Successful Start Fades In Opener

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (11/01/19)---After 10 minutes of play against St. Benedict it looked like the Cobbers were headed for a successful season opener. Concordia scored the opening goal of the game at the 5:11 mark and were outshooting the Bennies. The opener then took a turn for the worse as the Cobbers gave up a pair of goals 41-seconds apart and went on to fall 3-1. 

The game goes in the books as a non-conference contest and doesn't count against the Cobbers' MIAC record. 

Concordia is now 5-5 in season openers in the past 10 seasons. The start of the year has been tough in recent years as CC is 2-5 in openers since the 2013-14 season.   

Junior Maiah McCowan gave Concordia the early 1-0 lead when she notched her fourth career goal when the teams were playing even-strength hockey. Brenna Mjoness and Mackenzie Bergstrom earned the assists on the Cobbers' first goal of the season. 

Concordia would have a pair of chances to double the lead in the next five minutes of play as St. Benedict took a pair of penalties. The Cobbers couldn't take advantage of the extra skater and then the Bennies pounced for two goals in 41 seconds starting at the 13:12 mark. CSB scored on their fourth shot of the gamer and then again on their fifth shot at 13:53.

St. Benedict held a 12-9 edge in shots in the first period but the Cobbers would do that one better in the second period when they outshot the Bennies 13-9.

The last goal of the game was an empty-net tally after Concordia pulled freshman goalie Kiana Flaig at 19:24 of the third period. CSB finished the game with the last goal at 19:56 to push the final score to 3-1.

The Cobbers were outshot 35-29 for the game. Neither team was able to score on the power play. CC went 0-for-2 with their only two power plays coming in the first frame. St. Benedict went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage situation.

Flaig made 28 saves in her college debut.        

UP NEXT: Concordia will host its home opener next weekend when they battle Northland on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8-9. The Lumberjills dropped their season opener to Bethel on Friday.