The question of whether the Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team could play with the powerful Rochester Mayo Spartans was answered early.

Friday, December 21, 2001

The question of whether the Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey team could play with the powerful Rochester Mayo Spartans was answered early.

The question became whether the Tigers could stay with the Spartans.

They did better than that.

The locals stunned visiting Mayo 3-2 at the City Arena Thursday night for one of Albert Lea’s biggest wins in years.

&uot;It’s been a long time coming,&uot; said forward Matt Bracker, who scored the winning goal with 6:52 left in regulation. &uot;It feels like a million bucks.&uot;

&uot;It was hard, but we did the work,&uot; said goalie Adam Newman, who faced an onslaught of 45 shots and made several stellar saves as the Spartans made a frantic attempt to tie it in the final minutes.

Both Tigers coach Roy Nystrom and Mayo coach Lorne Grosso – who were linemates on the University of Minnesota hockey team in the 1960s – agreed with Newman’s assessment. The Tigers won it with their work ethic.

&uot;They’re a real tough team, they work hard, and they really showed it tonight,&uot; said Grosso, whose team fell to 4-1 in the Big Nine and 4-2 overall. &uot;We always talk about that, talent is not as important as if you’re working. When people work, good things happen, and their boys never stopped. Their goaltender played outstanding and, when they had the opportunities, they scored them.&uot;

&uot;What we lack in talent, we make up for with hard work, grit and attitude,&uot; said Nystrom. &uot;And it doesn’t hurt to have goaltending like we did tonight. You’ve got to hand it to Mayo. They’ve got a good hockey team, no question about it.&uot;

The Tigers’ Adam Boelter scored the lone goal of the first period, at the 3:49 mark, assisted by Dan Breuer.

The Spartans knotted it at 1:33 of the second, but the Tigers got a shorthanded goal at 10:24 by Egan Mattson. Boelter assisted.

A power-play goal again tied it at 3:05 of the third.

Bracker scored the go-ahead goal unassisted.

Albert Lea, which had 14 shots on goal, overcame seven penalties. The Spartans went to the penalty box only three times.

Grosso, whose team went to overtime to beat Rochester Century 2-1 Tuesday, said that game may have been a factor Thursday.

&uot;It’s tough to get two games in row like that,&uot; said Grosso. &uot;And it’s always a battle over here.