Oh Captain, My Captain

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/23/13)—Concordia captain Caleb Suderman continues to score and the Cobbers continue to win. Suderman netted the game-winning goal in CC's 3-2 win against Bethel.

The win earns the series sweep for Concordia and is their fourth in the last five games. The Cobbers are now 6-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in conference play. It is the first time since the 2000-01 season.  Bethel remains winless on the season and falls to 0-7-1 overall and 0-3-1 in the MIAC.

Suderman continues to tear through the early portion of the 2013-14 season. His seeing-eye wrist shot goal from the top of the left face-off circle at the start of the third period was his seventh overall goal and second game-winning goal. Suderman currently leads the nation in goals by a defenseman. He also had an assist on Concordia's second goal to run his season point total to nine. He is fourth in the conference in total points and leads the league in points by a blue-liner.

Suderman has scored one goal in seven of the first eight Concordia games in 2013-14. The Cobbers are now 6-1-0 when he scores. 

Concordia controlled the tempo from the outset but wasn't able to get on the board until late in the first period. The Cobbers put up 12 shots on goal in the first 15 minutes of play before Andrew Deters put CC up 1-0 in the 16^th minute of play. Staked to their first power play in the game, Concordia's power play unit worked the puck around the right side boards. Deters collected a pass and walked to the bottom of the faceoff circle and snapped a shot on net. His initial offering was stopped but he was able to continue on and poked home the rebound. It was Deter's second goal of the season and Joe Becker and Garrett Hendrickson picked up assists on the man-advantage score.

For the second straight game the initial 1-0 lead would be short-lived. Bethel responded by scoring 1:40 later at the 16:58 mark. The teams would then head into the break tied at 1-1.

Dan Hrabowych gave the Cobbers the lead for good when he tipped home a shot from the point on the power play.

"Tucker [Coborn] put it up to Suderman," stated Hrabowych. "Suderman's got a heckuva shot and I just happened to be in front of the net and it went off my stick and it went in. It felt great to finally get one on the power play."

That would be the lone goal in the second period before Suderman would stake Concordia to a 3-1 lead with his twisted wrister at 6:23 of the third. The Coborn brothers were credited with the helpers on the play. For Tucker Coborn it was his second assist of the game and fourth of the season. Sam Coborn is right behind his older brother with three assists on the year.   

Bethel made the game interesting with a goal in the final two minutes of play. The Royals scored an even-strength goal which set the stage for a frantic finish.

Concordia goalie Chris Neamonitis came up with a big save after the BU goal to preserve the victory.

Neamonitis made 26 saves in the game and now has 257 on the year. He is second in all of Division III in saves and sixth in save percentage (.948). Neamonitis now has a 1.75 goals against average which is 11^th best in Division III.

Bethel goalie Steven Bolton stopped 30 shots as Concordia outshot the Royals 33-28.

The Cobbers will now take a break for the Thanksgiving holiday before hosting St. Thomas in a crucial early-season MIAC showdown. The Tommies are 2-0-1 in conference play and, depending on the outcome of their league game with St. Olaf, are just below Concordia in the MIAC standings.