Win Streak Comes To An End In Series Opener At Augsburg

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (2/03/23)---Concordia gave up three consecutive goals in the first and seconds periods, and lost 4-3 in the series opener at Augsburg.

The Cobbers led for only 37-seconds before the Auggies started their trio of goals that gave them a 3-1 lead at 4:31 mark of the middle period. CC would score two of the final three goals in the game, but came up on the wrong end of the 1-goal decision.

The loss ends Concordia's 4-game win streak. CC is now 9-10-1 in all games and 6-5-0 in league play. The loss doesn't drop the Cobbers in the MIAC standings as they continue to hold on to the fifth, and final, playoff spot.

Kevin Ness continued his recent hot streak when he scored the first of his two goals on the power play at the 7:25 mark of the opening frame. The first goal of the game was Ness' fourth of the year, and was assisted by Joe Harguindeguy and Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe.

Augsburg (11-8-1, 7-4-0 MIAC) countered with a goal 37-seconds later to tie the game. They would add a second at the 12:51 mark of the first frame to take a 2-1 lead into the break.

The Auggies completed their three straight scores with a goal at 4:31 which pushed the lead to 3-1.

Ness cut the lead to one goal when he netted his second of the game at 7:19. Liam Haslam was credited with the assist as was Harguindeguy who earned his second helper on the play.

Ness has now posted back-to-back, 2-goal games and has five goals in the last five games. He didn't have a single score in the team's first 15 games of the season.

Harguindeguy now has 17 points on the year, and has at least one point in four of the last five games.

Augsburg reclaimed the 2-goal lead at 12:45, before Hanson O'Leary responded with his sixth goal of the season to get CC within a single goal. Haslam collected his second assist on the play with the second assist being given to Cole Lehmann.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the final 26-minutes of the contest. Both teams only had six shots each in the third period as the defenses tightened down on any scoring chances.

Augsburg held a 30-19 edge in shots on goal for the game. Lehmann had a team-high four shots for CC.

Matt Fitzgerald stopped 26 shots in goal for the Cobbers as he was saddled with his first loss in the last five starts.

Both teams scored one power play goal in the game. Concordia was 1-for-3 on the PP, while the Auggies scored once in their seven attempts. The Cobbers have now scored one power play goal in four straight games.

UP NEXT: Concordia will look to collect a split in the series, and gain valuable points in the standings, when they face Augsburg in the series finale on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis.