Miss Clutch & Miss Confidence Send CC To Title Game

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (2/28/13)—Concordia sophomore Kelsey Vandegrift has suddenly turned into Miss Clutch for the Cobbers as she scored the game-winning goal late in the third period to give CC a 2-1 win over St. Thomas in the semifinals of the MIAC Tournament.

Vanderift's third in goal in the last four games helped propel Concordia into their second straight conference playoff championship game. The Cobbers will now play undefeated, and No.2-ranked, Gustavus in St. Peter on Saturday, Mar. 2 at 2 p.m. with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Concordia is now unbeaten in its last nine games and improves to 13-7-5 on the season. St. Thomas loses for the first time in the last five games and finishes its season with a 14-8-2 overall record.  

If Vandegrift was Miss Clutch than freshman goalie Madison Denny has turned into Miss Confidence. Denny stopped 23 of the 24 shots she faced, including a flurry in the final five minutes of play, and earned her third straight win and has only allowed five goals in the last 310 minutes she has played.

"I feel a lot more confident ," said the first-year goalie Denny. "..Having their (her teammates) confidence in me makes a big difference."  

The game between the Cobbers and Tommies was a clash in styles for the entire 90 minutes. Concordia had success when they dumped the puck in the UST zone and used a tenacious forecheck to gain chances while St. Thomas earned their quality chances by speeding through the neutral zone and driving to the net.

The teams battled through the first 11 minutes of play without scoring. Both teams had their chances but each time the two goalies would shut the door. The scoreless tie changed in the 12^th minute of play when Lauren Riley was able to slam home the puck on the doorstep after a pressurized forecheck from Breann Julius and Mickey Moran which led to assists for both players on the goal. Riley's goal at 11:08 was her second of the season. Julius earned her team-leading 11^th assist and 21^st point of the year.

St. Thomas would answer on the very first power play of the game. After winning the draw on the initial faceoff of the man advantage, the puck found its way to the middle of the blue line where a UST defenseman shot the puck toward the net. Tommie forward Megan Juricko was standing right in front of Denny and tipped the puck into the net.

Neither team was able to score for the remaining 5:50 of the first, the entire 20-minute second period and the first 11 minutes of the third period. The best chance for Concordia came in the opening minute of the second period when Madison Gendreau was stoned on a breakaway attempt. The Tommies had a pair of shots hit the post or carom through the goal mouth.

The game-winning play came after CC picked up possession of the puck in the neutral zone and rushed into the Tommie zone on an odd-man rush. Jenna Westerham raced the puck down the left wing and then through it in front for Vandegrift who was barreling down the middle of the ice. Vandegrift one-timed the pass from inside the goal crease and Concordia had their second lead of the game.  

When asked about the game-winning goal Vandegrift thought she was offside and then couldn't believe she was able to get the puck in such a good spot, "Westie (Jenna Westerham) made a move at the blue line and I was terrified I was offside. I just went to the net and she threw it to me and it went in."

The Cobbers would then hold on to the lead in the final five minutes of play as St. Thomas held the pressure in the CC zone almost the entire time.

In the end, Concordia outshot St. Thomas 34-24 but each team had eight shots on goal in the decisive third period.

Denny earned her ninth win of the year by making the 23 saves. UST netminder  Alise Riedel stopped 32 shots and was saddled with her seventh loss of the season.

There were only four penalties called in the game. CC was 0-for-3 on the power play while the Tommies scored on their only man-advantage chance of the night.

Concordia will now tangle with Gustavus for the MIAC Tournament title on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 2 p.m. in St. Peter. The two teams have squared off in the playoffs the last two years with the Gusties winning 5-2 in the semifinals in 2011 and then 4-2 in last year's championship game.