Lessons Learned, Third Period Won

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/21/14)---It took Concordia four games to learn the lessons from nationally-ranked opponents but the Cobbers returned to Moorhead and showed their early-season third-period knowledge by beating Bethel 3-2.

Concordia had been tied heading into the third period in the previous two games against Top 10 opponents only to see third-period goals lead to tough losses. That scenario took a 180-turn on Friday as the Cobbers scored the lone goal against the Royals to pick up the one-goal win and earn their first victory of the season.

Concordia moves to 1-4-0 in all games and 1-2-0 in conference play while Bethel, who was in the "also receiving votes" category in this week's USCHO.com national poll has their overall record evened at 3-3-1. BU is now 0-2-1 in their first three league games.

Bethel looked like they would run away and hide in the early part of the first period. The Royals had all the energy and got an early first-period goal to take the momentum out of the partisan Cobber crowd. Bethel's goal at 3:35 looked like it would be the first of many but that is when the CC defense tightened and 2013-14 All-MIAC Rookie Team goalie Andrea Klug started to stand tall.

The Cobbers slowly eased back into the game and came up with the biggest goal of the season midway through the period. CC had only scored two goals in their first four games before Friday and showed few signs of breaking out of their scoring slump.

That changed at the 9:21 mark when sophomore forward Ellen Rethwisch slammed home a rebound to tie the game at 1-1. Rethwisch's first goal of the season was assisted by senior captain Maddy Gendreau.

Concordia would then take their first lead of the season at the start of the second period when Amber Schaack netted her first goal of the season on an assist from Rethwisch.

The game would stay at 2-1 in favor of the Cobbers until the final two minutes of the second when BU scored the game-tying goal at 18:14.

The third period was played from end to end but neither team was able to come up with a real quality chance. That changed when CC was awarded a power play with just under seven minutes remaining. CC wasn't able to score on the power play but held plenty of "zone time" and tired the Bethel defense in the process.

Bethel wasn't able to get their penalty kill unit off the ice when the Cobbers skated the puck into the BU end on the left wing. A shot from the top of the left face-off circle was then deflected into the right corner. Sophomore forward Jessie Kongelf tracked the puck down and then fired it towards the front of the Royal goal. Freshman Tori Davis, who broke for the front of the net when the puck went into the corner, was able to beat the Bethel defense to the centering pass and slammed home the game winner at the 15:36 mark. It was Davis' second goal of the year and Kongelf's second collegiate assist.

Concordia was then forced to survive a full minute of 6-on-4 action after the Cobbers were whistled for an interference penalty at 18:44 and the Royals pulled their goal for an extra attacker on the power play.

Klug showed why she led the conference in goals against average last year by not allowing anything to get behind her.

Klug finished the game with 20 saves. While most were from outside the tops of the face-off circles, she came up huge on several point-blank opportunities.

Bethel held a 22-20 edge in shots on goal for the game. Schaack had a game-high four shots on goal for CC.

Neither team was able to capitalize on the power play. Both teams were 0-for-3 in man-advantage situations.

Concordia will look for the conference home-opening sweep when they square off against Bethel on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Moorhead Sports Center.      


Concordia Game-Winning Goal And Postgame InterviewWith Tori Davis