2-Goal Lead Disappears In Final 14 Minutes
It looked like Concordia was headed for its first conference win of the season in the series finale with St. Benedict. The Cobbers had a 2-goal lead with 15 minutes left in the third period but then surrendered two goals in the final 14 minutes of regulation, gave up the game-winner 8 seconds into the overtime period and lost 5-4.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/11/23)---It looked like Concordia was headed for its first conference win of the season in the series finale with St. Benedict. The Cobbers had a 2-goal lead with 15 minutes left in the third period but then surrendered two goals in the final 14 minutes of regulation, gave up the game-winner 8 seconds into the overtime period and lost 5-4.
The good news for the Cobbers is that the four goals scored matched their output from all of last year in 3-plus goal games in conference contests. The only time they scored more than three goals in 2023 was in a 5-2 win at home against St. Scholastica.
Concordia is now 1-2-0 on the season with an 0-2-0 mark in conference play. CC has scored 12 goals in the first three games of the year.
All nine goals in the game came after the first period of play, which ended in a 0-0 tie. The teams would trade goals in the second period and head into the second break deadlocked at 2-2.
A pair of newcomers got the second-period goals for CC. Sandra Sampson scored at 7:17 to tie the game at 1-1, and Taylor Severson netted her first collegiate goal at 14:55 to even the score line at 2-2.
The Cobbers roared out of the gate in the third period, scoring two goals in the first 5 minutes of play. Jaclyn Lloyd scored her first goal of the season at 2:48, and then McKenzie Oelkers scored on the power play at 4:32, with Grace Doerring and Paige Hanson earning the assists on the team's fourth goal.
The 2-goal lead would be cut in half when CSB started the comeback trail with an even-strength goal at 6:17. The Bennies would get the game-tying goal at 15:25, which sent the contest into an extra period.
The game ended when St. Ben's won control of the OT faceoff, skated the puck into the CC zone on the left wing and put up a centering pass that found a forward skating down the slot, where she 1-timed the puck into the net.
Concordia was outshot 34-13 in the game. CC had the only power play goal and went 1-for-5 with the extra skater. The Bennies were held scoreless in their three power play chances.
Cobber goalie Kate Stephens made a season-high 29 saves in the game.
UP NEXT: Concordia will host St. Catherine in a 2-game series beginning on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
CONCORDIA vs. ST. BENEDICT HIGHLIGHTS
