The Albert Lea Thunder concluded the NAHL Showcase tournament with four losses and just one point after losing 1-0 in a shootout against Motor City Saturday in Blaine.

The results of the weekend were mixed to say the least. The Thunder didn’t win a game, but lost three one-goal games. Albert Lea was outshot in all but one game and only scored four goals in four games. The power play was 2-for-26 and the penalty kill allowed four goals against Wichita Falls.

All and all the Thunder learned a lot from the weekend and the team feels it’s not too far off from being competitive in the league this season.

“We were very close to winning, but that’s how the cookie crumbles,” Albert Lea assistant coach Brian Murphy said after Saturday’s 1-1 shootout loss to the Machine. “We’ll build off of it.”

Both Murphy and head coach Brad Zangs feel that the power play is of utmost concern for the team before it plays its first home game Friday against Owatonna. They also said that the team didn’t emphasize the power play as much in practice leading up to the NAHL Showcase and intimated that the lack of success on the power play stemmed from that lack of practice.

“We need to work on our power play,” Murphy said. “We can always work on our power play.”

Albert Lea was also caught off guard a number of times in transition, resulting in numerous odd-man rushes for opponents throughout the week. The Thunder limited those rushes and surrendered just one goal in the first period when Kevin Bechard scored at the 12:42 mark Saturday.

Albert Lea responded quickly with its second power play goal of the tournament when Colin Moberly slammed the puck home from in front of the net. Moberly was joined by Niko Kapetanovic and Danny Wood on his line again Saturday and the line produced a goal for the second straight game. Derek Docken scored a night earlier on a pass from Kapetanovic.

Zangs liked the effort he saw from the team after a 6-1 defeat against Wichita Falls the night before.

“It was a hell of a game,” Zangs said. “We played a great game, the kids worked their butts off.”

The Thunder had just 13 shots Saturday night while Motor City had 38.

The back check had been another area of concern after giving up goals on odd-man rushes, but Zangs said the back check improved in the final game of the Showcase.

“We did a great job on back checking,” Zangs said. “For the boys to battle back, it shows the type of character they have.”

1st 2nd 3rd OT SO Total

Albert Lea 1 0 0 0 0 1

Motor City 1 0 0 0 1 2

GOAL SCORING:

1st period: Motor City – Kevin Bechard 4 (Anthony Olson, Phil Webb) 12:42

Albert Lea – Colin Moberly 2 (power play) (Niko Kapetanovic, Danny Wood) 17:19

2nd period: No scoring

3rd period: No scoring

OT: No scoring

Shootout: Motor City 1-for-5 (Ryan Misiak), Albert Lea 0-for-5

POWER-PLAY CONVERSION: Albert Lea — 1 for 7, Motor City — 0 for 7

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1st 2nd 3rd OT Tot

Motor City 10 14 12 1 37 Albert Lea 4 4 3 2 13