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Winona boys hockey edges Fairmont Area in OT, 5-4

WINONA — Alex Charles served as Winona’s pivotal playmaker during the WinHawks’ 5-4 overtime hockey victory over the Fairmont Area Cardinals on Saturday.

Trailing 4-3 on the heels of Fairmont Area forward Eli Anderson’s second goal of the game, Charles and Hans Larsen combined for a double-assist as Ayden Ruesgen netted the tying goal 6:40 into the third period.

Charles and Quinn Larsen then teamed up to connect with Austin King-Henke for the game-winning goal 4:04 into the extra session.

Anderson, Lucas Flohrs and Carter Beebe, however, engineered the Cardinals’ quick start en route to a 3-1 lead before the WinHawks answered with three goals in the second frame.

Anderson struck first on the scoreboard for Fairmont Area, converting Carson Kuhl’s assist into a goal 6:07 into the opening period.

Marshall Kitzmann answered for the WinHawks only 25 seconds later, cashing in Sam Buerck’s pass for the equalizer at 1-all.

Flohrs then restored the Cardinals’ one-goal margin by netting a goal off a double-assist from Kaiden Musser and Evan Carlson with only 40 seconds remaining in the first frame.

Beebe then produced an unassisted goal just 2:15 into the middle segment to stake Fairmont Area to a 3-1 advantage before Winona countered first with Roman Grulkowski’s short-handed goal off an assist from Eric Paulson 2:06 later.

Charles then knotted the game at 3-all by finding the net off an Avery Prodzinski pass 5:38 into the second period before Anderson struck again for the Cardinals. Anderson cashed in a pass from Flohrs for the go-ahead goal 6:19 into the second, but it took Ruesgen only 21 seconds to tie the game again at 4-all.

Goaltender Carsen Musser turned away a game-best 53 shots for the Cardinals, while Campbell Watkins made 28 stops between the pipes to net the win for the WinHawks.

Fairmont Area (3-16) hosts New Ulm at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Martin County Arena.

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