A Sweet MIAC Showcase Sweep

BLAINE, Minn. (11/03/13)—Dan Hrabowych had a goal and three assists and goalie Chris Neamonitis stopped 36 of the 37 shots he faced as Concordia rolled over Hamline 6-1 to complete a weekend sweep at the MIAC Showcase.

The Cobbers, who beat No.11-ranked St. John's on Saturday, are now 2-0 for the second time in the past three years and only the second time since 2006-07 that CC has started a year with two straight wins. Concordia is one of only three team in the conference to go unbeaten at the season-opening showcase.

Neamonitis, who is starting his senior season, had an almost perfect weekend. He stopped all  29 shots he faced on Saturday to blank the Johnnies and then turned aside 36 of the 37 shots he faced against the Pipers. He kept the Cobbers in the game in the first period against Hamline, making 13 saves and allowing the Concordia offense to get on track midway through the period.

With the confidence of having a wall in their net, the Cobbers finally got their game legs back at the 8:06 mark of the first period. Adam Wiertzema scored his first goal of the season and that set off a string of three goals in the next 8:17. Joe Becker and Andrew Deters picked up the assists on the opener. Freshman Jordan Christianson then sniped the first of his two goals in the game as CC started to get chances by speeding into the Hamline zone. Jeremy Johnson and Caleb Suderman were credited with the helpers. Jordie Bancroft would finish off the trio of goals when he broke down the right wing and went top shelf at 16:22. Hrabowych recorded the first of his three assists on the play.

Suderman scored a huge goal just before the end of the first period. After being awarded a power play opportunity at 19:01, Suderman netted his second goal in asmany game only four seconds into the man advantage. Bancroft and Hrabowych both added their second point of the period on the play.

Neither team was able to score in the first half of the second period before Hrabowych and Christianson put the game out of reach with goals 53-seconds apart starting at the 13:28 mark. Bancroft earned his second assist of the game on Hrabowych's goal while Hrabowych and Tucker Coborn were credited with assists on Christianson's second goal of the game.

The only drama left to decide was whether Neamonitis could pick up back-to-back shutouts on the opening weekend. Unfortunately Hamline was finally able to find a crack in the Neamonitis wall when they scored at the 5:27 mark of the third period.

The shots on goal statistic favored quantity over quality. Hamline outshot Concordia 37-21 for the game but most of their shots came from near the wall or at the point.

The teams combined for 21 penalties in the game – with 12 coming in the final period of play. The Cobbers were 2-for-6 on the power play while the Pipers were 1-for-9.

Concordia will now travel to Wisconsin for a pair of games against NCHA opponents. The Cobbers will play at UW-River Falls on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. and then head to Superior, Wis. to take on UW-Superior on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.