WILLMAR -- Two days after winning in sudden death 6-5, the Willmar Cardinals were stunned by Hutchinson 6-5 in overtime on the same Civic Center ice where they celebrated a dramatic win over Litchfield/-Dassel-Cokato on Saturday.
Tigers' defenseman Beau Braun delivered the knockout blow 4:27 into the extra period.
Willmar was already reeling from Braun's slapshot deflected by Mitch Cowger near the net that came with just three second left in regulation to knot the game at 5-all.
Willmar had gone up on Hutchinson 5-4 on a nice effort by Eric Bangen, assisted by Richie Norris and Griffin Leitch at 13:28.
But Willmar couldn't hold a late lead for the second time in three days. Pulling the goalie for the extra attacker, the Tigers pinned the puck in Willmar's zone. The Cardinals tried to freeze the puck in the corner but the double-forecheck won the puck providing the last-ditch opportunity.
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Six powerplay goals were scored, three by each team. Willmar goal Jon Mattison made 36 saves. Norris had two goals plus the assist.
Hutchinson 6, Willmar 5
Hutchinson (3-2) 1 3 1 1 -- 6
FIRST PERIOD - Hut: Sam King (Mitch Cowger, Zach Ljungren) 8:16, powerplay ... Wil: Richard Norris (Eric Bangen, Joel Jonsson) 15:33, pp.
SECOND PERIOD - Wil: Mitch Schneider (Josh Aslesen, Raulin Magnuson) 1:06 ... Hut: Jared Ellig (Andy McPherson, Cowger) 3:21, pp ... Hut: Ellig (unassisted) 5:21 ... Wil: Norris (Griffin Leitch) 8:12, pp... Hut: Zach Ljungren (Beau Braun) 10:31, pp ... Wil: Joel Schendel (Aslesen, Travis Hanson) 13:20
THIRD PERIOD - Wil: Bangen (Leitch, Norris) 13:24 ... Hut: Cowger (Bruan) 16:57)
OVERTIME - Hut: Braun (unassisted) 4:54:57
Goalie saves - Hutchinson: Andrew Hantge 14-13-*-27, Zak Swenson *-*-7-7-14; Willmar: Jon Mattison, 12-12-11-1-36
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Non-Conference St. Cloud Cathedral 5, River Lakes 1
Alex Naujokas scored River Lakes' lone goal. St. Cloud Cathedral outshot River Lakes 60-8.
River Lakes (1-4) 0 1 0 -- 1
SC Cathedral (3-0) 1 3 1 -- 5
FIRST PERIOD - SCC: Nate Schmidt (Robert Durant) 13:45
SECOND PERIOD - SCC: Durant (Nick Thibault, Elliot Russell) :31 ... SCC: Russell (unassisted) 9:05 ... SCC: Jon Larkin (unassisted) 12:04 ... RL: Alex Naujokas (Josh Engquist) pp, 13:32
THIRD PERIOD - SCC: Tyler Graves (Sam Lommel, Joe Nessler) 12:30
Goalie saves - River Lakes: Brian Skluzacek 18-23-14-55; St. Cloud Cathedral: Nate Hoefflin 3-2-2-7
