Special Teams Survivor

Ashland, Wis. (12/18/11)—Concordia scored four power play goals and beat Northland 4-3 in Ashland, Wis. On Sunday in the final game for the Cobbers before the Christmas holiday. Aaron Wheeler scored a pair of goals, including the game winner midway through the third period, as the Cobbers ran their unbeaten streak to four games.

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The game was dominated by the power play units for both teams. Of the seven goals scored in the contest, six were scored on the man advantage attack. The two teams combined to go 6-for-16 (37.5%) in power play opportunities.

Concordia scored the first power play goal just 3:09 into the opening period when freshman Rylan Henley scored his first collegiate goal. Ben Payne and Marc Harrie received the assists on the play. Henley's tally would be the lone goal of the opening period with the team nearly dead even in shots on goal (11-10 CC).

The second period was the biggest offensive outburst of the weekend with the teams netting four goals in the middle 20 minutes of play. The Lumberjacks scored the first two goals to grab a 2-1 lead midway through the period but the Cobbers responded with two goals in the final 5:32 of the frame to regain the one-goal lead at 3-2. Wheeler brought CC level when he netted his first goal of the game, and fifth of the season, at the 14:28 mark and then Michael Benedict put Concordia ahead with another power play tally at 19:24. It was Benedict's first goal of the season. Caleb Suderman got the assist on Wheeler's goal and John Orrico picked the apple on Benedict's nugget.

The Cobbers took a 3-2 lead into the third period despite outshooting Northland 20-10 in the second stanza. Things took a turn for the worst when the Lumberjacks tied the game in the ninth minute of the last period. Once again Northland was able to capitalize on the power play and Concordia found themselves deadlocked once again and once again had a significant advantage in shots on goal. Wheeler made sure there would not be a second tie game when he netted his team-leading sixth goal of the year at 10:54. Nick Thielen and Chris Beede assisted on Wheeler's second game-winning goal of the season.

The Cobbers finished the game with a 39-30 edge in shots on goal and held an 84-54 advantage over the Lumberjacks for the two-game series. Sophomore Chris Neamonitis made 27 saves to earn his team-leading fourth win of the year. Ian Perrier once again kept Northland in the game with his solid goaltending. He stopped 35 shots on the afternoon.

Concordia is now 7-3-3 on the season which marks the most wins they have had before the Christmas break since the 2002-03 season. The Cobbers didn't notch their seventh win last year until Jan. 21. Northland is now 3-7-2 as they head into the new calendar year.

The Cobbers will return to action on Jan. 6-7 when they host a pair of NCHA opponents. Concordia will square off against UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 6 and then face No.4-ranked UW-River Falls on Jan. 7. Both games will be played at 2 p.m. and both will be held at the Moorhead Sports Center.