No. 3 Lourdes scored 2 short-handed goals, outshot Albert Lea 36-20 in win

The Albert Lea Tigers boys’ hockey team had their chances Tuesday against Rochester Lourdes at City Arena but couldn’t find the net in a 4-0 loss to the Section 1A rival.

After a scoreless first period where the No. 3-ranked Eagles (12-1, 4-0) outshot the Tigers (8-3, 4-1) 14-4, Lourdes’ Landon Farrell scored two goals in the second period and added a third 13 minutes and 10 seconds into the third period for a hat trick.

The Tigers were outshot 36-20 for the game.

“Lourdes was much better than we were tonight,” Tigers head coach Roy Nystrom said. “Our best chances were when we didn’t take the shot. As a result, we didn’t get anything.”

Farrell scored the game’s first goal after stealing a pass off a faceoff in the Tigers’ zone and taking it all the way unassisted 2:49 into the second period.

Farrell notched a short-handed goal three minutes later to put the Eagles ahead 2-0.

The Eagles’ Rory Vesel put Lourdes ahead 3-0 off another Tigers’ turnover and the game out of reach.

“That’s what happens when you play a team like this,” Nystrom said. “They’re going to take advantage of turnovers.”

The teams combined for 13 power play opportunities but neither took advantage. The Eagles scored two short-handed goals.

“We were very poor on the power play tonight,” Nystrom said. “We had a lack of communication on several plays.”

The Tigers play again at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Virginia/Mt. Iron-Buhl (8-4, 2-1 Iron Range) at City Arena.