At the start of the season few would have predicted the Albert Lea girls’ hockey team would be one game away from the state tournament, but that’s exactly where the team finds itself now.

The Tigers (13-14-0) will face Red Wing Saturday at the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna for a chance to play at the state tournament and they are there because of the confidence the team has gained during its five-game winning streak.

Albert Lea was dealt a devastating blow before the season started when star forward Jenna Christensen tore her anterior cruciate ligament during the soccer season and the team started the season with a 2-7 record. Slowly the team began to gain confidence in itself beginning with a second place finish at the Austin tournament. Then the Tigers learned what they were capable of when they defeated the Packers 4-0 in the first round of the section playoffs.

That game was pivotal to the evolution of the team because it was evidence that Albert Lea could win big games.

The Tigers had come up short in a number of games against tough opponents including a 4-3 loss to a ranked Mankato West team, a 4-2 loss to Austin and a 2-1 overtime loss to Red Wing. But Albert Lea found a way to fight through the turbulent season and is in its first section championship game since the 2003 season when assistant coach Brittany Arendt was a member of the team.

Lately everything has fell into place for the Tigers and both lines have become a cohesive force.

The top line which includes juniors Lauren Klick and Madi Passingham, and sophomore Sophia Jepson has become a dangerous line. Klick has 28 goals on the season and Passingham has 23 goals while Jepson has been adept at setting up teammates for goals.

The second line of Amy Gackstetter, Mariah Leach, and Tasha Moyer has also come on as of late. Led by senior captain Gackstetter, freshmen Leach and Moyer have come into their own.

“You can see it in all these girls’ eyes right now that they want really truly want this,” Arendt said. “I’ve never seen the girls work harder than they are right now.”

Arendt was there when the Tigers fell 4-3 to Farmington in the 2003 title game and has applied some of what she learned in that game to prepare this team for a championship game.

“Everybody knows that if we win this game we go to state,” she said. “We understand that, but I think it’s more so not thinking that way but looking it as the first thing we need to do is have a good warmup.”

Keeping the team’s mind focused on immediate goals will help to forget about the implications and ease the nerves going into the game.

“I think the big thing the girls need to think about is not panicking and just playing this as another game because I think that’s what happened to us when we played Farmington in the section final because we were all so panicked,” Arendt said.

The Wingers reached the championship game as the No. 2 seed and beat Faribault 6-5 in the semifinal game behind three goals from standout junior defenseman Rosie Alleva.

The Tigers know stopping her will be essential.

“She’s really good at stick handling, basically you have to put a shadow on her,” said Passingham, who played with Alleva on a Minnesota Selects team two years ago. “Then having someone on her all the time, frustrating her, I think that will help.”

The Tigers will need to keep a constant eye on Alleva, much like they did against another outstanding player in Maren Dvorak from Northfield.

“She’s (Alleva) the type of gal that can move to a center position as well,” Blatti said. “So we’ve got to make sure we’ve got people reading and watching what she’s doing.”

A win would mean Albert Lea’s first trip to state in school history.

“I think the main thing is keeping our composure,” Arendt said. “They’re out there to play and they’re out there to win.”