Same Story Line In Second Straight Loss

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/19/13)—The story line for Concordia's second game against St. John's was pretty much the same as the first game as the Cobbers score the opening goal in the first period and then watched as the Johnnies score the equalizer in the second and then the eventual game winner.

Concordia gave up three unanswered goals in the second and third periods and lost 3-1 to St. John's in Moorhead. The Cobbers get swept by the Johnnies and fall to 8-10-1 overall and 5-5-0 in league games. St. John's moves to 8-6-3 in overall games and 3-3-2 in the MIAC.


Video of Brian Kang's goal for Concordia



The game was more physical than the series opener on Friday night. Both teams tried to control the individual battles from the start of the game and that led to less up and down action and more play in the middle of the rink.

Concordia was able to break on the board just past the midway point of the opening period. The Cobbers won a draw on the right face-off circle in the SJU end. The puck then went out to the point where a shot from Adam Sundqvist rebounded out to the top of the goal crease. Senior Brian Kang crashed the net and was able to slam home the rebound for his fifth goal of the season.

St. John's had the better of the chances in the second period but was denied on a pair of breakaways and a point-blank opportunity by Cobber goalie Chris Neamonitis. The Johnnies finally solved the Neamonitis riddle at the 8:45 mark of the second period when Tobias Lindro chipped home a rebound from just between the bottom of the face-off circles.

The game winner would come at the 10:27 mark of the third period. The Johnnies scored on their fifth power-play attempt of the game on another rebound and scrum-type situation.

Concordia's best stretch of the game came after the Johnnie goal but they were never able to come up with the game-tying goal. St. John's added an empty-net goal at 18:55 after CC pulled Neamonitis in favor of an extra skater.

St. John's outshot the Cobbers 31-23 for the game. SJU was 1-for-5 on the power play while the Cobbers were held scoreless in their two man-advantage situations. CC was held to only one shot on goal in the two power play situations. Concordia was 0-for-5 on the power play in the weekend series and created only three shots on goal.

Neamonitis had one of his best games of the season and kept the Cobbers in the contest for the entire game. He finished with 26 saves and has now turned aside 135 of the last 142 shots he has faced.

Saxton Soley made 20 saves to earn his second win of the weekend.

The Cobbers will continue with their six-game home stand when they host Gustavus for a two-game series on Friday, Jan. 25 and Saturday, Jan. 26. Both games will be played at the Moorhead Sports Center.