photo by Nick Gerhardt

Albert Lea’s Sophie Jepson tries to skate past a Falcons’ defenseman Tuesday at the City Arena. The Tigers fell apart in the third period again in a 6-2 loss to Faribault.

Tigers flop in third period again

By Nick Gerhardt | Albert Lea Tribune

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Albert Lea girls’ hockey team is getting healthier but its play remained anemic when the Tigers faced Faribault Tuesday at the City Arena.

Five players Albert Lea players have dealt with injuries already and a stretched defense was exposed in the third period when the Falcons scored four unanswered goals for a 6-2 victory.

Albert Lea (1-2) played sloppy and its staccato effort maligned the Tigers in the final period.

It was an up-and-down game through the first two periods, but Faribault (4-0) broke the game open in the third.

“The third period we were in reverse,” said Albert Lea head coach Brian Blatti. “We picked it up the second half of the first period, we played pretty well in the second period and the third period there was nothing.”

The Falcons outshot the Tigers 17-4 in the period after Albert Lea outshot the Falcons in the second period 12-11.

Falcons junior center Megan Bergland created problems the entire night for Albert Lea as she scored four goals and assisted on another.

“We just started giving up once they got a goal, kind of got us on a bad note,” said junior defenseman Lauren Draayer. “We had trouble finding girls and staying with them.”

Bergland’s goals came in a flurry when the Tigers gave her space and left her open on the back post several times.

Bergland scored a natural hat trick and later added a fourth goal as the Falcons started to pull away in the third period.

Bergland’s first goal came at the 2:08 mark on a power play when she was left alone at the back post for a rebound goal. Twenty-four seconds later she walked in all alone through the Tiger defense to make it a 2-0 game. Her third and fourth goals came 32 seconds apart from each other in the third period.

Albert Lea rallied back with a power-play goal from defenseman Sam Stanley at 7:51 in the second period.

Less than 4 minutes later Kaley Walemar scored on a shot from the point to tie the game at 2, but that would be it for the Tiger offense the rest of the evening.

Albert Lea had a chance to take the lead in the second period with a 5-on-3 power play midway through the period, but the power play failed to generate much of the night. The Tigers went 1 for 7 on power-play opportunities.

Faribault sped past Albert Lea the rest of the way as a exhausted Tiger team was no match for the Falcons.

Part of the exhaustion had to do with the lack of depth on defense. Stanley and Draayer have logged the majority of the ice time as the Tigers have just four healthy defensemen.

“It hurts but at the same token we have to have everyone step up,” Blatti said about the lack of depth on defense.

Two of the first three games for the Tigers have come against section opponents, a fact not taken lightly by the team, and each time Albert Lea has faded in the third period. Against Northfield the Tigers gave up the game-tying goal with less than 2 minutes to play and eventually lost in overtime.

“It’s going to hurt us for section seeding but hopefully we can come back and get them next time around,” said senior forward Madi Passingham.

The Thanksgiving break will give Albert Lea time to heal and time to clean up some of the troublesome areas.

The Tigers hit the ice next Tuesday when they travel to New Ulm.

Faribault 6, Albert Lea 2

Faribault 0 2 4 — 6

Albert Lea 0 2 0 — 2

First Period—No scoring. Penalties—Sophia Jepson, Alb (hooking), 1:43; Shelby Salmonsen, Far (checking), 3:40; Kallen Knott, Far (holding), 9:11.

Second Period—1, Faribault, Megan Bergland (Katie Dickison, Jackie Johnson), 2:08 (pp.). 2, Faribault, Bergland (unassisted), 2:32. 3, Albert Lea, Sam Stanley (Lauren Klick), 7:51 (pp.). 4, Albert Lea, Kaley Waldemar (Madi Passingham), 11:37. Penalties—Stanley, Alb (hooking), :20; Brittany Lackore, Far (holding), 3:32; Jepson, Alb (slashing), 4:41; Anna Anderson, Alb (high sticking), 6:04; Kristin Sirek, Far (checking), 6:58; Taylor Salmonsen, Far (too many man), 7:39; Bergland, Far (hooking), 8:09; Maddie Moore, Far (interference), 12:05.

Third Period—5, Faribault, Bergland (Shelby Salmonsen), 4:22. 6, Faribault, Bergland (Johnson), 4:54. 7, Faribault, Cady Walker (Taylor Salmonsen), 6:44. 8, Faribault, Johnson (Bergland, Shelby Salmonsen), 7:26. Penalties—Passingham, Alb (hooking), 7:48.

Shots on Goal—Faribault 11-11-17—39. Albert Lea 6-12-4—22.

Power-play opportunities—Faribault 1 of 4; Albert Lea 1 of 7.

Goalies—Faribault, Hannah Seitz (22 shots, 20 saves). Albert Lea, Sydney Conley (39 shots, 33 saves).

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