PAYNESVILLE -- The visiting Willmar Cardinals settled for a 4-4 tie with River Lakes after outshooting the Stars 52-36 at the ice arena in Paynesville on Thursday night.
Willmar senior Josh Aslesen's third goal of the game with just under seven minutes left in the third period tied the game and ended the scoring.
The contest to escape the Central Lakes Conference cellar was slowed by 25 penalties, almost evenly divided.
Richie Norris slid the puck to Aslesen for the tying goal at 10:04 of the third period.
Brian Skluzacek stopped 48 shots in the Stars' net, 18 of the stops coming in the middle frame.
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Willmar netminder Jon Mattison faced 36 shots.
Goals by Aslesen, 32 seconds after the puck dropped, and Rory Schneider put Willmar in front 2-0.
But River Lakes scored three times in the second period to tie the game 3-3 heading into the third period.
Jack Dingman assisted by Alex Naujokas put the Stars up 4-3 at 6:54.
Josh Enquist, Jesse Keehn and Jess Engquist scored for the home team in the second period.
River Lakes beat Willmar 3-1 in the Willmar Holiday Invitational Dec. 28.
Willmar 4, River Lakes 4
Willmar (0-8-1, 4-10-1) 2 1 1 0 -- 4
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River Lakes (1-8-1, 3-13-1) 0 3 1 0 -- 4
FIRST PERIOD - Wil: Josh Aslesen (Travis Hanson) :32 ... Wil: Rory Schneider (Josh Mead, Jordan Benson) 14:01, pp
SECOND PERIOD - RL: Josh Engquist (unassisted) 5:24 ... RL: Jesse Keehn (Alex Naujokas) 13:25 pp ... RL: Jess Engquist (Luke Campbell, Keehn) 14:36 .... Wil: Josh Aslesen (unassisted) 15:17
THIRD PERIOD - RL: Jack Dingman (Naujokas) 6:54 ... Wil: Aslesen (Richie Norris, Eric Bangen) 10:04, pp
Goalie saves - Willmar: Jon Mattison 11-12-8-1-32; River Lakes: Brian Skluzacek 11-18-15-4-48
