Granite City downs WarHawks

WILLMAR-The Granite City Lumberjacks had a response for every Willmar WarHawk effort Friday night as the WarHawks fell to the visiting Lumberjacks 5-2.

Willmar netminder Lucas Ehrlich stood on his head for the majority of the first period, making 16 saves in the period, but the Lumberjacks' persistence paid off with three goals. Sam Ohmes kickstarted the effort and Zack DeBoom doubled the Lumberjacks' effort less than a minute later. Hunter Schwehr made it 3-0 with 1:03 to play in the period.

Ehrlich finished the game with 49 saves on the 54 shots he faced.

Willmar rallied with a pair of power play goals early in the third period, thanks to Connor Rollo and Eli Slagter, but Granite City goaltender David Mulligan slammed the door to keep the WarHawks looking for their first win of the 2018-2019 campaign.

Willmar will look to carry their third period success into Saturday's game against Granite City in Sauk Rapids.

Granite City 5,

Willmar 2

Granite City 3 0 2 - 3

Willmar 0 0 2 - 2

FIRST PERIOD - GC: Sam Ohmes 15:44 .. GC: Zack DeBoom (Trevor Dummer, Grant Troumbly) 16:39 ... GC: Hunter Schwehr (Ryan Pogue) 18:57

SECOND PERIOD - No scoring

THIRD PERIOD - Willmar: Connor Rollo (Jacob May, Brendan Hill) 0:50 PP ... GC: Bailey Sommers (Brad Amundson, Schwehr) 4:43 ... GC: Sommers (Amundson, Schwehr) 4:43 ... Willmar: Eli Slagter (May) 6:59 PP

GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS - Granite City: David Mulligan 18/20 ... Willmar: Lucas Ehrlich 49/54

1/4: Willmar WarHawk Chase VanDeVere shoots in Friday's game against the Granite City Lumberjacks at the Willmar Civic Center. Jake Schultz / Tribune

2/4: Willmar WarHawk Kevin Swope watches his shot hit a Granite City Lumberjack in Friday's game at the Willmar Civic Center. Jake Schultz / Tribune

3/4: Willmar WarHawk Steven Grannass shoots in Friday's game against the Granite City Lumberjacks at the Willmar Civic Center. Jake Schultz / Tribune

4/4: Willmar WarHawks' goaltender Lucas Ehrlich slides a puck away from his crease in Friday's game against the Granite City Lumberjacks at the Willmar Civic Center. Jake Schultz / Tribune