(Rochester, MI) – The Concordia men's hockey team hit the road to open the 2022-23 season against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Friday night. After a tight first period, the Cardinals were able to pull away and eventually came through with an 8-1 victory.
Zachary Janis started the game in net, going the distance as he made 21 saves and surrended just one goal in the contest.
The Cardinals came out the gate flying, and Nicholas Tombley would get the CUAA on the board with a rebound goal just under 9 minutes into the frame, as Kyle Hebner and Shane Romback picked up assists on the score. Concordia continued to pressure throughout the rest of the frame, outshooting the Golden Grizzlies 24-6, but were unable to find the back of the net the rest of the period as they held a 1-0 lead going into the opening intermission.
The second period was more of the same, as the Cardinals kept the momentum going, recording 26 shots on frame. Bryce Iott would open the first powerplay of the season for the Cardinals with a one timer slap shot fired past the goalie just a few seconds into the man advantage. Romback and Zane Rydel picked up assists on the score.
Brandon Troyer would add onto the scoring, driving the net to record his first goal of the season off a Brayden Tayles shot to extend the Concordia lead to 3. Late in the middle frame, CUAA picked up another as Carson Ediger was hit on a stretch pass breakaway while shorthanded and sniped the goalie to make it a 4-0 game heading into the second break. Tayles and Chase Temple recorded assists on the score.
The Cardinals were put back on the powerplay early in the 3rd and didn't waste time scoring, as Zane Rydel would go end to end, splitting the defense and picking up a goal (assisted by Romback and Iott) on the 5-on-3 advantage. After surrendering a short handed goal to Oakland, the Cards scored another powerplay goal late in the man-up advantage, this time from Seth Francois (assisted by Rydel).
Concordia continued the onslaught, as Quinn Bieniek sniping a shot from an improbable angle past the Oakland goaltender to extend CUAA's lead to six. Kyle Hebner was credited with an assist on the score. With just over a minute and a half remaining in the game, Chase Temple intercepted a breakout pass by the Golden Grizzlies and fired it past the goaltender to mark the 5th freshman scoring their first goal in the contest and the 8th different goalscorer for Concordia.
The Cards would ride it out the rest of the way, securing an 8-1 victory in the season opener.
Concordia will be back in action Saturday night as they host Oakland in their home opener. Puck drop is set for 8pm at the Arctic Edge in Canton, MI
