LITCHFIELD -- Annika Danielson posted a shutout and Leah Huggett netted two goals Thursday to help Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato clip Willmar 4-0 in the opening round of the Section 2A girls hockey playoffs.
Danielson made 20 saves for the No. 8 seed Dragons (9-17). It was the 10th time this season Willmar (2-22) was shut out. LDC plays Saturday at top-seeded Alexandria.
After a scoreless first period, Huggett and Makenzie Anderson scored nearly two minutes apart midway through the second period for LDC. Huggett capped the scoring after Natalie Nikula put LDC ahead 3-0 with seven minutes remaining.
"We had a very good period where I thought we controlled the play," said Willmar coach Ross Dahl. "We missed some power-play attempts in the second period, but we didn't really have that many good chances in the third period.
"The difference was Danielson and we couldn't get any pressure on her. We couldn't get many second and third chances against her."
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Litchfield/DC 4, Willmar 0
Willmar (2-23) 0 0 0 -- 0
Litchfield/DC (9-17) 0 2 2 -- 4
FIRST PERIOD - no scoring
SECOND PERIOD - LDC: Leah Huggett (Chrissy Koivisto, Molly Piepenburg) 7:30 ... LDC: Makenzie Anderson (Martha Abramson, Natalie Nikula) 9:30
THIRD PERIOD - LDC: Nikula (Jennifer Koivisto, Abramson) 10:00 ... LDC: Huggett (Dayna Sherman, Anderson) 15:20
Goalie saves - Willmar: Jessica Lohrman 11-16-13--40; Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato: Annika Danielson 7-6-7--20
