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Winhawks drop opener to La Crescent

By Heidi Hanse, Winona Daily News, 12/01/10, 9:13AM CST

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LA CRESCENT, Minn. - It didn't matter if you showed up late to the boys hockey game between La Crescent High School and Winona on Tuesday night. All the action happened in the second period. 

In the second mark, the scorer's table was busy with five goals and nine penalties during the La Crescent's 6-3 win over Winona.

Fifteen penalties were assessed, eight against the Winhawks (0-1). Winona coach Fran McDevitt said his team took penalties on poor fundamental plays.

"Our guys did a very poor job of controlling themselves," he said. "Our guys played out of control; maybe that's my fault, but it won't happen again. Our guys have to learn that they can't do that."

Winona opened the scoring when Alex Lubahn poked the puck out of the Winona zone during a penalty kill. He won the footrace to the puck and went forehand to backhand to beat La Crescent's Tori Taylor for Winona's only lead of the night.

Taylor made 29 saves and Winona's Jeff Czaplewski finished with 25. McDevitt said Lubahn's goal might have been Winona's only bright spot.

"We scored a shorthanded goal, that's always good," he said.

La Crescent (1-0) added a goal at the end of the first and another in the second before the penalty box got busy. The Lancers took a tripping penalty, and 16 seconds into it, Winona's Ryan Grant was called for interference after he tried to set a block.

Thirty-three seconds later, the Lancers entered the sin bin on a slashing penalty, putting Winona on a 4-on-3 advantage for 70 seconds. Winona wasn't able to convert that into goals, but when La Crescent was called for another penalty, Luke Strobush put a shot on net and Grant was there to bang the rebound home and tie the game.

A minute later, with both teams at full strength, Winona's defense left La Crescent's Jevin Dorschner alone in the slot and he capitalized with a goal.

Strobush tied the game when Rowe spied him open in the slot and shot a quick pass over to him, and he converted for a goal to make it 3-3.

Winona was done scoring for the game, but not with taking penalties, adding four more before the game ended.

McDevitt said many things need to change before Winona takes on La Crosse on Thursday night.

"I can't turn it around," he said. "It's up to them, and we just need to find 20 guys that want to put forth the effort to play varsity hockey."