Both Mankato West and the Albert Lea boys’ hockey team entered the 2008-09 season with questions about a drop-off after both teams lost a large portion of points from last year’s squads, but there was no drop-off in the intensity level of the two teams Friday night in Mankato as the Tigers scored a 5-3 win over the Scarlets.

Mankato West lost Ricky Litchfield — the top scorer last season in Minnesota, and Corey Leivermann who finished fifth in scoring last season. Litchfield and Leivermann combined for 160 points in the regular season last season as West made the state tournament for the first time in school history. Albert Lea lost a combined 164 points from seniors Casey Woodside, Jared Bowman and Adam Royce.

None of that mattered Friday night as the Tigers (2-0-0) came back from a 1-0 deficit after the first period for the victory.

Albert Lea grabbed a 2-1 lead when senior Jordan Prescher-Smerud scored 13 minutes, 35 seconds into the second period on a power play goal.

West (0-1-0) would come back twice to tie the game before Tyler Brackey scored the game-winner at 13:53 in the third on an assist from Taylor Draayer and Mitchell Sorenson to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead. Brackey got the puck from the corner and skated in front of the goal and deked Scarlets goalie Adam Trautman for the game winner.

“I knew it was going to be a very tight game,” Albert Lea head coach Roy Nystrom said. “I think this conference is going to be very interesting this year.”

The game had its normal physicalness that has typified the series, Nystrom said. The two teams combined for 20 penalties as the Tigers took eight penalties and the Scarlets 12.

West took a 1-0 lead when Joe Gustafson scored on a power play at 16:23 in the first period.

Albert lea got a lift from Blake Adams in the second period when he scored at 12:38 to tie the game.

“That was a big goal because we had threatened several, several times,” Nystrom said.

After Adams tied it, Prescher-Smerud gave the Tigers a lead near the end of the period.

The third period went back forth and had two ties as Nick Jose scored 1:09 into the third to tie the game 2-2. Sorenson came back 34 seconds later with a goal to take the lead, but Andrew Bruggeman tied the game once again at 5:35.

Johnny Wrolson made 21 saves in net for the Tigers as Albert Lea stayed perfect on the season.

Nystrom said the Tigers will have to address their play in their own end after the game, but he was pleased that team got scoring from its first and second line.

Albert Lea 5, Mankato West 3

1st 2nd 3rd

Albert Lea 0 2 3 — 5

Mankato West 1 0 2 — 3

GOAL SCORING:

1st: Mankato West: Joe Gustafson (power play) (Matt Campbell) 16:23

2nd: Albert Lea: Blake Adams (Mitchell Sorenson, Bob Peterson) 12:38

Albert Lea: Jordan Prescher-Smerud (power play) (Tyler Prihoda) 13:35

3rd: Mankato West: Nick Jose (Chris Zimmerman, Jace Leiferman) 1:09

Albert Lea: Sorenson (Tyler Haaland) 1:43

Mankato West: Andrew Bruggeman (Matt Campbell, Brock Lloyd) 5:35

Albert Lea: Tyler Brackey (Taylor Draayer, Sorenson) 13:53

Albert Lea: Prihoda (empty net) (Smerud, Draayer) 15:50

SHOTS ON GOALS:

Albert Lea 7 14 7 — 28

Mankato West 9 7 8 — 24