Wild Third Period Puts Falcons Past Maryville

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia ACHA hockey team improved to 15-5-1 in the 2023-24 season, as a four-goal third period secured the Falcons' victory to avenge a loss against Maryville just a day prior. The win marked Concordia's sixth in its last seven games.

The two squads played a scoreless first period, which included a strong penalty kill from the Falcons late in the frame.

Caleb Bross registered the second period's lone goal for the Saints, striking with just over three minutes remaining in the frame. However, the Maryville power play was once again stifled by the Falcons' penalty kill, which went 3/3 in the period.

Despite both teams combining for one goal in the opening 40 minutes of play, the third period saw a strong offensive emergence from both attacks. The six total goals were sprinkled throughout the period, but it was the Falcons that emerged victorious.

Freshman Chuck Emme (Glenview, Ill.) put Concordia on the scoreboard 1:02 into the period, burying a one-timer off of a pass from senior Lucas Krueser (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) on a 5-on-3.

The Falcons found the back of the net just under five minutes later to take the lead, as senior Ian Malcolmson (Waukesha, Wis.) collected a loose puck and found senior Trenton Sherman (Farmington, Minn.) in the slot. Sherman's shot elevated before the glove could meet it, and the tally marked his thirteenth of the 2023-24 campaign.

Sherman would find the puck once again at 8:26 in the third period, as the Concordia penalty kill capitalized on a turnover in the offensive zone. The goal off of a feed from senior Easton Williams (Racine, Wis.) doubled Concordia's lead, and it would only be expanded in the following minutes.

A netfront rebound found junior Tommy Cassel (Grafton, Wis.) just 2:51 later, and his ninth goal of the season granted the Falcons a 4-1 lead.

As the clock wound down, Bross tallied his second of the game for the Saints with 2:16 remaining to cut the lead in half, capitalizing on a breakaway in the final seconds of a 4-on-4.

Bross found the back of the net once again just a minute later to mark a hat trick, bringing Maryville within one after a shorthanded odd-man rush.

As the Saints' desperation grew in the final minutes, senior goalie Vincent Falcone (Elgin, Ill.) stood tall in the net to preserve the win for the Falcons.

Concordia will look to collect another win in its next matchup against No. 1 Lindenwood on January 12.