The outlook was bleak for the Albert Lea boys’ hockey team with less than five minutes left in regulation.

On the heels of seven straight one-goal losses, the Tigers trailed Rochester Lourdes 3-2.

However, Bergen Lundak forced overtime when he found the net with 4:25 left in the third period, and he scored again 20 seconds into the extra period on Tuesday to lift Albert Lea to a 4-3 victory over Lourdes at Albert Lea City Arena.

“The way we did it, coming from behind — the kids needed this one,” said Albert Lea coach Roy Nystrom. “There’s no doubt about it.”

Although the Eagles outshot the Tigers 42-24, Albert Lea goalie Garrett Matz stayed strong in the goal with a .929 save percentage.

“Our goaltender came up big,” Nystrom said. “He had a fine game.”

Albert Lea never led during regulation.

Lourdes took a 2-0 lead less than two minutes into the second period. Albert Lea kept its deficit manageable with a goal by Foster Otten on passes from Matt Carlson and Ryan Peterson to head into the second intermission trailing 2-1.

Otten lit the lamp for the second time 5:14 into the third period with another assist from Carlson.

Carter Jones of Lourdes helped Lourdes recapture its lead by scoring a goal with 10:44 left in regulation.

Lundak responded with the equalizer in regulation and the go-ahead goal in overtime. Both scores were assisted by Alex Claassen.

“I have to give credit to No. 19 (Lundak), our little sniper, who got the two last goals and then to Foster Otten for the first two,” Nystrom said. “It was a team win.”

As uplifting as the victory was for the Tigers (9-14, 5-11 Big Nine), the loss was equally as devastating for the Eagles (5-16-2, no conference). All seven of Albert Lea’s one-goal losses were in the last month, but Lourdes has dropped nail-biters all year. Including Tuesday’s loss, the Eagles are 0-10 in games decided by one goal.

“They’ve got a nice team, and we knew they just got beat 3-2 by New Prague on Saturday,” Nystrom said about Lourdes. “They have a strong schedule, but then so do we.

The game was the last regular-season home matchup for 10 Albert Lea seniors: Matz, Claassen, Carlson, Peterson, Kasey Habana, E.J. Thomas, Wyatt Paulsen, Brady Loch, William Martin and Dalton Flatness.

The Tigers will finish the regular season with a pair of road games.

Next, Albert Lea will play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Austin (3-19, 0-15-1 Big Nine). The Tigers beat the Packers 5-0 on Dec. 20, 2014. It was the Albert Lea’s 17th consecutive win over Austin.

In the Tigers’ regular-season finale, they will play at 2 p.m. Saturday at Winona (4-19, 3-14 Big Nine).