It took Wausau West a while to get started, but once they did, they completely dismantled Mosinee, scoring six goals in less than six minutes in the middle of the first period and skated off to a relatively easy 9-2 victory in the sectional three final held Saturday afternoon at the K.B. Willett Arena in Stevens Point.

The win propels the Warriors (24-3) to the state tournament, where they will face New Richmond at approximately 8:15pm next Thursday in quarterfinal play.

Mosinee held the shot advantage in the first period, outshooting West 16-15, but where it counted—on the scoreboard—West held a 6-0 lead at the end of the first period.

Tom Kilgore started the scoring parade for West when he grabbed his own rebound and flipped it past Mosinee goalie Wade Michalski for a 1-0 lead at 3:49. Assists went to Matt Bautch and Tanner Blaschka.

West struck again with a little help from goalie Austin Priebe less than two minutes later. The netminder alertly whipped a pass ahead to Kyle Lee, who was waiting at the opposite blueline. Lee skated to the left dot and slid a pass to Robbie Poirier in the slot area, where he re-directed the puck past a surprised Michalski for a 2-0 lead at 5:20.

Thirty-nine seconds later, Kilgore scored his second goal while sliding on his knees from the left dot. Blaschka earned his second assist as West led by three less than six minutes into the game.

It was not the plan that Mosinee coach Derek Yirkovsky had in mind, and it soon got worse after Jevret Giese went off for cross-checking.

Less than halfway through the power play, West put a shot on net and put back the rebound, which was stopped by Michalski. The puck bounced out to Seth Wage, and this time he did not miss into a wide open net for a 4-0 lead. John Feemster and Cody Hahner got helpers on the play.

Lee made it 5-0 when he tipped a shot from Anthony Caroselli past Michalski at 7:31. Poirier also got an assist.

The Warriors closed out the scoring at 9:22 of the first period when Hahner scored off an odd-man rush low on the goalie’s glove side. Garret Clemment notched an assist on the score.

Priebe was perfect in the period, saving all 16 shots fired on him.

West didn’t take long to get started in the middle period, which started with running time enforced due to the six-goal lead. Just 1:59 in, Wage grabbed a long rebound at the top of the left circle and ripped it past a sprawling Michalski. Hahner earned his second assist.

Then at 4:43, Tanner Gould tipped a pass from Poirier to make it 8-0.

Mosinee had a couple power play opportunities late in the period, but was unable to convert, which was fairly representative of the day they had.

West held the shot edge, 12-9 in the period.

David Knetter started in net the third period, with Priebe retiring with 25 saves.

Once again the quick starters, West tallied just 46 seconds into the period as Lee punched in a rebound from the backdoor during a goalmouth scramble. Poirier and Caroselli earned helpers.

The Indians got off the schneid at 7:57 when a West defenseman made an ill-advised pinch, allowing a Mosinee 2-on-1. Justin Edwards beat Knetter on the low glove side, with assists to Jared Sprink and Josh Gorski.

Bryce Hladovcak accounted for the final goal when he scored from the low slot after a West turnover with just 20 seconds left.

West held the shot edge in the period, 10-4.

Priebe and Knetter (2) combined for 27 saves, while Michalski stopped 28 in the final contest of his stellar four-year career at Mosinee.

Mosinee finished the year at 13-10-1.