55th Goal Could Be Season's Biggest

ST. PETER, Minn. (1/28/17)—Amber Schaack's goal late in the third period was just one of 55 for the Cobbers this season but it might turn out to be the biggest one of the year.

Schaack's strike tied the game with Gustavus and helped Concordia earn an overtime tie which kept CC only one point off the top of the MIAC standings.

The Cobbers get a point in the league standings which keeps them level with the Gusties in a tie for third place. Concordia is now 8-3-1 in the conference and 11-6-2 overall. Gustavus is at 17 MIAC points with a 7-2-3 league mark and an 11-5-3 record in all games.

Concordia held off Gustavus in the first part of the opening period and then took a 1-0 lead at the 15:20 mark when Ellen Rethwisch scored an even-strength, unassisted goal. The score was Rethwisch's eighth of the season and helped CC take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

The Cobbers would keep the hard-charging Gusties off the board until the 16th minute of the second period. GAC got on the board at 15:56 after Andrea Klug turned aside their first 20 shots of the game.

Klug then kept the score tied at 1-1 heading into the third period when she stopped six consecutive shots in the final minutes of play.

Gustavus took the lead on their first shot of the third period just 1:32 into the final stanza.

The game looked like it would finish off with the Gusties earning a series sweep with the 2-1 win.

The momentum changed after Gustavus was whistled for a tripping penalty at 13:44. The Gusties called timeout at the start of the CC power play. The Cobbers came out and gained the GAC zone and after a shot from Chelsey Petrich was blocked in front of the goal, CC was able to keep the puck in the zone and Schaack converted on the game-tying goal at 14:56.

Abbie Canton earned the assist on the goal.

Neither team had a shot on goal for the final five minutes of play and Concordia had the only two shots on target in the five-minute overtime period.

Klug turned aside 34 of the 36 shots she faced in the 65 minutes of play. The Cobbers had 20 shots on goal with Schaack leading the way with three.

CC went 1-for-4 on the power play and held Gustavus scoreless in their four power play attempts.          
         
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will step back into action at the top of the MIAC when they host fifth-place St. Thomas on Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Moorhead Sports Center. The Tommies are 6-3-3 in the MIAC and are coming off a sweep over St. Benedict.