IAN STAUFFER
istauffer@owatonna.com
Posted: Friday, January 9, 2009 11:46 pm

OWATONNA — Despite piling up more than four times their average number of penalties, the Owatonna Express managed to continue their dominance against the Albert Lea Thunder with a 3-2 victory Friday at the Four Seasons Centre.

The Express, who came in averaging just six penalties for 13 minutes per game, racked up 19 calls for 59 minutes against the Thunder. Two of those penalties were game misconducts, another was for fighting and another was a double minor for checking from behind. Owatonna gave the Thunder 17 power players, but Albert Lea scored on just two of the attempts.

“It’s awful playing like that,” said Express captain Steve Carew, who scored Owatonna’s first two goals and now has 20 this season. “Some of the guys get burnt out because you don’t get much offense going.”

Fortunately for Owatonna (17-15-1, 35 points), the Thunder weren’t able to get much offense going on their multitude of extra-man advantages. Albert Lea did score two power-play goals, including one with 45 seconds left in the third period. Dmitry Lugin scored the eventual game-winner for Owatonna in the second period, his eighth goal of the season.

The last goal of the game actually came while the Thunder (2-27-4, 8) enjoyed a two-man advantage, which was actually a three-man advantage because they pulled goalie Tom Lescovich out of the net.

“It’s frustrating,” Express coach Pat Cullen said. “All those penalties definitely shorten your bench and it changes things a lot from a coaching standpoint. You don’t have as many players.”

Friday’s game was the ninth meeting this season between the teams, and it was by far the most physical and penalty-filled.



The Express have won all nine meetings this season, though five of the games have been decided by one just one goal. The same two teams will play again on Friday, Jan. 16 in Albert Lea.

The Express penalty kill improved to 87.4 percent on the season, the fifth-best mark in the league.

Albert Lea’s power play came into the game second-to-last in the league and the 2-for-17 mark didn’t improve their place in the standings at all.

Express 3, Thunder 2
Albert Lea 0 0 2 — 2
Owatonna 1 2 0 — 3
First period—1, Owa, Steve Carew (Zach Vierling) 9:11. Penalties—Jake Sloat, Owatonna (holding) 2:26; Ryan Johnson, Albert Lea (tripping) 9:51; Zach Tolkinen, Owatonna (holding) 14:45; Joe Beaudette, Owataonna (cross check) 17:37.
Second period—2, Owa, Carew (Sloat, Vierling) 1:56; 3, Owa, Dmitry Lugin (Dylan Porter, Michael Palmiscno) 5:51. Penalties—Niko Kapetanovic, Albert Lea (boarding) :19; Tony McDonald, Owatonna (tripping) :25; Tim Smith, Owatonna (slashing) 6:42; Mitch Torrel, Albert Lea (holding) 7:36; Carew, Owatonna (interference) 8:37; Chris Bournazos, Owatonna (hooking) 12:05; Jake Armijo, Albert Lea (roughing) 16:48; Nick Carson, Owatonna (roughing) 16:48; Armijo, Albert Lea (interference) 16:48; Palmiscno, Owatonna (fighting and game misconduct) 16:48; Mikita Feaktsistau, Albert Lea (fighting and game misconduct) 16:48; Tolkinen, Owatonna (cross check) 19:38.
Third period—4, AL, Kapetanovic (Tom Glomski, Mitch Torrel) :13 (pp); 5, AL, Danny Wood (Josh Botimer) 19:15 (pp). Penalties—David Kurbatsky, Owatonna (checking from behind misconduct) 1:43; Kurbatsky, Owatonna (hooking) 1:43; BJ McClellan, Albert Lea (tripping) 3:58; Armijo, Albert Lea (hooking) 5:02; Troy Puente, Owatonna (interference) 9:28; Sloat, Owatonna (slashing) 11:27; Kapetanovic, Albert Lea (holding) 13:28; Dane Erickson, Owatonna (roughing) 17:20; Matt Sempeck, Albert Lea (roughing) 17:20; Bournazos, Owatonna (tripping) 17:55; Tim Smith, Owatonna (cross checking) 17:59.
Shots on goal-Albert Lea 14-9-13—36; Owatonna 10-13-7—30.
Power-play opportunities—Albert Lea 2 of 17; Owatonna 0 of 6.
Goalies—Albert Lea, Tom Lescovich (30 shots-27 saves); Owatonna, Jason Horstman (36-34).