“A good effort for game one of the playoffs,” acknowledged Fergus Falls Head Coach Mike Donaghue.  “Willmar came out ready to go and we were able to match them.  Ethan McGuiness got us on the board with his first high school goal off a face-off win.  Isaac Johnson took over from there, scoring the next 3, 1 short-handed, 1 5-on-5 and 1 on the power play.  Our guys kept playing the right way and were able to take control in the second and then scored two quick ones in the third.  Swanny was steady in the net, earning the shutout.”

The goal by McGuiness came 8:29 into the game and was assisted by Isaac Johnson.  Colin Becker and Andrew Johnson assisted on Isaac’s first goal and the short-handed goal was unassisted at 13:37 of the first period.

Isaac finished his hat trick with a power play goal from Michael DeBrito and Cole Zierden just 47 seconds into the second period.  DeBrito’s goal at 9:05 was assisted by Kellen Stenstrom and Isaac Johnson’s second power play goal of the night and fourth goal of the game was unassisted at 15:03.

Third period goals by Stenstrom, assisted by Shane Zierden, and DeBrito, assisted by Stenstrom, concluded the scoring.

Ben Swanson stopped all 15 shots he faced in the game and Gavin Steinwand of Willmar made 38 saves on the 46 Otter shots on goal.

Fergus Falls, the number two seed in Section 6A, will now play a semifinal contest at 7:00pm Saturday at the MAC in St. Cloud.  They will face the winner of Thursday night’s quarterfinal round match between third-seeded Northern Lakes and number six, Prairie Center.

Top-seeded Alexandria won their quarterfinal round contest, 19-0, over Breckenridge-Wahpeton.  The Cardinals will play the 4:00pm game Saturday at the MAC against the winner of Thursday’s game between fourth-seeded Wadena-Deer Creek and number five Morris-Benson.