Late-Game Drama Nets OT Winner

SUPERIOR, Wis. (12/30/17)---There was nothing but late drama in Concordia's final game of the 2017 calendar year.

The Cobbers held a 3-2 lead in the final seconds of the third period and then watched as No.14-ranked Milwaukee School of Engineering tie the game with 3.2 seconds to play in regulation. Concordia then returned the favor in overtime as Jake Ellingson sniped home the game winner with 7.1 ticks left on the game clock.

Concordia scored three of their four goals in the final two minutes of a period and all four came with less than five minutes remaining in a period.

Concordia only lost once in the past four games of 2017 and moves to 6-4-3 on the season. Milwaukee School of Engineering loses for the third time in the past four games and slides to 7-4-1 on the year.

The Cobbers never trailed in the game as they scored a single goal in each period of play. Concordia also never held a two-goal lead in the game with the Raiders countering with a game-tying goal each time that the Cobbers held the lead.

Concordia had four different players score goals in the second game of the Superior Showdown tournament. Jake Stilwell got the Cobbers on the board when he started the late-scoring trend in the final two minutes of the opening period of play. He notched his third goal of the year at 18:58 with assists going to Ellingson and Bryan Kronberger.

The Raiders would tie the game midway through the second period before Zach Doerring helped Concordia take a 2-1 into the second break in the final minute of the middle frame. Doerring scored the only power play goal of the game at the 19:43 mark and CC led 2-1 heading into the final period. Tanner Okeson and Mario Bianchi were credited with the assists.

MSOE rallied to tie the game for the second time in the first minute of the third period. Jon Grebosky then staked Concordia to its third one-goal lead when he fired home a shot from the top of the crease at 15:29. Bianchi earned his second assist on the go-ahead tally and Dalton Mills was also given a helper.

That set the stage for the late-game drama. The Raiders scored the last-second game-tying goal after they pulled their goalie with 47 seconds remaining and then called timeout with 31 seconds to play in regulation.

There were only three shots on goal in the overtime period with Concordia holding a 2-1 edge on Ellingson's game winner.

Cobber head coach Chris Howe returned the timeout favor in overtime as he called for a break with 54 seconds left to play in the 5-minute period. CC then responded with the game winner. Ellingson's third goal of the year was assisted by Tyler Tessmann.

Concordia was outshot 40-19 in the game. Grebosky and Bianchi had three shots each to lead the Cobbers.

Concordia goalie Sam Nelson turned aside 37 shots to earn his third win of the year.

The game was a relatively clean game with only two penalties being called the entire contest. Concordia scored on its only power play and held the Raiders off the board on their man-advantage chance.

MULTIPLE-POINT MARIO: Cobber junior Mario Bianchi posted his fourth multiple-point game in the last six contests. He has scored at least one point in four straight games and leads the team in scoring with 16 points.         

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will open 2018 with their final two non-conference games of the season. The Cobbers will play at No.8-ranked Stevens Point on Friday, Jan. 5 and then travel to Wis-Eau Claire on Saturday, Jan. 6. The Pointers are 10-3-2 on the year and are unbeaten in their last seven games while the Blugolds, who are also receiving votes in the latest national poll, are 8-5-0 this year.