First And Last Not Enough

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (1/05/18)---Concordia scored the first and last goals of their game with No.5-ranked Wis.-Stevens Point but allowed three consecutive goals in the second period and lost 3-2 in Stevens Point.

The game marked the second straight solid one-goal outing against a nationally ranked team for the Cobbers. Last weekend Concordia beat No.14-ranked Milwaukee School of Engineering 4-3 and on Friday they came close to repeating the feat against the Pointers.

The loss drops the Cobbers' season record to 6-5-3 while Stevens Point remains unbeaten in its last eight games and moves to 11-3-2.

Senior Zach Doerring opened the scoring in the game when he scored an even-strength goal at 16:26 of the first period. Mario Bianchi and Tanner Okeson were given the assists. It would be the first of two helpers in the game for Okeson.

Concordia held a 1-0 lead heading into the first break despite being outshot 8-6.

The second period belonged to Stevens Point as they netted three goals and outshot CC 12-9.

The Cobbers would control the third period, outshooting the Pointers 10-5. Unfortunately for CC they were only able to score one goal and had several chances go a-begging to tie the game.

Blake Berg scored his third goal of the season at the 13:06 mark to set the stage for a dramatic final six-minutes of play. Okeson and Jon Grebosky had the assists on the goal which brought the Cobbers to within one at 3-2.

Concordia fired up 10 shots in the final six minutes of play but couldn't come up with the equalizer. The Cobbers pulled goalie Sam Nelson with 1:23 left in regulation and proceeded to record four total shots – and three shots on goal but the UWSP goalie came up big on each occasion to preserve the win.

Both teams finished with 25 shots on goal for the game. Grebosky and Doerring led the way for Concordia with six shots each.

Nelson finished with 22 saves in the game.

There were only five penalties called in the game and both teams went 1-for-2 on the power play.

SCORING RACE: All three of the Cobbers' top scorers netted a point in the game on Friday. Mario Bianch had an assist on the first goal and now leads the team with 17 points. He has recorded at least one point in five straight games. Zach Doerring scored the first goal while Jon Grebosky had an assist on the second CC tally. Both players have 14 points for the season. Grebosk also has a five-game point streak going while Doerring has scored at least one point in eight of the last 10 games.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will start their trek home to Moorhead but will stop off in Eau Claire, Wis. on Saturday to take on Wis.-Eau Claire at 7 p.m. The Blugolds are 9-6-0 on the season and are coming off a 4-0 win at home over Gustavus on Friday.