3 Straight Goals Give Cobbers Momentum Heading Into Break

MOORHEAD, Minn. (12/04/21)---Concordia used the strength of three straight goals in the first and second periods to down previously unbeaten Augsburg 4-2 and gain a split in the series.

The Auggies, who entered the weekend ranked fourth in the latest USCHO Division III poll, scored just 67-seconds into the series finale and looked to be ready to cruise to the series sweep. That's when the bounce of the puck turned in the Cobbers' favor as they rattled off three straight goals, and four of the final five, to record their fifth win of the season.

The win gives Concordia momentum heading into the Christmas break. The Cobbers are now 5-4-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the MIAC. Augsburg has its 7-game win streak snapped and is 7-1-0 in all games and 3-1-0 in league play.

The biggest goal of the pre-Christmas schedule may have come 38-seconds after the Auggies bolted to a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Kevin Ness found himself in the right spot at the right time after Keaton Leininger slid the puck towards the middle of the Augsburg crease. The puck took a deflection and landed on the stick of Nesss who wristed home the game-tying goal from in between the faceoff circles. The tally was Ness' fourth of the season.

Concordia's second goal of the game might have been the prettiest of the season. Brady Tatro carried the puck behind the Auggie goal and then fired a turnaround shot on goal from the right faceoff circle.

Senior All-American Tyler Bossert was crashing the net from the left wing and gained control of the puck as he was headed to the ice after being tripped by the players in the crease. Bossert was somehow able to reach forward to corral the puck and then slide a no-look, behind-the-back into the slot.

Sophomore Cole O'Connell read the play, skated in between the faceoff circles where the puck was going and hammered a 1-timer into the top left corner of the net.

The go-ahead goal at 13:00 of the opening frame was O'Connell's team-leading seventh of the season. That total is tied for the lead in the MIAC. He is now tied for second in the MIAC in points with 10.

The score would remain at 2-1 until the sixth minute of the second period. That's when freshman Mason Plante took a long flip pass from Alex Stoley, settled the puck in the middle of the ice and raced between the two Augsburg defenseman to gain a breakaway at the Auggie blueline. Plante skated to his left to create an angle and buried the puck high on the short side of the net. It was Plante's second goal of the year and first career game winner.

Bossert was also credited with the assist on the play which was his conference-leading 13th of the year and added to his league-leading point total (15).     

Augsburg would get to within 3-2 with an even-strength goal at the 8:43 mark of the middle period, and then Braden Costello gave CC an insurance marker with a low percentage shot at 13:27.

Jaret Lalli gained control of the zone and snapped a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that went wide of the right post and caromed into the left corner. Costello reached the puck as it was laying on the red line and turned to fire the bad angle shot on goal. The puck somehow snuck under the pads of the Augsburg goalie and found the left side of the net.      

The goal at 13:27 of the second period was Costello's fourth of the year.

The third period belonged to the Cobber defense as they kept Augsburg from creating any chances in front of goal. CC even killed off a pair of penalties in the second half of the period, which featured a 5-on-3 situation for 71 seconds.

Concordia held the Auggies scoreless in their four power play attempts. Concordia went 1-for-5 on the PP with O'Connell's first-period goal coming on the man-advantage situation.

Senior goalie Jackson Nelson was solid in goal throughout the 60 minutes of play and stopped a season-high 30 shots to earn his fourth win of the season. He now has 189 saves on the year which is sixth best in the conference.

UP NEXT: Concordia will now have a full month to prepare for their next game. The Cobbers will start of four non-conference games when they host Northland on Friday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m.


CONCORDIA vs. AUGSBURG SERIES HIGHLIGHTS