W-DC skates past Sauk Centre

SAUK CENTRE -- The Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines boys' hockey team trounced the Sauk Centre Mainstreeters 8-3 in non-conference action Saturday to finish its regular season with a 15-8-0 record.

The Wolverines dominated each period, outshooting the Mainstreeters by 20 shots on goal.

Andrew Stearns and Josh Schumacher each picked up a hat trick for W-DC. Jason Merickel assisted on seven goals.

The Wolverines begin the postseason with a quarterfinal game against the winner of the Marshall/Pequot Lakes opening-round matchup.

Wadena-Deer Creek 2 4 2 -- 8

Sauk Centre 1 2 0 -- 3

First period -- WDC-Andrew Stearns (Eric Voge, Jason Merickel) :48, SC-Scott Tiegland (Nathan Miller) 7:31, WDC-Josh Schumacher (Merickel) 8:36

Second period -- WDC-Stearns (Merickel) :45, SC - Todd Ergeldinger (Nathan Miller, Ryan Meier) 1:17, WDC-Stearns (Schumacher, Merickel) 4:44, Schumacher (Merickel, Kyle Davis) 8:12 ppg, Voge (Merickel) 8:36 ppg, SC-Shannon Ellering (Erik Freeman, Robert Konnight) 9:58 ppg

Third period -- WDC-Schumacher (Merickel, Stearns) 7:36 ppg, Kenny Molina (Ezra Milless) 11:29 ppg

Shots on goal -- WDC 16 14 9 -- 39, SC 7 7 5 -- 19

Goalies -- WDC-Mike Sartori, 16 saves; SC-Nathan Patton, 31 saves

Power-play opportunities -- WDC 4-6, SC 1-4

Overall -- WDC 15-8. Next game -- WDC hosts winner of Marshall/Pequot Lakes 7 p.m. Thursday.

Willmar 10, Little Falls 1

LITTLE FALLS -- The Little Falls boys' hockey team was defeated 10-1 by the Willmar Cardinals in Central Lakes Conference action Saturday.

The lone Little Falls goal was scored by Erik Chisholm off an assist by Luke Godzala in the closing seconds of the second period on a power play.

Willmar 4 2 4 -- 10

Little Falls 0 1 0 -- 1

First period -- Justin Burgman (Matt Breen) :57, Lee Engstrom (Justin Nelson) 3:22, Darrin Strand (Burgman) 8:01, Travis Hanson (Breen) 12:44

Second period -- W-Strand (Breen, Burgman) 4:01, Ben Villnow (Jeremy Sather) 7:08 ppg, LF-Erik Chisholm (Luke Godzala) 14:37 ppg

Third period -- W-Luke Juhl (Tony Martin) 2:08, Ryan Johnson (Karl Spilseth, Strand) 6:01, Strand 13:18

Shots on goal -- LF 3 9 2 -- 14, W 8 9 7 -- 24

Goalies -- LF - Cody Lemieur, 9 saves; Brandon Casillas, 5 saves

Power-play opportunities -- LF 1-1, W 1-2

Conference -- LF 1-10. Overall -- LF 7-15. Next game -- host Crosby-Ironton-Aitkin Thursday 7 p.m.