Playoff Push Gets Power Played

ST. PAUL, Minn. (2/25/17)--- Concordia outscored No.1 seed St. Thomas 1-0 with the teams at even strength but unfortunately gave up a pair of power play goals and lost 2-1 in the MIAC semifinals.

The Cobbers allowed the game-winning power play goal midway through the third period after scoring the game-tying strike in the first minute of the final frame.

The one-goal loss ends Concordia's season with a 14-11-2 overall record. St. Thomas moves to 14-7-5 and advances to the conference title game where they will host Augsburg.

The teams skated through a very even first period with each squad having a chance to score but neither could come up with the opening score of the game. The Tommies held a slight 15-11 edge in shots on goal and there was only one power play chance which came at the end of the period.

St. Thomas carried that man-advantage situation into the start of the second period and used it to spark their offense. The Tommies didn't score on the carry-over power play but were then awarded another chance just 6-seconds after the end of the first PP opportunity.

The second man-advantage situation wouldn't end well for Concordia as it gave up the first of the two power plays at the 2:05 mark of the period.

The Cobbers weren't able to get their offense on track in the second period but wasted little time in the third to even the game at 1-1.

Senior captain Jeremy Johnson won the faceoff to start the third and then Concordia gained possession of the St. Thomas defense zone. Johnson would then tie the game at 1-1 with his sixth goal of the season at the 23-second mark. Garrett Hendrickson and Quinn Fuchs earned the assists on the play.

The game would then go up and down the ice for the next nine minutes of play with each team having three shots on goal.

The Tommies were then sent on the decisive power play at the 9:31 mark of the final period. UST controlled the puck from the onset and had a couple of chances before scoring the game-winning goal with 2-seconds remaining on the PP.

Concordia had one more chance on a power play attempt with 1:00 left in the game but couldn't come up with the game-tying goal.

After getting outshot 18-8 in the second period, Concordia held an 11-7 shots on goal in the third period. The final total was 40-30 in favor of the Tommies. Jon Grebosky led Concordia with six shots on goal and junior defenseman Bryan Kronberger added five.

Freshman goalie Sam Nelson made 38 saves in his second playoff appearance.