Tribune photo by Rand Middleton
WILLMAR -- Willmar put a lot of pressure in the Wadena-Deer Creek zone in the third period on Friday nighr, but came up short, losing a non-conference boys hockey game, 6-4.
The Cardinals trailed 5-3 after the second period, then turned up the heat on Wadena-Deer Creek.
Willmar unleashed 26 shots on goal in the 17-minute frame, but only caught one break by getting a power-play goal from Travis Hanson at the 10-minute mark to cut the lead to 5-4.
Wadena-Deer Creek added an empty-net goal with 1:08 left in the game.
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The teams had equal scoring chances in the first two periods, but WDC captialized with four goals in the first, including the last two from Trevor Ness.
Willmar came back with three goals in the second period. Matt Kroneberger scored 42 seconds into the period on a power play.
Landon Baker and Joel Schendel added even-strength goals for a 5-3 score.
Willmar's starting goalie Jon Mattison was replaced by Ben Leitch in the first period. He had five saves in the second and none in the third because the Cardinals so thoroughly dominated the action that WDC didn't record a shot on goal, except the empty net score.
Wadena-Deer Creek 6, Willmar 4
Wadena/DC (8-6-1) 4 1 1 -- 6
Willmar (4-10) 0 3 1 -- 4
FIRST PERIOD - WDC: Wyatt Pettit (unassisted) :20 ... WDC: Brandon Wing (Trevor Ness) 9:06 .. WDC: Ness (Wing) 12:-00...WDC: Ness (Kyle Beiswenger) pp, 15:50
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SECOND PERIOD - Wil: Matt Kroneberger (Joel Schendel) pp, :42 ... WDC: Wing (Ness, Dylan Carlisle) 8:20 ... Wil: Landon Baker (Andrew Kleven) ... Wil: Schendel (Josh Mead) 15:46
THIRD PERIOD - Wil: Travis Hanson (Kroneberger) pp, 10:00 ... WDC: W.Pettit (C.Pettit, Joey Peters) en, 15:52
GOALIE SAVES - Wadena-Deer Creek: Chris McCullough 11-6-25-42 ... Willmar: Jon Mattison 6-*-*-6, Ben Leitch *-5-0-5
