WAUSAU, Wis. — Tied 2-2 with the Willmar WarHawks in the third period, the Wausau Cyclones closed out Friday’s NA3HL game with two straight goals to clinch a 4-2 victory.
Wausau picked up its fifth straight victory before 338 fans at Marathon Park.
Gage Vierzba scored a pair of goals to lead the Cyclones.
Willmar tied it up at 1-1 in the second period on Michael Sweetland’s ninth goal of the season on the power play. Mason Hendrickson and Collin Kerchoff picked up assists.
Vierzba then scored his 18th goal of the season to put Wausau up 2-1.
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Willmar tied it at 4:06 of the third period on Mikhail Kukareka’s second goal of the season. Jordan Fjosne and Tyler Misialek picked up assists for the Warhawks.
The teams resume their two-game series at 7:10 p.m. Saturday in Wausau.
Junior Hockey
Wausau 4, Willmar 2
Willmar (19-13-1) 0 1 1 — 2
Wausau (15-17-0) 1 1 2 — 4
FIRST PERIOD – (1) WAU: Dane Johnson 2 (Dylan Chapman 1, Aidan MacDonell 4), 11:35. PENALTIES: (1) WAU: David MacDonald (hooking-minor, 2 min), 7:25 … (2) WILL: Samuel Miller (tripping-minor, 2 min), 16:37.
SECOND PERIOD – (2) WILL: Michael Sweetland 9 (Mason Hendrickson 1, Collin Kerchoff 25), 8:38 PP … (3) WAU: Gage Vierzba 18 (Wesley Coquet 9, Cullen Moehring 1), 9:12. PENALTIES: (3) WILL: Will Anderson (roughing-minor, 2 min), 3:07 … (4) WAU: Kalob Paquin (slashing-minor, 2 min), 8:11 … (5) WAU: CJ Zinz (tripping-minor, 2 min), 10:54 … (6) WILL: Mason Hendrickson (cross checking-minor, 2 min), 15:25.
THIRD PERIOD – (4) WILL: Mikhail Kukareka 2 (Jordan Fjosne 2, Tyler Misialek 6), 4:06 … (5) WAU: Vierzba 19 (Chapman 2), 12:25 … (6) WAU: Mitch Miscevich 1 (unassisted), 19:45. PENALTIES:(7) WILL: Sweetland (checking from behind-minor, 2 min), 5:17 … (8) WILL: Misialek (elbowing-minor, 2 min), 13:01 … (9) WAU: Coquet (tripping-minor, 2 min), 13:01 … (10) WILL: Billy Simms (roughing-minor, 2 min), 19:45 … (11) WILL: Simms (abuse of official-10 misconduct, 10 min), 19:45 … (12) WILL: Sweetland (roughing-double minor, 4 min) … (13) WAU: Chase Heckerson (roughing-double minor, 4 min), 20:00.
GOALIE SAVES/SHOTS – Willmar: Will Pinney 24/28 … Wausau: Miscevich 26/28.
