Coach Roy Nystrom was expecting a close game when Owatonna came to town for the Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team’s home opener.

Thursday, December 16, 1999

Coach Roy Nystrom was expecting a close game when Owatonna came to town for the Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team’s home opener. He didn’t get one.

Nystrom’s Tigers overcame a 1-0 first-period deficit and won going away, scoring six unanswered goals while cruising to a 6-1 triumph at the City Arena Tuesday night.

It was the second win in as many games for the Tigers, who won 2-1 at Faribault in their season opener on Saturday.

That’s the type of game Nystrom figured to see Tuesday – a tight, hard-fought battle – and it was through most of two periods.

The Huskies outshot the Tigers 7-6 while scoring the lone goal of the first period, by Packy Sarazine at the 14:04 mark.

The Tigers tied it at 6:34 of the second when Jeremy Jacobson scored on an assist from Andy Tuchowski.

It remained 1-1 until 11:18 of the second, when Tristan Sather put the Tigers ahead. Levi Hendrickson assisted.

Dusty Wangen followed with an unassisted goal at 14:02, giving Albert Lea a 3-1 cushion going into the third.

The Tigers wasted no time putting it away in the final period.

Wangen scored just 50 seconds into it, assisted by Kellen Schulte and Chris Stanek, and Jacobson scored unassisted at the 1:43 mark.

The final goal came at 11:49 by Hendrickson. Schulte and Wangen had assists.

Jason Solberg was in the net for the Tigers.

For the game, the Tigers outshot the Huskies 22-20. Albert Lea was called for six penalties, Owatonna three.

The Tigers’ Thursday game against Winona has been rescheduled for February. The Tigers face Rochester Century at the City Arena next Tuesday.