SARTELL -- The Sartell Sabres rocked Willmar with a 37-17 advantage in shots on the way to posting a 6-1 in Central Lakes Conference boys hockey on Monday.
It was 6-0 when Liam Johnston, on a helper from Paul Schrupp, broke up Brent Orndorff's shutout in the Sabre cage with just under a minute to play.
The Sabres improved to 11-2-1 in the CLC in pursuit of what would be their first conference championship.
Willmar dropped below .500 in league games at 5-6. The Cardinals are 10-8 overall with two home games yet this week -- Section 6A rival Wadena/Deer Creek on Thursday and Fergus Falls on Friday in a CLC contest.
Willmar was outshot 11-2 in the first period, but Willmar goalie Keifer Dahle kept it scoreless.
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Matt Nahan finally beat Dahle for a 1-0 lead at 2:23 of the second. It looked like the period might end that way but Willmar took two penalties at 15:11 and the Sabres pounced for two power-play goals 18 seconds apart for a 3-0 gap.
Sartell 6, Willmar 1
Willmar (5-6, 10-8) 0 0 1 -- 1
Sauk Rapids (11-2-1, 13-5-2) 0 3 3 -- 6
FIRST PERIOD - no scoring
SECOND PERIOD - Sar: Matt Nahan (Sean Mann, Kjell Mann) 2:23 ... Sar: Austin Plaine (Nick Zierden) pp, 160 ... Andy Deters (Andy Worzala, Austin Guggenberger) 16:48
THIRD PERIOD - Sar: Deters (Guggenberger, Plaine) 3:32 ... Sar: Matt Husmann (Worzala, Guggenberger) pp, 6:20 ... Sar: Plaine (Deters, Ryan Nahan) ... Wil: Liam Johnston (Paul Schrupp) pp, 16:05
GOALIE SAVES - Willmar: Keifer Dahle 31 ... Sauk Rapids: Brent Orndorff 16
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Sauk Rapids 7, River Lakes 1
Sauk Rapids (8-4, 11-8-1) scored three power-play goals to put away the Stars (2-8-1, 6-12-1).
Joe Grotsun assisted Tanner Anderson midway through the second period for River Lakes' only goal. Tyler Sieben had 25 saves.
River Lakes (2-8-1, 6-12-1) 0 1 0 -- 1
Sauk Rapids (8-4, 11-8-1) 3 1 3 -- 7
FIRST PERIOD - SR: Ethan Prow (Erik Anderson) 2:46 ... SR: Prow (Dallas Weston, Eric Peckskamp) pp, 7:11 ... SR: Michael Rutar (Brett DeGagne, Peckskamp) 16:10
SECOND PERIOD - SR: Logan Marks (Shane Corrigan, Luke Richardson) 2:25 ... RL: Tanner Anderson (Joe Grotsun) 9:24
THIRD PERIOD - SR: Anderson (Adam Wippler) 7:28 ... SR: Peckskamp (Rutar) pp, 10:53 ... SR: Marks (Prow, Richardson) pp, 12:24
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GOALIE SAVES - River Lakes: Tyler Sieben 25 ... Sauk Rapids: Aaron Clafton 10
Southwest
Marshall 3, MBA 0
Mitch Campion made 26 saves for Marshall (6-4, 9-11) as the Tigers were the first team this season to shut out Morris/Benson Area (6-2, 7-9).
Shane Kunde, James Linstrom and C.J. Haukom scored the three goals for Marshall, which outshot the Storm 34-26.
MBA (6-2, 7-9) 0 0 0 -- 0
Marshall (6-4, 9-11) 1 0 2 -- 3
FIRST PERIOD - Mar: Shane Kunde (C.J. Haukom) 5:13
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SECOND PERIOD - no scoring
THIRD PERIOD - Mar: James Linstrom (unassisted) 10:18 ... Mar: Haukom (unassisted) 16:27
GOALIE SAVES - Morris/Benson Area: Alex Sinclair 31 ... Marshall: Mitch Campion 26
