Seven-Goal Scoring Spree

BLAINE, Minn. (1/31/20)---Concordia entered the final day of January having scored eight goals in their six games since the calendar turned over to 2020. The Cobbers nearly matched that total in their series opener at Bethel.

Concordia had seven different players score, broke open a 2-goal game by scoring four goals in the third period and raced past the Royals 7-1.

The seven goals by the Cobbers is the most in a single game this season and most since the second-to-last game of the 2017 season when they also netted seven goals against Bethel.

The win snaps a 3-game slide for the Cobbers and ups their overall record to 6-12-0 on the season. CC is now 4-7-0 in the MIAC and their eight conference points are good for sole possession of sixth place in the league standings. CC is only two points behind the final playoff spot.

Bethel is now 5-13-0 in all games and 3-8-0 in the MIAC. They are just behind CC with six MIAC points.

While the teams combined for eight goals in the game, neither team scored in the second period and no one lit the lamp until midway through the first frame.

Freshman Kenley Anderson started the 7-goal spree for Concordia as she opened the score with an even-strength goal at 9:15 of the first period. It was her second goal of the year and gave CC the lead at 1-0 – a lead they would never relinquish. Sara Baumann had the assist on the opener.

Senior captain Ally Wiitala netted the eventual game winner. She recorded her team-leading fifth goal of the year at 15:52 of the first with the helpers being credited to Libby Hinrichs and Maiah McCowan.

It looked like Bethel would take the momentum into the first break when they cut the Cobber lead in half with a goal at 18:38.

McCowan then scored the momentum-changing goal of the game when she restored Concordia's 2-goal lead with only 22-seconds left to play in the period.

Bethel outshot CC 11-4 in the first period and then held a 16-4 edge in the second period but neither team was able to get on the scoreboard and CC still led 3-1 heading into the final period.

Concordia put the game away in the second minute of the third when Amanda Flemming gave CC a 4-1 lead at the 1:13 mark. Meghan Rethemeier had the assist on the first of four in the period.

Rethemeier then did her assist one better when she scored only 7-seconds after Flemming's strike. Anderson had the helper on the fifth Cobber goal at 1:20.

The Royals had to chase the game for the final 18 minutes of play and pulled their goalie with 9:26 left to play in the game. Jordie Egerdahl took advantage of the open goal when she scored an empty-net strike at 12:06.

Maddie Ellingson finished off the score sheet with the final goal at the 17:33 mark. Baumann recorded the assist to give CC five players with two points in the game.

Freshman goalie Kiana Flaig turned back the Bethel offense and stopped 39 of the 40 shots she faced as the Royals outshot Concordia 40-15.      
    
INSIDE STAT INFO: Goalie Kiana Flaig now has five wins on the season which is the most by a freshman netminder since the 2014 season when Andrea Klug posted seven victories.

 UP NEXT: Concordia will go for its first conference sweep of the season when they face Bethel on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Blaine.