Four Feet Of Goals Leads To 5-3 Win

MOORHEAD, Minn. (12/01/17)---Concordia didn't let a pair of breakaway goals in the back half of the first period cost them the series opener against St. Olaf as they fought back from a 2-1 deficit to post a 5-3 win.

The Cobbers gave up the second of the breakaway goals in the final minute of play in the opening frame while they were on the power play but then roared back to score four straight goals and grab the win from the Oles.

The victory ends a three-game winless streak for Concordia who moves above the .500 mark for the third time this season. The Cobbers are now 4-3-1 in all games and 3-1-1 in MIAC play. St. Olaf falls to 2-5-2 overall and 1-3-1 in the conference.

The game couldn't have started any better for Concordia. After a 10-day break for the Thanksgiving holiday the Cobbers got on the board in the first four minutes of the opening period. Abbie Canton netted the first of her two goals when she one-timed a shot from the top of the crease. Sage Barta and Ally Wiitala were given the assists on Canton's second goal of the season.

Concordia then started their comeback trail with two goals that totaled a distance of four feet. The Cobbers' second and third goals of the game came in the second period and both were tapped in from within two feet of the goal line after the Ole goalie had made a save on an initial shot.

Amanda Flemming tied the game at 6:28 when she dove to tap in the rebound after freshman defenseman Callie Fagerstrom wristed a high hard shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle which caught the goalie high on the shoulder and then dropped just in front of the vacated goal line. Josee Lundgren also received an assist on the game-tying goal.

Senior captain Tori Davis was the next recipient of an unattended puck sitting feet from an open goal. Concordia was awarded a power play late in the period and proceeded to work the puck around the top of the defense before a one-time shot from the top of the left faceoff circle caught the goalie off guard as she was sliding on her knees to the right post. The St. Olaf goalie was able to get her left pad on the initial shot but the rebounded trickled towards the middle of the goal where Davis tapped the puck over the line.

Flemming and Megan Mohr were credited with the assists on the man-advantage goal.

Concordia pushed the lead to 5-1 with a pair of goals in the first seven minutes of the final frame. Goff snapped home a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that found its way just underneath the cross and then Canton pushed home another goal from the top of the crease to give CC its fourth straight score.

Goff's goal at 2:06 of the third was assisted by Mohr and Megan Dondelinger. Canton's second goal of the game came at the 6:23 mark with Maddie Ellingson and Fleming earning the assists.

Concordia outshot the Oles 30-21 for the game. CC only allowed five shots in each of the first and second periods. Flemming led all players with six shots. Davis added four as the two combined for 33.3% of the team's overall shot total.

Sophomore goalie Amy Jost made 18 saves to pick up her second win of the season.

HOME COOKIN':  Concordia has enjoyed the friendly confines of the Moorhead Sports Center this season. The Cobbers are 3-0 against MIAC teams at home and are 4-1 overall. Home success is nothing new for CC as they haven't lost more than three games at MSC since the 2014-15 season and are 26-9-3 in the past 3-plus seasons.  

FLOURISHING WITH FLEMMING:  Concordia is now 3-0-1 when Amanda Flemming scores a goal. Flemming's three-point game was her second of the season. She also had three points in the season opener against Northland. Flemming now leads the team with 11 points and has had three multiple-point games this year. Flemming also loves playing at the MSC as nine of her 11 points have come at home.
     
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia and St. Olaf will finish off their two-game series on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. at the Moorhead Sports Center.

CONCORDIA vs. ST. OLAF HIGHLIGHTS: