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After losing to Mankato West by one goal early on in the season, the Albert Lea boys’ hockey team had a chance at redemption Thursday night when they hosted the Scarlets for their second matchup of the season series.

Not only did the Tigers avenge their earlier loss, they upped their season record to .500 in the process, winning 5-2 with one game remaining in the regular season.

The Tigers started the game with two goals in the first period. Freshman Spencer VanBeek opened the scoring with a goal in the fourth minute of play, assisted by senior Blake Ulve. VanBeek found the back of the net again just six minutes later, this time on a power play. The goal was again assisted by Ulve, as well as sophomore Beau Schreiber.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Sophomore Dakota Jahnke started in goal and saved five shots taken by the Scarlets in the period. The Tigers recorded 12 shots on goal.

Ulve found an opportunity to score in the fourth minute of the second period. The goal was assisted by sophomore Max Edwin. Sophomore Joseph Yoon put Albert Lea up 4-0 in the 14th minute of the second with a power play goal assisted by Ulve.

The Scarlets finally got on the board with less than two minutes remaining in the second.

Jahnke saved 12 of 13 shots on goal in the period, and the Tigers added another seven shots on goal.

Mankato East narrowed the lead to two goals six minutes into the third period, but the Tigers defense held out the rest of the way to hold the Scarlets at bay.

Ulve added another goal for good measure in the final minute of the third to all but put the game away.

Jahnke racked up a total of 23 saves in the game, while the Tigers totaled 33 shots on goal, hitting the mark on five of them.

The Tigers move to 8-8 this season and will play in their final regular season game Saturday when they travel to Mankato to take on the 13-4 East/Loyola Cougars.

This will be the first matchup between these two teams this season. Section play is scheduled to begin Tuesday. It is unknown what seed the Tigers will enter as.