Defense Takes Center Stage In Sweep

MOORHEAD, Minn. (12/5/15)--- On Friday Concordia used an explosive offense to record a 6-3 win over previously unbeaten St. Mary's. On Saturday the Cobbers used a lock-down defense to record a 2-0 victory over the Cardinals and earn their second straight conference series sweep to start the season.     

Concordia is now 4-0 in the MIAC marking the first time since the 1999-00 season that they have started league play with four straight victories. CC is now 5-3-0 overall.

St. Mary's, which had their eight-game unbeaten streak snapped on Friday, falls for the second straight game and drops to 6-4-2 in all games and 3-2-1 in the MIAC.

For the second straight game Concordia used an early goal to set the tone and grab the momentum in the game. Senior Jordie Bancroft scored the eventual game-winning goal when he took control of the puck in the neutral zone, skated down the left wing and cut sharply towards the net at the bottom of the face-off circle.

He was able to get behind the defense and in front of the goal area where he flipped his initial shot on goal on the left side of the crease. The St. Mary's made the stop on the first shot but the puck went right back to Bancroft who slapped home the rebound as he was gliding towards the right side of the crease.

The goal at the 4:15 mark was Bancroft's first of the season and broke an eight-game scoring drought. Bancroft led the Cobbers in scoring last year with 15 goals.

Junior Garrett Hendrickson was awarded the first of his two assists in the game on the opener. After going without a point in the first five gmaes of the year he has now posted three straight two-point contests. 

The first period proved to be the most wide open of the three as the teams put up a combined 19 shots on goal and had more chances go wide of the target.

Concordia was able to put the clamps on the league's top-rated offense in the second and third periods. The Cardinals had only 11 shots in the final 40 minutes of play and didn't have any quality opportunities from around the net.

Freshman Matt O'Dea doubled the Cobbers' lead at 7:45 of the second period. He tapped home the puck on a rebound after Hendrickson fired the initial shot of the SMU goalie's shoulder.

Hendrickson and O'Dea broke free on a 2-on-1 situation in the neutral zone. The St. Mary's defender elected to take away the passing lane to O'Dea which left an open shot for Hendrickson. He fire a high shot off the goalie and the rebound dropped behind the netminder and O'Dea had to only tap the puck in to the gaping net after driving hard to the goal to get the second chance.

Concordia vs. St. Mary's Highlights

The goal was O'Dea's third of the season and continues the trend of freshmen scoring for CC. The Cobbers have now had a first-year player score in seven of the first eight games of the year.

Sophomore goalie Alex Reichle made sure the two-goal lead would stand up. He stood tall in the net and stopped all 19 shots he faced to earn his first collegiate shutout.

Concordia outshot St. Mary's 25-19 in the game. Sophomore Zach Doerring had a team-high four shots on goal.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Cobbers will finish off the 2015 portion of their schedule with three road non-conference games. CC will play at Wis.-Stout on Friday, Dec. 11 and then travel to Ashland, Wis. For a two-game series against Northland on Dec. 18-19.