WARHAWKS BOUNCE BACK SATURDAY NIGHT BUT COME UP SHORT
Friday night at Sports Arena East, WarHawks faced the Granite City Lumberjacks. A typical Granite City/Willmar rivalry atmosphere. Physical, penalty filled game. Playing in the Lumberjacks favor into the 2nd period, WarHawks found themselves down 2-0 7:25 into the 2nd period off 2 PowerPlay goals. Willmar came back at 8:58 into the 2nd to cut the gap in half 2-1 with a goal coming from Zane Irion. Granite city getting further more Powerplay opportunities where they capitalized once more in the 2nd period leading 3-1. Willmar would go on to create several scoring chances but fell to the Lumberjacks giving up 2 more losing 5-1.
WarHawks were motivated to get the Lumberjacks again the next night back at the Willmar Civic Center. It was all WarHawks in the 1st with shots 16 to 5 in favor of Willmar as they gave themselves a 2-0 lead. Goals coming from Tyler Misialek and Nik Johnson. Hudson Zinda Granite City went on to score the only goal in the 2nd period creating a one goal game leading into the 3rd. Lumberjacks went on to get the lead with 2 goals mid way through the period before Nik Johnson tied the game with his 2nd goal of game. As Granite applied pressure late, WarHawks allowed one to many goals, giving up the 4th goal 17:23 into the 3rd period falling 4-3 as a final score.
The WarHawks aim to do better in the categories of playing a full 60 minutes and less time on the Penalty Kill as they look forward to their trip out to Wausau Wisconsin to face the Cyclones for 2 games. Next Home will be Veterans Day, Saturday Nov. 11 vs the 1st place Rochester Grizzlies.
