Special Senior Celebration Sends Unbeaten Streak To 9

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/13/15)—Kelsey Vandegrift scored a pair of power play goals and Maddy Gendreau added the third man-advantage tally midway through the third period to help Concordia erase a two-goal first period deficit and beat St. Mary's 3-2.

The three unanswered goals keeps Concordia's unbeaten streak intact. The Cobbers haven't lost in the last nine games and are now in sole possession of third place in the MIAC standings. When the unbeaten streak started on Jan. 16, Concordia was near the bottom of the conference standings and staring at a long climb to get into the playoff picture. Since then, CC has gone 6-0-3 and is within three points of second place.

Concordia is now 8-4-3 in the MIAC and 9-10-3 in all contests. The win helps the Cobbers jump over the Cardinals in the league standings. SMU is now 8-5-2 in league play and 10-9-3 overall.

Concordia honored its seniors before the game and it looked like the celebration would turn to mourning when St. Mary's scored just 51-seconds into the opening period. The Cobbers were still reeling and trying to find their game legs when the Cardinals added a second on the power play at 11:21.

The Cobber eventually turned the ice towards the St. Mary's goal at the back end of the period and wound up outshooting SMU 16-4 for the first 20 minutes.

Concordia carried the momentum into the second period and seemed to get a goal back when Jessica Kongelf's turn around shot from the slot slid past the St. Mary's goalie. Unfortunately for CC, the referee deemed the goal to have been knocked off its moorings before the puck crossed the goal line.

The Cobbers were rewarded for their constant offensive pressure and ability to pinch their defensemen down the boards to keep the puck in the zone. Concordia would also be rewarded for their increased speed of play with four power play opportunities in the second frame and then two more in the third.

CC would turn those six power play chances into three goals and the come-from-behind win.

Concordia vs. St. Mary's Highlights - Feb. 13, 2015

The comeback trail started towards the end of the second period when Vandegrift scored the first of her two power play goals. Vandegrift got herself free in front of the SMU goal and the puck skittered out front right onto her stick. Vandegrift made sure there would be no chance for the goal to be called back when she slammed the puck on the ice into the net.

Vandegrift's eighth goal of the year at 16:46 was assisted by Gendreau and Bekah Wright. The same three players would hook up for the second goal before Gendrau added the game winner.                                  
Vandegrift brought the game level when she tapped in a centering pass from Gendreau in the ninth minute of the third period. The puck was sent around the back of the net when Gendreau tracked it down and then sent a centering pass across the face of the goal where Vandegrift tapped home the bunny.

Wright also collected an assist on the play. Vandegrift has now scored six goals in the last five games while Gendreau has a point in seven straight games and Wright now has a four-game point streak.

The game winner would be all Gendreau. She took control of the puck at center ice, sped past the initial SMU defenders and then turned the corner on the defense. She then cut in towards the middle of the ice at the face-off circle and proceeded to go "top shelf" after the Cardinal goalie dropped to her knees to cover a shot fired low.

The goal at 11:00 of the third was Gendreau's seventh goal of the year and gives her a team-leading 21 points. Morgan Bruns was credited with the assist on the play and has now posted an assist in three of the last four games.

The final part of the third period would belong to the CC defense and goalie Andrea Klug. Klug entered the game in the second period and proceeded to stop all eight shots she faced. She stood tall in the final minutes of the game when Concordia was whistled for a penalty at 14:18 and then the Cardinals pulled their goalie in the final minute of play.

Concordia outshot St. Mary's 36-12 for the game. The 12 shots on goal is the fewest by an opponent this season for CC while the plus-24 shot margin is the second largest of the season. The Cobbers have now outshot their opponents in the last nine games. During their nine-game unbeaten streak they are outshooting their foes by a combined total of 335-199.

Klug earned the win for her two-period shutout. She is now 5-6-2 on the year and 3-0-2 in her last five appearances.      

The Cobbers will finish off their regular-season home schedule when they host St. Mary's on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Moorhead Youth Rink.