70-Second Stint Stops Cobbers In MIAC Quarterfinals

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/24/23)---A span of 70-seconds determined Concordia's MIAC quarterfinal game against St. Olaf.

The Cobbers came up with the game-tying goal at the start of the third period, but then the Oles posted a pair of goals 1:10 apart midway through the period and came away with a 4-3 win.

Concordia finished the season with a 12-12-2 record.

The Cobbers scored first when senior defenseman Jaret Lalli finished off a textbook 2-on-1 to post his first goal of the season. Caden Triggs and Hunter Olson got the assists on the opener at 3:01 of the first period. The Cobbers controlled the second half of the first period but couldn't push the lead to two goals.

St. Olaf (14-10-2) posted their first set of two consecutive goals in the second period. They would tie the game at the 1:09 mark and then take a 2-1 lead at 11:42.

Neither team was able to score in the middle 20 minutes. The Cobbers tied the game when Caden Triggs scored the only power play goal of the game at the 3:53 mark. Triggs fired home his ninth goal of the year from the left faceoff circle. Lalli and Hanson O'Leary were credited with the assists on the play.

Both teams had their chances in the next couple of minutes before a turnover behind their own goal proved costly for CC. The Oles were able to take advantage of the miscue and made it 3-2 at 8:22.

Concordia was still reeling when St. Olaf scored the eventual game winner at the 9:32 mark.

The game's intensity would get cranked up to 10 when Mason Plante tipped in a shot from O'Leary with 3:34 left in regulation. Liam Haslam earned the other helper on CC's third goal of the game.

The Cobbers would spend the final 3-minutes of the game inside the St. Olaf end, and would put p a barrage of shots late in the game but couldn't get the game-tying goal.

Concordia nearly tied the game in the final minute of play when Cole O'Connell's came within millimeters from making the score 4-4. O'Connell's shot from the right point hit the very inside of the right post and caromed straight across the goal line and into the corner.

Concordia outshot the Oles 32-21 in the game with Haslam leading all players with seven shots on goal.

Matt Fitzgerald made 17 saves in goal for CC and finished the year with an 8-4-1 record.

The Cobbers went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the CC penalty killers didn't give up a goal in St. Olaf's four attempts.    

CONCORDIA vs. ST. OLAF HIGHLIGHTS