So Close On Senior Night

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (1/26/18)---Concordia honored their seven seniors on the annual Senior Night celebration and nearly pulled pf a huge conference win infront of the largest crow of the season. Seniors Jon Grebosky and Zach Doerring combined for two first-period goals unfortunately a pair of St. Thomas goals 34-seconds apart in the third period proved to be the difference in a 3-2 score line in the series opener.

Grebosky and Doerring staked the Cobbers to a 2-1 lead midway through the first period and Concordia would carry that lead into the third period before the game-deciding goals at 3:05 and 3:39 of the final frame proved to be the difference.

Concordia (8-9-3/5-5-1 MIAC) had a golden opportunity to tie the game late in the third period when they were awarded a 5-on-3 power play for 1:19 but their four quality shots were stopped by the Tommie goalie. The Cobbers heled the puck in the Tommie zone for the entire duration of the power play but were never able to get the game-tying goal on the board.

Grebosky got the Cobbers off to the perfect start when he took a centering feed from linemate Doerring and one-timed the puck past the St. Thomas goalie at the 3:01 mark of the opening period.

St. Thomas (11-6-1/6-2-1 MIAC) countered with an even strength goal of their own five minutes later.

The CC seniors would strike midway through the period on the power. This time it was Grebosky setting up Doerring in front of the net. Grebosky got control of the puck behind the UST net and skated out front. He went backhand-to-forehand to put up a point-blank shot on the Tommie net. Doerring, who was also behind the net at the start of the play, skated to the right side of the goal and then tap-chipped the rebound over the St. Thomas goalie's left pad and into the net.

Concordia was outshot 38-27 for the game but the game was an even affair with both teams going up-and-down the ice to get their chances.

Not surprisingly, Grebosky and Doerring led the Concordia offensive attack with six shots each.

Cobber sophomore goalie Jacob Stephan made 35 saves in the three periods.

The Cobbers went 1-for-3 on the power play while the CC penalty kill unit held the Tommies off the board in their four PP chances.

PENALTY KILL COUNTINGS: Concordia held the Tommies scoreless on the power play which was the ninth time this season where CC has held their opponent scoreless in man-advantage situations. Unfortunately for the Cobbers that hasn't led to an edge in the win-loss column as Concordia is 4-4-1 in those nine games. The Cobbers are now sixth in the MIAC on the penalty kill in all games and seventh in conference games.

SIXTH SENSE: Seniors Jon Grebosky and Zach Doerring are now tied for sixth in the MIAC in points in league games. Both players have 12 points in the team's 11 conference contests.

DOERRING DANDY: The goal scored by Zach Doerring on Friday was his eighth in MIAC play which currently leads the MIAC. Doerring had only three goals in conference play last year.

GREBOSKY GOOD: Jon Grebosky needs only one more point this season to reach the 20-point mark for the fourth straight season. He is tied with Doerring for overall scoring on the team with 19 points . Grebosky has 88 career points.  

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will look for its third straight conference series split of 2018 when they host the Tommies in the series finale on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m.

CONCORDIA vs. ST. THOMAS HIGHLIGHTS: