Four games ago the Albert Lea boys’ hockey team and Owatonna met and Tigers junior Dillon Stolt had his biggest game of the season by recording a four-point night and he did it again against Huskies, this time in a 5-4 victory that proved far more difficult.

Albert Lea (9-9-1) won for the fifth time in six games and did it with Stolt’s first three-goal game of the season.

Stolt helped rally the Tigers in the first period by scoring the game’s first goal and later scoring a power-play goal with 21 seconds left in the period to tie the game after Owatonna scored two power-play goals.

“Stolt has kind of come into his own here lately,” said Albert Lea head coach Roy Nystrom. “For the first several games during the season he wasn’t getting very many points, but he’s starting to. Since we got back for the Range he’s really been a force for us.”

Stolt added another power-play goal in the second period at 10:44 and assisted on Eric Carlson’s goal with one minute to go in the second. Carlson’s goal gave the Tigers a 5-3 lead and held up as the game-winner despite the Huskies outshooting Albert Lea 15-9 in the third period.

After a lackluster first period the Tigers responded in the second period. Albert Lea outshot Owatonna 15-5 and took advantage of five Huskies penalties. The Tigers scored on three of the power plays.

“We knew we had to come out harder the next period,” Stolt said. “We were in the locker room and we just knew we couldn’t give them the next goal.”

Casey Marka scored the go-ahead goal in the second period on a power play at 1:13 and the Tigers grabbed control of the game.

After Rochester Lourdes beat Faribault Saturday every one of the top teams in Section 1A has two losses to section opponents, which sets up well for Albert Lea, which might be in contention for the top seed.

“It was step and we have to keep winning,” Nystrom said of Monday’s victory. “There’s only one answer to getting a high seed in the section and that’s keep winning.”

Albert Lea 5, Owatonna 4

Owatonna 2 2 0 — 4

Albert Lea 2 3 0 — 5

First Period—1, Albert Lea, Dillon Stolt (J.T. Bellrichard, Levi Hacker), 11:42. 2, Owatonna, Ben Hanson (Logan Pirkl, Matt Snorek), 13:45 (pp.). 3, Owatonna, Snorek (Erik Johnson, Hanson), 15:28 (pp.). 4, Albert Lea, Stolt (Casey Marka, Tyler Haaland), 16:39 (pp.). Penalties—Nate Brage, Owa (interference), 0:40; Haaland, Alb (roughing), 12:29; Stolt, Alb (interference), 14:33; Zach Olson, Owa (boarding), 16:14.

Second Period—5, Albert Lea, Marka (John Wrolson, Tyler Brackey), 1:13 (pp.). 6, Owatonna, Jamie Rohrig (Snorek, Aren Peterson), 7:44. 7, Albert Lea, Stolt (Eric Carlson, Marka), 10:44 (pp.). 8, Albert Lea, Carlson (Stolt, Marka), 16:00. 9, Owatonna, David Feichtinger (Trevor Thompson), 16:25 (pp.). Penalties—Alex Whited, Owa (high sticking), 0:45; Johnson, Owa (elbowing), 3:07; Snorek, Owa (delay of game), 5:14; Hanson, Owa (cross checking), 10:18; Johnson, Owa (roughing), 12:23; David Enstad, Alb (cross checking), 16:19; Haaland, Alb (interference), 16:49.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Zach Olson, Owa (head contact, roughing), 6:18; Enstad, Alb (cross checking), 12:26; Marka, Alb (slashing), 16:25.

Shots on Goal—Owatonna 6-5-15—26. Albert Lea 7-15-9—31.

Power-play opportunities—Owatonna 3 of 5; Albert Lea 3 of 8.

Goalies—Owatonna, Nick Paulson (31 shots, 26 saves). Albert Lea, John Wrolson (26-22).