the third period, to give Morris/Benson Area its first win, 4-3, over Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato.
The Dragons (2-3) built a 3-1 lead with goals from Aaron Haataja, Reid Nelson and Eddie Estrada in the second period.
Picht netted his first goal shorthanded at 6:11 in the third. His second came at 8:13 and the game-winner 25 seconds later at 8:38.
Brody Gimberlin also scored for the Storm, and had an assist on all of Picht’s goals.
LDC (2-3)............................0 3 0 — 3
MBA (1-3)............................0 1 3 — 4
SECOND PERIOD – L: Aaron Haataja (Kent Ryynanen, Mike Spreiter) 2:18, L: Reid Nelson (Ethan Niemela) 2:44, M: Brody Gimberlin (Tanner Picht, Mac Beyer) 7:09, L: Eddie Estrada (Niemela) 14:45
THIRD PERIOD – M: Picht (Gimberlin) 6:11, M: Picht (Gimberlin, Beyer) 8:13, M: Picht (Gimberlin) 8:38
GOALIE SAVES – LDC: Braeden Wahl 49 … MBA: Kyle Kennedy 32
