Some Good, Some Bad In Season Opener

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (11/06/15)—It was a case of bad news, good news for Concordia in the season opener at No.11-ranked Wis.-Stevens Point.

The bad news was that the Cobbers allowed three goals in the third period and lost 5-4 to the undefeated Pointers.

The good news was that the Concordia offense was on point in the very first game. Last year it took CC a full 10 games to record their first four-goal performance and the Cobbers only scored four or more goals in four games all season long.

Cobber Stars of the Game

Cassey Petrich Sr., Elk River Scored the first goal of theyear	Amber Schaack Jr., Jamestown, ND 1 goal, game-high 7 shots	Ellen Rethwisch Jr., Plymouth  1 goal, 1 assist	Jessica Kongelf Jr., Minot, ND 1 goal

Concordia had four different players score in their opening-game lost to Stevens Point who is now 3-0-0 on the season and in the top 15 of the latest USCHO.com national rankings. To continue the bad news, good news theme – it is the third straight season opener that the Cobbers have lost with the last two coming at the hands of the Pointers.

More good news, last year the nationally-ranked Pointers swept Concordia and the Cobbers only managed to score one goal in the two games. Concordia didn't score a total of four goals until their fifth game last season.

Stevens Point took a pair of one-goal leads in the first period but each time Concordia had the answer. The Pointers scored the opening goal of the game at 5:48 and then Cassey Petrich had the answer at 9:27 as she scored the team's first goal of the year on the power play. Jess Nelson and Ellen Rethwisch were credited with the assists. For Rethwisch it would be the first of her two points in the game.

Stevens Point then recaptured the one-goal margin when they netted their second goal at 12:37. Cobber junior Amber Schaack had the second answer of the period when she scored an unassisted goal at 17:49.

The team's would skate through a scoreless second period until the final minute of play when Jessica Kongelf put the Cobbers up for the first time in the game. She earned the team's second power play goal on an assist from Anna Westmark at the 19:11 mark.

The game turned completely in the third minute of the third period. Stevens Point scored the game-tying goal at 2:15 and then took their third one-goal lead just 36-seconds later on the power play.

UWSP would add the eventual game-winning goal at 9:57. It would also be their second power play score of the game.

Rethwisch would throw Concordia a final lifeline in the final four minutes of play. She scored her first goal of the year at 16:32 and set the stage for a mad scramble to the finish.

The Cobbers pulled goalie Andrea Klug with 1:06 left in regulation and Schaack almost tied the game moments later but her shot hit the post. She would have one more shot on goal before the time expired.

Stevens Point outshot Concordia 34-27. Klug made 29 saves in goal for CC.

The game featured 17 combined penalties for 34 penalty minutes. Concordia was 2-for-6 on the power play while UWSP went 3-for-7 on man-advantage situations.

WHAT'S NEXT: The two teams will finish off their two-game non-conference series tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Stevens Point, Wis.