Streaks Snapped

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/14/17)--- There would be no third-period equalizer for Concordia in their series finale with Hamline. The Cobbers made a huge offensive push in the second half of the final period but couldn't score the game-tying goal and lost 4-2 to the Pipers.

Concordia put up 76 shots in the two games against Hamline but only scored three goals and settled for a shootout win and two points in the standings. The Cobbers are now 9-5-1 overall and 3-2-1 in league play. CC has 11 points in the MIAC and is in fifth place in the standings. Concordia has only played six conference games which are two fewer than three of the four teams ahead of them in the standings.

For the second straight game Hamline (7-6-3/4-3-1 MIAC) took a 1-0 lead with the lone goal of the first period. The Pipers went ahead 1-0 with a power play goal at 14:35. Penalties proved to be the difference in the opening 20 minutes of play. Concordia was whistled for three penalties while Hamline didn't take a penalty all period.

The Pipers doubled their lead midway through the second period and looked like they would coast to the win. The Cobbers took a tripping penalty at 18:29 of the second period and spent most of the penalty kill in their own end.

With 20 seconds to play in the period the puck went to Cobber goalie Jacob Stephan who played the puck up the boards to Zach Doerring. Doerring broke into the neutral zone and found himself in a 2-on-1 situation with linemate Jon Grebosky.

The pair played the odd-man rush to perfection as Doerring drew the defender, and the attention of the goalie, to the left side and then played a perfect pass to Grebosky who was crashing the middle of the net. Grebosky tapped the puck into the open goal and suddenly Concordia had new life.

Hamline looked to put the game out of reach one more time as they scored in the first minute of play in the third period but then Doerring and Grebosky got CC within a goal only 1:11 later.

The Cobbers kept the puck in the Hamline end and, after a scramble, Doerring tapped the puck to Grebosky who tracked the puck down in the left corner. He then played a perfect pass to linemate Garrett Hendrickson who was standing wide open between the faceoff circles. Hendrickson then one-timed a shot that went through the pads of the HU netminder.

The goal was Hendrickson's fifth of the year and completed the two-point game for Doerring and Grebosky.

Concordia then went on the offensive for the majority of the final 15 minutes of play. CC held an 8-2 edge in shots on goal before Hamline called timeout at the 15:02 mark.

The Cobbers then made one last push in the final two minutes of play and had the game-tying goal trickle just wide from the goal line in the final seconds before Hamline got the empty-net goal to make it 4-2 at the 19:47 mark.

Concordia outshot Hamline 11-9 in the third period but were outshot 33-28 for the game. Hendrickson led all players with six shots on goal in the game.

Stephan made 29 saves for CC and was saddled with his third loss of the year.

STREAKS STOPPED: Concordia had its six-game unbeaten streak come to an end. The four goals scored against CC also marked the first time that an opponent had scored more than two goals in the last seven games.  The four goals allowed was the most in nine games.
  
TOP LINE TOUGH: Concordia's top line of Hendrickson, Doerring and Grebosky has recorded at least one point in all six MIAC games this year. The trio has combined for eight goals against league opponents.   

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will hit the road for its next MIAC series. The Cobbers will head to Minneapolis to square off against Augsburg on Jan. 20-21. The Auggies are 10-2-2 overall and 4-1-1 in the MIAC and beat No.5-ranked Wis.-Eau Claire on Friday night.   

CONCORDIA vs. HAMLINE HIGHLIGHTS: