The Albert Lea Blades won the championship in the inaugural Southern Minnesota Hockey League Tournament at the City Arena last weekend.

The Blades and regular-season champion Rochester Rookies were both 2-1 in the tourney, with Albert Lea taking the title by a tiebreaker. The Blades are 13-4-1 with two tournaments remaining.

&uot;It was real nice to get the championship in the first year of the league,&uot; said Blades general manager Jason Fornwald.

The Blades opened the league tourney with an 8-6 loss to the Rookies. It was 6-6 until the final minute, and Rochester added an empty-net goal. David Nystrom and Jeremy Hendrickson scored two goals apiece for the Blades, who were outshot 40-32.

Fornwald said the Blades took out their frustration with a 14-2 thrashing of the Austin Outlaws. It was 8-0 after one period and ended as the most lopsided game of the weekend. Marty Anderson scored four goals. Albert Lea outshot Austin 55-20.

Travis Brua scored twice while Nystrom and Mike Nelson netted one goal apiece in a 4-1 triumph over Rochester Landon Trophy. Shots on goal were 40-30 in favor of Albert Lea.

Fornwald was the goalie in all three games.

The Blades have a tournament at Mankato March 22-23 and, the following weekend, they’re at Rochester for the Return of the Robin Tournament.

&uot;We were real happy with how the league turned out the first year, and we’re looking forward to next year,&uot; said Fornwald. &uot;The comments we’ve gotten from teams is they plan to be back, and there are rumors of other teams forming in Rochester, Mankato, maybe even Owatonna and Waseca.&uot;