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The #11A ranked Albert Lea High School girls hockey team took to the road for the final time prior to this year’s playoffs on Thursday evening to face the #18A New Ulm Eagles in a clash of state-ranked teams looking to make a run to the state tournament over the next couple of weeks.  

New Ulm struck first, scoring at the 9:30 mark of the first period to jump out to a 1-0 lead, before extending that lead to 2-0 just 55 seconds later on a goal that would round out the scoring in an evenly played period.

The second period saw Albert Lea cut the lead in half as Morgan Goskeson found the top corner of the net through traffic on assists from Sydney Kolker and Keira Erickson.  That Tiger goal was the lone tally of the second period, sending the teams to the locker room with the Eagles leading 2-1.

Albert Lea controlled play for much of the third period, but could not find the back of the net, as the game ended with a 2-1 Tiger loss despite outshooting New Ulm 21-14.  Rachel Doppelhammer made 12 saves for the Tigers, who fall to 17-6-1 on the season.  

Albert Lea will conclude regular season play on Saturday evening at City Arena with a Big 9 conference matchup against Rochester Century.  Game time is 7:15 p.m..