Putting An End To The St. Cloud Streak

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (11/06/15)—Concordia used a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in the first period to end a 15-game winless streak at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The Cobbers hadn't beaten St. John's in St. Cloud since the 2002 season.

Freshman Mario Bianchi and sophomore Bryan Kronberger scored the two first-period goals and netminder Alex Reichle stopped the final 32 shots he faced to record his second win of the season.

The game was the MIAC opener for both teams. Concordia is now 2-1-0 on the season while the Johnnies continue to search for their first victory of the year and move to 0-2-1.

Cobber Stars of the Game

Alex Reichle So., Wildwood, MO 33 saves	Bryan Kronberger So., Rhinelander, WI Game-winning goal	Mario Bianchi Fr., Bloomington  1st college goal	Jake Zeleznikar Fr., Hermantown 2nd goal in as many games

 
The game started out with the same tone as the previous 14 games at the National Hockey Center as St. John's scored 1:45 into the opening period on their second shot of the game.

The Cobbers continued their sluggish play and SJU put up eight more shots on goal before the midway point of the first frame. Reichle kept CC within one as he has regained his form from his freshman season which saw him tournament MVP honors at the Primelink Shootout.

The game started to turn in the Cobbers' favor in the second half of the first period. Bianchi scored his first collegiate goal to tie the game at the 15:07 mark. Zach Doerring and Kroberger were credited with the assists.

Concordia then went on the power play at 16:29 and Kronberger capitalized on the man-advantage situation when he snapped home the game winner at 18:05. Jordie Bancroft and Jon Grebosky earned the helpers on Kronberger's first goal of the year.

The Cobbers held the play in the second and third periods but St. John's was able to get quality chances on the Olympic-size ice sheet. Reichle stood tall in goal for CC as he routinely stopped shots from the wing as the Johnnies tried to get around the Concordia defense.

Reichle made 11 saves in the second period and 10 more in the third to pick up the win.

Concordia had several power play chances to push the lead to two goals but was never able to convert. CC was awarded a five-minute power play after one of the SJU players was given a 5-minute major for a contact to the head penalty.

The Cobbers couldn't score on the power play at 13:08 of the final period. The teams then played 4-on-4 hockey for two minutes when a CC player was whistled for a penalty for holding the stick of one of the St. John's players.

Concordia finally put the game away on a long-distance empty-net goal from freshman Jake Zeleznikar. Zeleznikar shot the puck from his own blue line and the puck never left the middle of the goal as it slid into the goal at 18:50.

It was Zeleznikar's second goal in as many games and he now leads the Cobbers in goals scored.

Concordia outshot St. John's 43-34 for the three periods. Bancroft had a game-high seven shots and Garrett Hendrickson added six.

Reichle finished with 33 saves in the game. He has started all three games for the Cobbers and owns a 2.00 goals against average.

The Cobbers were 1-for-5 on the power play but the lone PP tally proved to be the game winner. SJU was 0-for-2 on man-advantage situations. It is the first game this season that Concordia hasn't allowed a power play goal.

WHAT'S NEXT: The two teams will finish off the conference-opening series when they play at the National Hockey Center on Saturday at 2 p.m.