A Different Series Opener

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/22/19)---Concordia gave up the first goal and the last goal against St. Benedict and lost 3-2 in the series opener.

The Cobbers and Bennies were knotted at 2-2 before CSB was able to come up with the game-winning goal with just a 1:38 left on the clock in the third period.

The loss is the second straight for Concordia in the opener to a conference series. Last week CC dropped a 1-goal decision at St. Mary's but then came back to get the split in the series with a 3-1 in the finale.

The Cobbers are now 3-3-0 in all games this season and 1-2-0 in league play. St. Ben's also had their record evened as they are now 2-2-0 overall and 1-2-0 in the MIAC.

The teams traded goals in the first and second periods. St. Benedict opened the scoring at the 6:33 mark of the opening period and then Cobber junior defenseman Callie Fagerstrom tied the game when she scored on a shot from just inside the blue line in the middle of the ice. Fagerstrom's goal at 17:47 was assisted by Megan Mohr and Ally Wiitala.

The second period played out the same as the first with the Bennies taking a 2-1 lead and then CC responding with a goal later in the period. Concordia tied the game for the second time on a swett tip-in from junior Kaitlyn Page. Page was standing in front of the CSB goal and was able to bat the puck with the blade of her stick and have it go over the Bennie goalie.

It was Page's second goal of the season and it tied the game at 5:53. Mohr earned her second assist of the game on the play.

While St. Benedict scored the only goal of the third period it might have actually been the second goal. Concordia freshman McKenzie Oelkers took a shot that apparently beat the Bennie goalie, went into the net and caromed quickly back into play. However, the 4-person refereeing squad deemed that the shot at the 2:10 mark had actually hit the pipe and bounced out.

Concordia had several chances to come up with the go-ahead goal but couldn't find the net as they were stymied on a pair of power play chances sandwiched around the middle of the period.

The best chance of the third period before the goal came on a penalty shot. A Bennie attacker was able to get past the Concordia defense and head towards goal on a breakaway. The referees then awarded CSB a penalty shot due to a hooking infraction when the player on the breakaway was in the clear. Senior goalie Amy Jost then stopped the subsequent penalty shot attempt to keep the game tied at 2-2.

St. Benedict won the game on a chip shot in front of the CC goal with only 1:38 left in regulation. One of the Bennie players was able to get her stick on a loose puck in front of the net and her chip shot went between three Concordia defenders and then over the shoulder of Jost and into the net.        

Concordia outshot St. Benedict 33-24 in the game. Mohr led all players with five shots on goal.

Jost made 21 saves in the game and is now 1-1-0 on the season.

Concordia went 1-for-5 on the power play while the Bennies were held scoreless in the three power play attempts.

UP NEXT: The teams will finish off their 2-game series when they play at the Moorhead Sports Center at 2 p.m.