The Austin boys hockey team can’t seem to figure out how to prosper in the second period.

That period once again posed a problem for the Packers as they lost 4-2 to Mankato East in their final home game of the season in Riverside Arena Tuesday.

The Cougars (14-9-1 overall, 12-5 Big Nine) tallied three of their goals in the third period to take a 3-1 lead.

“We were not physical and we did not play our game in the second period,” Austin head coach Erik LaRock said. “We’ve struggled in the second period all year and we’ve got to figure it out. That’s why you play the whole game and we’ve got to play 51 minutes.”

Kory Potach scored for Austin (6-13-1 overall, 3-12 Big Nine) to make it a 1-1 game in the second, but East’s Judd Shuclz got loose for his second breakaway of the period to put his team up 2-1 and Austin trailed the rest of the way.

“Schulz is a good player. He’s hard to contain,” LaRock said. “You give him any space he’s going to take advantage and score like he did tonight. We gave him a little too much space in the second period.”

Austin sophomore Noah Bawek had 27 saves in net and he has been a solid force for the Packers all season.

“Noah has stepped up a lot. He made a lot of big saves for us tonight,” LaRock said. “ Every goal was not his fault tonight and those were defensive breakdowns. He still has a lot to learn, but he’s playing well for us.”

SCORING SUMMARY

East 0 3 1 — 4

Austin 0 1 1 — 2

First period

No scoring

Second period

(M) Judd Shulz (shorthanded) 1:35

(A) Kory Potach (power play) (Tanner Hoban) 2:10

(M) Schulz (Bailey Marshall, Chase Kunst) 4:31

(M) Hunter Johnson (Nick Salzle, Garrett Rabenhorst) 8:52

Third period

(M) Rabenhorst 14:46

(A) Daniel Bollingberg (Isaac Arnold) 16:15

Shots: Austin — 31; East — 19