WILLMAR -- The Willmar boys hockey team hopes to leave a lasting impression on Section 6A coaches after pounding Prairie Centre 8-1 Friday in non-conference action.
The Cardinals (12-10) are fighting for a home playoff game for the upcoming postseason.
"It's our last section game and there's a logjam in the middle, so anything we can do to separate ourselves will help," Willmar coach Dan Tollefson said.
The Cardinals were coming off a tough 4-2 loss to St. Cloud Tech Thursday and Tollefson said his team needed to get positive results.
"Our guys worked hard after the loss to St. Cloud Tech," he said. We came out hungry and played well."
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Liam Johnston scored four goals to lead the Cardinals, who finish the regular season next Friday at Fergus Falls. Stephen Reynolds added two goals and Gabe Amon had a goal and two assists.
Ben Leitch started in goal for the Cardinals and had three saves in the first period. Keifer Dahle had six saves over the final two periods.
Willmar 8, Prairie Cntre 1
Prairie Centre (5-16-1) 0 1 0 -- 1
Willmar (12-10) 3 2 3 -- 8
FIRST PERIOD - Wil: Stephen Reynolds (Landon Peterson) 8:56 ... Wil: Liam Johnston (James Johnston) 16:38 ... Wil: L. Johnston (unassisted) 16:51
SECOND PERIOD - Wil: Reynolds (Gabe Amon) 2:47 ... PC: Tyler Schultz (Drew Edling, Jason Christianson) pp, 4:36 ... Wil: L. Johnston (Tyler Woltjer) 12:11
THIRD PERIOD - Wil: Amon (Grant Schow, Jordan Nuytten) :42 ... Wil: L. Johnston (Jake Tone) 5:42 ... Wil: Schow (Amon) 10:40
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GOALIE SAVES - Prairie Centre: Aaron Olson 31 ... Willmar: Ben Leitch 3, Keifer Dahle 6
Detroit Lakes 8, MBA 2
The game was tied at 1 when Detroit Lakes netted five unanswered goals to take control.
Tyler Hansen scored 16 seconds into the second period and 49 seconds into the third to account for the Storm's two goals. Tanner Picht assisted on the first goal with Mac Beyer assisting on the third-period tally.
Detroit Lakes (15-7-2) 1 5 2 -- 8
MBA (9-12-1) 0 1 1 -- 2
FIRST PERIOD - DL: Andy Schupp (Nate Ginnaty, Alex Deconcini) pp, 10:22
SECOND PERIOD - MBA: Tyler Hansen (Tanner Picht) :16 ... DL: Chad Maristuen (Ryan Berg, Schupp) 5:36 ... DL: Ginnaty (Joe Hanson, Brett Provo) 6:16 ... DL: Alex Phelps (Tanner Lane, Deconcini) 7:46 ... DL: Phelps (Lane) pp, 9:44 ... DL: Provo (Maristuen) 11:11
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THIRD PERIOD - MBA: Hansen (Mac Beyer) :49 ... DL: Lane (Phelps, Hanson) 4:25 ... DL: Nate Baker (Provo) 6:50
GOALIE SAVES - Detroit Lakes: Andrew Friesen 15 ... Morris/Benson Area: Alex Sinclair 37
