The goals came awfully easy in the early going for the Albert Lea High School girls’ hockey team.

Friday, January 11, 2002

The goals came awfully easy in the early going for the Albert Lea High School girls’ hockey team. Maybe a little too easy.

The Tigers saw a 2-0 lead slip away and survived a major scare from Winona Thursday night, rallying for a 5-4 victory at the City Arena.

Trailing 4-3 with 5:49 remaining in regulation, the Tigers tied it with 5:08 left and scored the gamewinner with a minute to go, improving their record to 11-4 overall and 7-3 in the Big Nine.

&uot;We came out flying, and then when we could have gone for the jugular we eased up,&uot; said Tigers coach Mike Miller. &uot;We didn’t get the momentum back until late in the second period.&uot;

Brittany Arendt got the Tigers on the board early, scoring unassisted just 47 seconds into the game.

Frances O’Donnell, a junior defender and a captain, made it 2-0 at the 2:12 mark on assists from Sarah Jensen and Heather Bagley.

It remained that way until the Winhawks’ Jodi Holland scored the first of her three goals at 14:34. Mandy Krings assisted.

Holland, an eighth-grader, scored on a Katie Florin assist to tie it at 5:08 of the second. Holland scored on a penalty shot at 7:56 and Winona took a 3-2 lead into the third period.

The Tigers wasted little time tying it when Laura Hillman scored unassisted at 2:10.

Seven minutes later Amanda Rucinski put Winona back on top on assists from Holland and Florin.

Again the Tigers responded, getting the tying goal at 9:52 by Tessa Christensen. Hillman and Christine Tubbs assisted.

Hillman netted the gamewinner, assisted by Christensen and Amy Leach.

The Tigers outshot Winona 26-15. Each team had one penalty.

&uot;I was glad to see we did what it took to win the game,&uot; said Miller. &uot;We found a way to win.&uot;

The Tigers will be in action at the City Arena again Saturday, meeting Rochester John Marshall in a 7:30 p.m. Big Nine game.