MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team looked like their old selves in a 5-2 victory over the Concordia College Cobbers Friday night. The Royals scored five goals for the first time in 2017, a feat they accomplished several times during the 2016 portion of the schedule when they averaged nearly four goals per game over their final eight games of 2016. Since the turn of the calendar though, Bethel has scored more than twice just three times. The offensive drought has dropped the Royals out of playoff contention for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

The Royals used a strong power play to take control of the game Friday night, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after two periods and adding another score in the third, with three of the five goals coming on the power play. Lauren Kolak scored the Royals first goal on a power play with assists from Kaitlyn VanTassel and Wendy Roberts. Kirsten Olson then scored the Royals second first period goal at 16:32 with assists from Sarah Moy and Bailey Thompson. Midway through the second period Kolak, VanTassel and Roberts hooked up again on the power play for the 3-0 score. Roberts tacked on another goal with 54 seconds remaining in the second period. Baily Thompson registered another assist on the Roberts goal. The Cobbers were able to score a power play goal of their own midway through the third period but just a minute later Roberts scored again, her second goal and fourth point of the night on another Bethel power play to make it 5-1. Concordia was able to score with 5:31 remaining in the third to get within 5-2 but the scoring would end there.

The win for Bethel snaps a seven game non-win skid and is just the second win in 2017 as they improve to 8-12-4 and 5-8-4 in the MIAC. Concordia falls to 13-8-3 and 10-5-2 in the MIAC as they sit in third place entering the final contest Saturday afternoon.