(Canton, MI) Concordia Men's Hockey hosted the University of Toledo for a Friday night showdown against the Rockets. The game was a back and forth affair which started with the Cardinals coming back from multiple one-goal deficits before taking a lead in the third period. Toledo was able to tie it up with a last second goal in regulation and then won the game in overtime for the 6-5 victory.
Toledo broke through for the opening goal of the game, scoring off of a rebound under three minutes into the contest. The Cardinals then successfully killed a penalty before evening the game up four minutes later when McCarthy Clark redirected a Brayden Tayles shot into the net. Toledo found another second chance opportunity minutes later to reclaim their lead. Nicholas Twombley responded on a breakaway to equalize it for Concordia five minutes later, making it square at the first intermission.
The Cardinals were unable to convert a power play to start off the second period and then conceded an improbable goal when the Rockets' initial shot bounced off the glass behind the net and then back in front of the net where TK Mwamba was able to finish off the go ahead goal. The second period saw multiple penalties from both sides with neither side able to convert, with the Cardinals unable to score on a 3 on 5 situation but then killing a penalty of their own shortly after. It wasn't until the sides were even that Carson Ediger was able to wrap around and make it 3-3 where it stayed heading into the final period of play.
The Cardinals were able to kill off the remainder of a five-minute penalty to start off the third period and keep it square. Carson Ediger gave Concordia their first lead of the game with 14 minutes remaining off of the assists from Nicholas Twombley and Kyle Hebner. The Cardinals were able to double their lead shortly after when Brayden Tayles found an unmarked Joseph Lajcaj in front of the net who made the Rockets pay. Concordia had a pair of power plays down the stretch which they were unable to do anything with, while the Rockets took advantage of their power play chance to draw the game back within one goal with two minutes remaining. Toledo pulled their goalie for the final minutes and were able to tie the game back up in the final seconds of the game, sending it to overtime at 5-5.
Two minutes into overtime the Rockets were able to net the game deciding goal, making it 6-5 in favor of Toledo in the end. Ethan Ryan finished the night with 35 saves.
The Cardinals will be back in action Saturday as they head South to Toledo for the back half of the doubleheader. Puck drop is set for 7:30 at the Team Toledo Ice House.
