Two Goals In 45 Seconds Lead To Home Ice Advantage

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/21/14)—Concordia scored a pair of goals in a span of 45-seconds to beat St. Catherine 3-0 and secure home ice advantage in the first round of the upcoming playoffs.

The Cobbers had three different players score goals and used a 23-save shutout performance from sophomore netminder Madison Denny to beat the Wildcats and win their 10th conference game of the season. CC has now posted a double-digit MIAC win total in three straight seasons. Concordia is now 10-5-2 in league play and 11-9-4 in all games.

With the win, the Cobbers earn the No.4 seed in the upcoming conference playoffs and will get to host a first-round game on Friday, Feb. 28.   

Denny was a part of a Cobber offense that limited St. Catherine to 23 shots on goal which marks the fourth time in the last five games that the Cobbers have held their opponent to under 25 shots on goal for the game. The shutout is also Concordia's seventh of the season which is a program record and tops in the MIAC. CC now leads the conference in fewest goals allowed in conference play.

Concordia's game-deciding goals came against the run of play after the Wildcats started the game by putting up three shots on goal in the first four minutes of play. The Cobbers then seized control when freshman Bri Flynn scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season at the 5:50 mark. Kelsey Vandegrift earned the assist on the eventual game-winning goal. Flynn has now scored six goals in the last seven games.  

The Cobbers would gain control of the puck after the faceoff and then play it deep where senior Abby Taffe was able to find the back of the net just 45-seconds later at 6:35. Madison Gendreau and Chelsey Petrich were credited with the assists. The assist helps Gendreau tie Flynn for the team lead in points at 13.

Concordia was able to control the game from that point forward and outshot St. Kate's in all three periods. CC killed off a pair of penalties late in the first period and then one more in the second as those man-advantage situations would lead to the Wildcats' best chances of the game.

The Cobbers weren't able to connect on the power play in the second and third periods and finished 0-for-3 from the game.

Freshman Amber Schaack finished off the scoring when she slammed home a rebound in the final six minutes of play in the third period. Schaack finished off a goalmouth scramble after Jess Nelson and Cassey Petrich also had shots on goal in the sequence. For Schaack it was her fourth goal of the year.

Concordia wound up outshooting St. Catherine 35-23 for the game. Denny stopped all 23 shots and now has an MIAC best four shutouts on the season. She also lowered her goals against average to 1.74. Wildcat netminder Alex Hall made 32 saves and was saddled with the loss.

The two teams will finish of the regular season when they play on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. The same two teams will then meet in the first round of the MIAC playoffs on Friday, Feb. 28 right back at the Moorhead Sports Center.