Tigers hounded

Published 1:29 am Friday, January 27, 2012

Albert Lea’s Eli Malimanek works to get the puck away from the boards while fending off two Owatonna players on Thursday at Roy Nystrom Arena. The Tigers lost 6-1. -- Brandi Hagen

The Big Nine-leading Owatonna boys’ hockey team rolled through Albert Lea on Thursday en route to its

Levi Hacker slides into the net after taking a shot that was blocked by Owatonna’s goalie on Thursday. -- Brandi Hagen

seventh win in nine games.

The Huskies (11-6-3, 8-3-1 Big Nine), which hasn’t lost a conference game since losing its third straight on Dec. 20, scored four first-period goals and won 6-1.

Levi Hacker scored the Tigers’ (10-8, 7-4) lone goal five minutes and 12 seconds into the second period to cut the Huskies’ lead to 4-1. Owatonna scored again twice in the third period.

The Huskies outshot the Tigers 42-26 and beat Albert Lea for the first time since Jan. 27, 2009. The Tigers beat Owatonna 4-1 earlier this season.

Albert Lea plays again at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Rochester Mayo (11-5, 8-1) at Roy Nystrom Arena.