Late Goal Gives Cobbers Win Over #9 St. Thomas

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/02/12)—Freshman Jordie Bancroft scored the game-winning goal with 2:59 remaining in the third period to propel Concordia to a 3-1 win over No.9-ranked St. Thomas in a non-conference game for both teams.  The Cobbers outshot the Tommies 25-24 in earning their first win of the season.

Ben Payne and Tucker Coborn both had two assists in the game as the Cobbers evened their season record at 1-1-1. The victory keeps alive an unbeaten streak for the Cobbers against St. Thomas. CC has not lost to UST in the last six games the teams have played. The Cobbers are 5-0-1 during that stretch.    

The game started slowly with both teams skating through the middle of the ice and trying to gain possession in the offensive zone. That changed midway through the opening period when Concordia started to take the body more to try and slow St. Thomas down. The teams were clogged up in the neutral zone for most of the period and the teams left the ice tied at 0-0.

The first goal of the game came in the third minute of the second period. Michael Krieg snapped a shot from the middle of the blue line and it caromed off a CC player in front and found the back of the net. The Cobbers would counter less than two minutes later on a power play when junior All-Conference defenseman Caleb Suderman snuck down the right side of the defense and a pass from Payne allowed Suderman to hammer home a one-timer from just inside the right circle. Coborn was also credited with an assist on the play.

Concordia held the majority of the play in the second period, outshooting the Tommies 15-7.

The teams were even throughout most of the third period with UST holding a slight 7-6 edge in shots for the 20 minutes. The game was won after a faceoff on the left side of the ice in the Tommie defensive zone.  Coborn won the draw and Bancroft was able to wrist a shot that eluded a pile of players in front and somehow got through Tommie goalie Drew Fielding. It was Bancroft's first collegiate goal.

Joe Becker would add an empty-net goal with 4-seconds left in the period to push the final score to 3-1.

Chris Neamonitis stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced to earn his first victory of the season. Fielding turned aside 22 shots in the losing effort.

The game featured only eight penalties and four power play attempts. CC was 1-for-2 in their two chances and St. Thomas was 0-for-2 on their man-advantage situations.

Concordia will continue with their non-conference schedule tomorrow afternoon when they host UW-Stout at 4 p.m. at the Moorhead Sports Center.