Cobbers Lose Tight Battle At St. John's

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (1/21/12)— Concordia allowed the game-winning goal with 2:15 remaining in the third period and lost 2-1 at St. John's on Saturday. The Cobbers had tied the game at 1-1 with 2:55 to play on a power play goal from Pat Deitz but then conceded the game winner just :40 later.

The loss is the second in the last three games for the Cobbers. CC is now 8-7-3 overall and 4-3-2 in the MIAC. St. John's wins for the second straight game and improves to 5-9-2 in all games and 3-4-0 in conference play.

The two teams played a conservative first 40 minutes with only 25 combined shots. The only game in the opening two periods came with less than 3:00 to go in the second frame. The Johnnies scored an even-strength goal at the 17:31 mark to head into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.

The teams opened up play in the third period but it looked like SJU would hold on to the 1-0 lead before Deitz tied the game on the power play in the 18^th minute of the third. Aaron Wheeler and Erick Galt were awarded the assists on the play. The game was then decided :40 later when St. John's was able to gain the CC offensive zone and then get the game-winner at the 17:45 mark.

The Johnnies outshot the Cobbers 27-21 in the game. Concordia goalie Kelly Andrew made 25 saves in the game and SJU netminder J.D. Wells stopped 20 shots to earn his second win of the year.

The two teams will finish off their two-game series on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.