Albert Lea boys’ hockey falls in Kiwanis Tournament opener

The Albert Lea Tigers boys’ hockey team lost a shootout  Tuesday 6-5 against Richfield in the opening round of the Kiwanis Holiday Tournament in Rochester.

The Tigers (6-2) and Spartans (5-3) combined for five goals in the first period but after Richfield’s Mich Dhein scored with 26 seconds left in the first to go ahead 3-2, the Spartans never trailed.

The Tigers’ Nate Stadheim scored on a power play goal 3:08 into the game to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead but the Spartans’ Jon Hauri tied the game less than two minutes later.

Richfield’s Patrick Peterson scored a power play goal at 6:12 to give the Spartans their first lead at 2-1, but the Tigers’ Shea Svendsen scored a power play goal of his own at 10:36 to again even the score before Dhein’s goal with seconds left in the first period.

The Spartans’ Taylor Martinez put Richfield ahead 3-1 5:57 into the second period and Stadheim scored his second goal at 16:38 to pull the Tigers within 3-2.

Albert Lea’s Eric Carlson and Richfield each scored two goals within the first 5:45 of the third period but the Tigers were unable to pull even over the final 11:25.

The Tigers play in the consolation semifinals tomorrow at noon.