Junior Hockey: WarHawks get shut down by Lumberjacks

Feb. 25—SAUK RAPIDS — Despite advantages in shots and power-play opportunities, the Willmar WarHawks struggled to get on the board.

With goals in each period, Granite City secured a 3-1 victory over the WarHawks on Wednesday night at Armadillo Deck Sports Arena.

The Lumberjacks jumped ahead 1-0 after a score by Kullan Daikawa at the 1-minute, 32-second mark of the first period. Matthew Delany and Braeden Bartoo had assists on the play. Late in the second, Bartoo got a goal of his own with an unassisted tally.

The last three minutes of the game saw the two teams trade goals. At 17:02, Willmar's Gavin Uckele, with assists from Isaiah Thomas and Jeremiah Konkel, made it a one-goal game. It was the fifth goal of the year for Uckele. But at 18:33, the Lumberjacks got some insurance as Diakawa got his second goal on an empty-netter.

Lukas Haugen had 21 saves for Willmar. Granite City's Josh Weyandt had 28.

The WarHawks were 0-for-3 on power-play opportunities, compared to 0-for-1 for the Lumberjacks. Willmar also had 29 shots to Granite City's 24.

The WarHawks' next game is 7:10 p.m. Friday against Alexandria at the Runestone Community Center, the Blizzard's home ice. The WarHawks are then host to Granite City at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Willmar Civic Center.

Granite City 3,

Willmar 1

Willmar (14-13) 0 0 1 — 1

Granite City (15-8) 1 1 1 — 3

FIRST PERIOD — (1) GC: Kullan Daikawa 2 (Matthew Delany 5, Braeden Bartoo 8), 1:32. PENALTIES: (1) GC: Noah Bissett (hooking-minor, 2 min), 2:59 ... (2) GC: Daikawa (too many men-minor, 2 min), 6:10.

SECOND PERIOD — (2) GC: Bartoo 5 (Ben Anderson 3), 16:29. PENALTIES: None.

THIRD PERIOD — (3) W: Gavin Uckele 5 (Isaiah Thomas 11), 17:02 ... (4) GC: Daikawa 3 (unassisted), 18:33 EN. PENALTIES: (3) W: Ethan Mock (hooking-minor, 2 min), 13:07 ... (4) GC: John Blake (roughing-minor, 2 min), 19:08.

GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS — Willmar: Lukas Haugen 21/23 ... Granite City: Josh Weyandt 28/29.