Three-Goal Holiday Break Too Much To Overcome

RIVER FALLS, Wis. (1/05/13)—Concordia spotted UW-River Falls three goals and lost 4-3 in the Cobbers' first game back since the holiday break. Concordia trailed 3-0 at the end of the second period but a furious third-period rally fell just short.

The Falcons scored a pair of goals four minutes apart in the first period and then added a third at the end of the second stanza. The teams were basically even on the stat sheet with River Falls holding a slight 17-14 edge in shots on goal.

Concordia finally broke on the board in the first two minutes of the final frame. Andrew Deters notched his sixth goal of the season at 1:17 with assists going to Jordie Bancroft and Tucker Coborn. The Falcons then scored the most important goal of the game when they reinstated their three-goal lead by scoring at the 6:28 mark. The Cobbers then got to within one goal with a pair of goals in a span of 1:42 only 36-seconds later. Ben Payne scored at 7:04 and then Caleb Suderman pulled CC within one at 4-3 at 8:46. Adam Wiertzema and Danil Kalashnikov earned the assists on Payne's goal.

Concordia threatened several times in the final 11 minutes of play but couldn't come up with the equalizer. Suderman hit the post on a power play midway through the final period and the Cobbers pumped four shots at the Falcons' goal in the final minute of play after pulling goalie Chris Neamonitis  with 1:20 to play.

UWRF added an empty-net goal with just 1-second left in the game after a a skirmish that produced a pair of major penalties and three game misconducts broke out at the 19:39 mark.

The Cobbers wound up outshooting River Falls 28-25 for the three periods. Neamonitis made 20 saves and Falcon goalie Scott Lewan stopped 25 shots to earn the win.

Concordia will have a one-day rest before hitting the ice at No.3-ranked UW-Eau Claire on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m.