Wisconsin Woes

MOORHEAD, Minn. (12/11/15)—Concordia can sympathize with the Vikings and Gophers. The Cobbers gave up a shorthanded goal at the start of the third period and lost 3-1 at Wis.-Stout.

Like the Vikings and Gophers, Concordia is winless against teams from Wisconsin this season. The loss is the third straight to a team from Wisconsin this season for the Cobbers. CC is 5-1 against non-Wisconsin teams but the three losses to the neighbors from the east have Concordia at 5-4 overall this year.

The Cobbers, who entered their game in Menomonie, Wis. on a two-game win streak, broke free in the ninth minute of the first period. The goal gave every sign that C's recent form would continue.

Unfortunately for Concordia, Jon Grebosky's goal at 8:28 would be the final tally of the game. Grebosky's fourth goal of the year came when both teams had all six players on the ice. Zach Doerring and Charlie Aus were awarded assists on the play.

Concordia would take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Both teams had nine shots in the opening period of play.

It would be the final 40 minutes that cost the Cobbers. CC outshot Stout 28-20 in the second and third periods but was never able to get a second strike to get the offense on track.

The Blue Devils got the game-tying goal and game-winning tally in the first 3:30 of the second and third periods. Stout tied the game at the 3:21 mark of the second period and then netted the game-winning goal at 2:22.

The game winner came when the Blue Devils were shorthanded after being whistled for a hooking penalty at 1:19. On the scoring play the Cobbers broke quickly on a 3-on-2 over the Stout blue line. The CC player with the puck drove the net and then dropped the puck back to his trailing teammate. Unfortunately the pas was a bit outside pf the Cobber attacker and as he tried to stop and reach the puck his skates went out from underneath him.

The loose puck was picked up by a Stout back-checker who immediately turned and went at the lone Cobber defender on a 2-on-1 situation. The Blue Devils finished off the odd-man rush and then went defensive for the final 17 minutes.

Concordia had several quality chances, and would post 10 shots on goal, in the final 17 minutes. The Cobbers were never able to come up with the game-tying goal and then gave up an empty-net score at 19:43 to bring the final score to 3-1.     

The Cobbers outshot the Blue Devils 36-29. Freshman Mario Bianchi led all players with seven shots on goal.

Sophomore goalie Alex Reichle, who earned MIAC Player of the Week honors on Monday, stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced. He dropped his goals against average to 2.77 for the year.

THAT'S AUSOME
Cobber senior defenseman Charlie Aus picked up an assist on the only CC goal and has now tallied at least one point in four straight games and five of the seven games he has played this season. He leads the team in assists with seven and points with nine. He now has 23 points in the last 33 games he has played in maroon and gold.

 WHAT'S NEXT:  Concordia will have one last chance in 2015 to end the Wisconsin curse when they play at Northland in a two-game series on Dec. 18-19. The games are the final contests of the 2015 portion of the schedule. The Lumberjacks are currently 2-9 on the year.