(Dearborn, MI) – The Concordia men's hockey team hit the road to face off with the #17 UM-Dearborn Wolverines on Saturday evening in a rematch of the night prior. The game was an electric back and forth contest, with the Cardinals converting on enough chances to bring home a 5-3 victory and weekend sweep over UMD.
UM-Dearborn came out flying, picking up a goal less than 8 minutes into the opening period and outshot the Cards 15-9 over the span of the first 20. However, CUAA bounced back late in the first frame, as Abel Christians fired home a rebound off a Hunter Kepple shot to tie the game at 1.
Concordia wouldn't take the foot off the pedal in the first period, as Tyler Groth would fire a low slap shot on the powerplay that beat the Wolverine goaltender with 15 seconds left in the frame to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead going into the break. Kepple and Christians picked up helpers on the goal.
The Wolverines upped the pressure in the middle period, firing 19 shots on goal in the frame, eventually converting to tie the game at 2 with 10:01 to go.
CUAA responded less than two minutes later, as Abel Christians sprung a cross ice breakaway pass to Hunter Kepple, who sniped the goalie to give the Cardinals the lead back. Concordia would hold the lead through the rest of the period and carry a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
UM-Dearborn continued their push, eventually taking the puck from the Cardinals in the offensive zone and finding the back of the net to tie the game at 3 with less than 8 minutes to play.
The Cardinals answered one final time less than two minutes later, as Hunter Kepple tipped a Liam Kenney shot from the point past the Wolverine goaltender to give CUAA the 4-3 lead with 6:01 left to play. Abel Christians also picked up an assist on the goal, his third of the evening.
Concordia didn't stop the offensive attack there, as Kyle Hebner put the cherry on top of the Cardinals' night, scoring a goal with 3:12 remaining to double the lead. Liam Kenney and Thomas Hendry recorded helpers on the game sealing score.
Zachary Janis made his first career start in net with the Cardinals and played outstanding, picking up several big stops on the way to 44 saves in the victory.
Hunter Kepple (2 goals, 2 assists) and Abel Christians (1 goal, 3 assists) each tied the program record for points in a game with 4. The weekend sweep over UM-Dearborn was the first weekend sweep over the Wolverines and a ranked opponent in Concordia Men's Hockey history.
The Cardinals will be back in action next Friday night as they face the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils on the road. Puck drop is set for 7:30pm at the Farmington Hills Ice Arena in Farmington Hills, MI.
