New Year's Ball Drops 10 Seconds Early On Cobbers

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (12/31/12)—The New Year's ball dropped 10-seconds early on Concordia on Monday as the Cobbers gave up the game-winning goal at the 4:50 mark of overtime and lost 4-3 to No.9-ranked Bowdoin.

Concordia had control of the game heading into the final two minutes of regulation but then conceded a goal with 1:21 left in the third period and then one more with just 10-seconds left on the clock in the overtime period and fell for the second straight game and the third time in the last four games. The Cobbers are now 4-4-3 as they head into the 2012 calendar year.

Bowdoin, who earned their first national ranking since 2007, is now 6-1-1 on the season and is unbeaten in their seven games. The Polar Bears edged St. Norbert 3-2 on Saturday to go 2-0 on their Midwest holiday trip.

Concordia had the lead on two different occasions against Bowdoin but couldn't finish off the Polar Bears. The Cobbers got on the board first when Breann Julius scored the first of her two goals in the game on the power play at the 19:30 mark of the first period. Abby Taffe and Libby Fransdal would earn the assists on the play.

Bowdoin would then seize the momentum when they scored twice in a span of 56-seconds at the start of the second period.  Trailing 2-1, Concordia answered with an even-strength goal at 7:55 when Julius scored her second goal of the game and team-leading sixth of the season.

The game remained tied until the final six minutes of the third period. Junior forward Brittany Oliver gave Concordia a 3-2 lead at the 14:21 mark when she tallied her second goal of the season.

The Polar Bears came up with the first of their two dramatic game-changing goals after they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Trailing 3-2, Bowdoin pulled goalie Kayla Lessard after a faceoff in the Cobber zone. The Polar Bears won the draw and then fired home the game-tying goal just 3-seconds after electing to have six skaters on the ice.

The game appeared to be headed for an overtime tie as neither team was able to generate any offense in the extra period. The Cobbers and Polar Bears attempted only one shot each in the first 4:30 of overtime before Bowdoin got the game winner with only 10-seconds left on the game clock.

The two teams were almost dead even on the stat sheet. Bowdoin had 23 total shots in the game as compared to 21 for CC. Both teams were whistled for two penalties and both had two power play attempts.  The Cobbers were 1-for-2 on the power play and held the Polar Bears scorless in their two man-advantage attempts.

Madison Denny made 19 saves in goal for Concordia and is now 3-4-1 on the season. Lessard stopped 18 shots and is now 3-0-1.
Concordia will finish off their non-conference schedule on Friday, Jan. 11 when they play St. Olaf in Hibbing, Minn. at 7 p.m.