Overtime Snipe Leads To Series Sweep

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/28/17)—A pair of goals 30-seconds apart in the first period and then another in overtime gave Concordia a 3-2 win over Gustavus and the sweep in the two-game series.

The Cobbers earn all six points for the series and move into a tie for fifth place in the MIAC standings. Concordia is now 5-4-1 in league play and 11-7-1 overall.

The game changed in a three-minute span towards the end of the first frame. The teams traded shots from the outside before the Gusties got on the board at the 15:25 mark. Concordia then charged forward and tied the game at 17:40 when senior captain Jeremy Johnson took a pass at the top of the left faceoff circle skated between the circles and then fired off a wristed that beat the Gustavus goalie over the glove and into the top right part of the net.

The goal would be the first of three top-quality shots that found the back of the net for Concordia. For Johnson it was his second goal in two games and gives him 15 points for the year. Garrett Hendrickson and Zach Doerring earned the assists on the play and for both it would be the first of their two points in the game.

The Cobbers gained control of the puck shortly after Johnson's power play goal and played the puck into the Gustie zone. Freshman Joe Burgmeier pounced on the loose puck at the top of left circle and followed Johnson's lead by letting go a wrist shot that found the top left corner of the net.

It was Burgmeier's first collegiate goal and gave Concordia the lead at the 18:10 mark. Quinn Fuchs and Mario Bianchi were credited with the assists. Bianchi earned his fourth assist of the weekend on the play.

Concordia held a 2-1 lead at the end of the first and second periods before the Gusties tied the game in the third minute of the third period. Gustavus' second goal of the game came at 2:16 and would be the final tally of regulation.

Both teams had quality chances in the final 15 minutes of play but neither could come up with the game winner.

The game-deciding goal would come just over one minute left in the 5-minute extra session.

Doerring cleared the puck the length of the ice and linemate Jon Grebosky beat the Gusties down the ice to nullify icing. He then dug the puck out of the left corner and pushed it to Hendrickson.

Hendrickson's first shot from the bottom of the left circle was stopped but then he got his own rebound and buried the shot into the far side of the net.

It was Hendrickson's sixth goal of the year and second game-winning goal of the season.

Gustavus outshot Concordia 32-25 for the game. Defenseman Jordan Krebsbach had a team-high four shots on goal.

Freshman goalie Sam Nelson turned aside 30 shots to pick up his second win of the weekend. Nelson stopped 70 shots in the two games and recorded two victories to bring his season total to seven.

Concordia went 1-for-3 on the power play and held the Gusties scoreless on their three power play attempts.       
  
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will look to continue its winning ways when they travel to St. Paul to take on league-leading St. Thomas on Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4. The Tommies are 8-1-1 in the MIAC and are coming off a sweep over St. John's.   

CONCORDIA vs. GUSTAVUS HIGHLIGHTS: