SAUK RAPIDS — The Granite City Lumberjacks broke open a close game with three power-play goals in the third period to beat the Willmar WarHawks 7-1 on Friday night.
It was the first game of their best-of-three series in the NA3HL Fraser Cup playoffs and was played at the Armadillo Deck Sports Arena.
Granite City (40-6-1-1) got power-play goals from Zak Kennett, Jacob McPartland and Kyle Mortenson to turn a 3-1 lead into a rout.
Willmar (20-26-2-0) trailed 2-0 in the second period when Michael Sweetland scored with an assist from Hudson Zinda to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The WarHawks were called for nine penalties totaling 81 minutes. The Lumberjacks had four penalties for eight minutes.
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The teams resume their series at 7:10 p.m. Saturday at the Willmar Civic Center Arena. A third game, if needed, is 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Sauk Rapids.
Granite City 7, Willmar 1
Willmar (20-26-2-0) 0 1 0 — 1
Granite City (40-6-1-1) 1 2 4 — 7
FIRST PERIOD – (1) GC: Tucker Skime (Lyncoln Bielenberg-Howarth) 11:06. PENALTIES: (1) GC: AJ Schemenauer (cross-checking-minor, 2 min) 19:44.
SECOND PERIOD – (2) GC: Jacob McPartland (Zak Kennett) 9:51 … (3) W: Michael Sweetland (Hudson Zinda) 10:46 … (4) W: Paul Hulgen (Kyle Mortenson) 12:18. PENALTIES: (2) GC: Kennett (tripping-minor, 2 min) 5:38 … (3) W: Luke McCarthy (checking from behind-minor, 2 min) 13:58 … (4) W: McCarthy (checking from behind-misconduct, 10 min) 13:58 … (5) W: Jake Hosszu (charging-major, 5 min) 18:35 … (6) Hosszu (charging, ejection, 20 min) 18:35 … (7) W: Hosszu (abuse of official-game misconduct, 20 min) 18:35.
THIRD PERIOD – (5) GC: Kennett (unassisted) 3:35, PP …. (6) GC: McPartland (Kennett) 3:49, PP … (7) GC: Kyle Mortenson (unassisted) 5:32., PP … (8) GC: Kennett (Bielenberg-Howarth) 7:21. PENALTIES: (8) W: Sweetland (roughing-minor, 2 min) 4:33 … (9) W: Sweetland (unsportsmanlike conduct-10 min) 4:33 … (10) W: Spencer Bergman (unsportsmanlike conduct, 10 min) 7:21 … (11) W: Brady Fairbanks (roughing-minor, 2 min) 17:13 … (12) GC: Reed Hanus (roughing-minor, 2 min) 17:13 … (13) GC: Nolan Widman (hooking-minor, 2 min) 17:34.
GOALIES– Willmar: Zackary Ortolano … Granite City: Ryan Lehet
