The Albert Lea boys’ hockey team is headed back to the Section 1A semifinals after a stunning triple overtime win at New Prague on Thursday.

Tigers junior Eli Malimanek scored the game-winning goal 50 seconds into the third overtime and lifted the No. 7-seeded Tigers to a 2-1 upset of the No. 2 Trojans and a matchup with No. 3 Northfield on Saturday.

“It was an exciting game,” Tigers coach Roy Nystrom said. “Our kids played hard tonight, and everyone who went out poured their heart and soul in the game.”

Malimanek’s game-winner came off the rebound of Levi Hacker’s shot and was his second of the game. He also scored the game-tying goal 1:28 into the third period with the Tigers trailing 1-0.

Colton Schmidt scored the Trojans’ lone goal 10:14 into the second.

New Prague outshot Albert Lea 36-25, but Tigers’ goalie Griffin Wangen stopped 35 shots.

The semifinals is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Rochester Recreation Center. Northfield beat Albert Lea 7-2 on Dec. 1, 2010, in the Tigers’ first game of the season and scored four first-period goals. The Tigers outshot the Raiders 42-33 in the first meeting.