FARIBAULT – The strengths for the 2001-02 Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team lie with the Tigers’ goaltending and work ethic.

Wednesday, December 12, 2001

FARIBAULT – The strengths for the 2001-02 Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team lie with the Tigers’ goaltending and work ethic.

It was a winning combination Tuesday.

The Tigers overpowered Faribault for three periods but couldn’t rest easily until the final moments of a 2-0 Big Nine victory at Faribault.

Despite outshooting the Falcons 29-12, the Tigers led just 1-0 before getting an empty-net goal with 30 seconds remaining.

&uot;We totally dominated them for two periods but couldn’t put the puck in the net to save our souls,&uot; said ALHS coach Roy Nystrom. &uot;Like I said at the beginning of the year, we’re going to have to work hard for everything we get. Tonight we worked hard, and we got it.&uot;

Goalie Adam Newman, who has been rotating every other game with Matt Tubbs, got his second straight shutout.

&uot;He had to make some key saves,&uot; said Nystrom. &uot;We had some defensive letdowns and he had to come up big a few times. He played a fine game in goal.&uot;

Egan Mattson scored the Tigers’ first goal with about two minutes remaining in the first period, assisted by James Erickson.

&uot;Erickson did the work, Mattson put the puck in the net,&uot; said Nystrom.

Adam Boelter got the empty-net goal late in the third period.

The Tigers had three penalties, Faribault one.

&uot;It was a team victory,&uot; said Nystrom. &uot;We forechecked hard and we kept the puck in their end of the rink most of the game.&uot;

The Albert Lea junior varsity won 1-0 on a goal by Garret Schultz, assisted by Ross Stadheim. The Bengals ran their record to 1-2.

The Tigers, 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Nine, host Rochester John Marshall at 7 p.m. Thursday.