WASECA – At the end of the first period, about the only number coach Mike Miller saw on the scoreboard that he liked was the zero for the home team.

Friday, January 25, 2002

WASECA – At the end of the first period, about the only number coach Mike Miller saw on the scoreboard that he liked was the zero for the home team.

The Albert Lea Tigers did their best to change it. And they managed to keep Waseca scoreless.

The Tigers picked up the intensity and cruised to a 3-0 nonconference girls’ hockey victory at Waseca Thursday night. Albert Lea improved to 13-5-1 for the season while the Bluejays, shut out for the first time, fell to 11-4-1.

Miller, though, was not happy after a first period in which both teams had five shots on goal.

&uot;We needed a little talk after the first period,&uot; said Miller. &uot;They came out and responded real well. We started to play up to our ability.&uot;

The Tigers went on to outshoot the Bluejays 25-7 the rest of the way, 30-12 for the night.

Danika Porter registered her fourth shutout of the season and second in a row for Albert Lea. She got help from her defenders on both ends of the rink, with Albert Lea defensive players contributing four points with two goals and two assists.

Porter herself got the first assist, poke checking the puck to her sister Jasey who scored at 3:19 of the first period.

Laura Hillman scored at 5:51 of the second, assisted by Amy Leach and Christine Tubbs.

Tubbs scored at 7:23 of the third on a shot from the point. Jasey Porter and Brittany Arendt assisted.

There were no penalties in the game.

The Tigers, 8-4-1 in the Big Nine, return to conference play Saturday facing Mankato West at 3 p.m. at the City Arena.