MOORHEAD — Moorhead held a 40-4 advantage in shots on goal through two periods against Brainerd on Wednesday but the Warriors still trailed by just two goals.
That changed in the third.
The top-seeded Spuds powered in five third-period goals and routed the Warriors 7-0 in the Section 8AA quarterfinals at the Moorhead Sports Center.
The Spuds play host to No. 5 St. Michael-Albertville at 6 p.m. Saturday. No. 2 Roseau hosts No. 3 Elk River in the other section semi at 4 p.m. Saturday. The winners meet for the championship on Wednesday, March 4.
Despite outshooting Brainerd 19-3 in the opening period, Moorhead didn't get on the board until Harper Bentz scored on the power play at 16:39.
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In the second, Carson Triggs scored unassisted at 10:14.
Gavin Lindberg's short handed goal at 6:06 of the third seemed to provide sufficient spark. Ian Ness scored about three minutes later and Bentz scored his second of the game about 3-1/2 minutes after that.
Justin Stalboerger put a bow on it with two goals in a span of about 90 seconds.
Bentz added an assist for a three-point night and Lindberg also had two assists.
Joe Gramer and Thomas Schroeder both had two assists and Dalton Songstad, Colby Krier and Joe Schiller had assists. Goalie Kai Weigel stopped all seven Warriors shots.