Lights, Camera, Win

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (12/01/12)—Concordia put on an impressive show for a regional TV audience as the Cobbers outgunned No.13-ranked St. Thomas 4-1 in a game that was televised on Channel 45 in the Twin Cities.

The win continues Concordia's mastery over the Tommie in the past few seasons. The Cobbers are now 6-1-1 against UST in the last eight games played between the two teams. The victory also helps CC earn a split in the two-game road conference series. Concordia earns two points in league play and is now 3-3-0 in the MIAC and tied for third place in the league standings. The Cobbers are 4-6-1 overall. Nationally-ranked St. Thomas loses for the first time in conference play and falls to 5-1 in league play and 6-5-1 overall. The Tommies are tied for first place with Bethel. Both teams have one conference loss on the year and both of their losses have come at the hands of the Cobbers.

Concordia started the game on Saturday by scoring three straight goals in the first 23:39 of the game. Dave Velich scored his first goal of the season to give the Cobbers a 1-0 lead at 15:22 of the first period and then CC recorded back-to-back goals just 29-seconds apart at the start of the second stanza. Andrew Deters scored the eventual game-winning goal, the first of two on the game for Deters, at the 3:10 mark and then Dan Hrabowych pushed the lead to 3-0 with a tally at 3:39. Ben Payne and Brian Kang picked up assists on Deters' goal and then Velich and Jordie Bancroft added the helpers on Hrabowych's third goal of the year.

St. Thomas would get to within to two goals with their only goal of the game at 17:40 of the second period.

Deters, and the Cobbers, iced the game in the final minute of the third period. Deters took advantage of the Tommies' decision to pull their goalie and scored an empty-net goal at 19:47. Deter's fourth score of the year was of the unassisted variety.

The game was played at Concordia's pace with both teams having less than 25 shots on goal for the game and neither team was able to put up more than nine shots in a single period. St. Thomas held a slight 24-22 edge in total shots on goal.

Both teams failed to connect on the power play. The Cobbers were 0-for-3 on the man-advantage and UST went scoreless in their five power play attempts.

Chris Neamonitis made 23 saves for Concordia to even his season record at 4-4-0. St. Thomas split the netminding duties. Tyrone Simcoe played the first 23:39, gave up three goals and made nine saves while Drew Fielding played the final 35:45 and also made nine saves.

Concordia will now have a two-week break before hosting a non-conference series against Northland College. The Cobbers and Lumberjacks will play on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. and then again on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. Both games will be held at the Moorhead Sports Center.