The Aquinas men's hockey team had a terrific offensive effort on Thursday afternoon (Mar. 4) in Hartland Mich., as the Saints posted a 10-1 defeat of Cleary. AQ scored five times in the second period and finished the game with a lopsided 58-7 edge in shots in the victory.
 
With the win, Aquinas moves to 4-5 on the season, while Cleary falls to 1-5 overall. After starting the year 0-3, the Saints have won four of their last six games, averaging better than six goals per game in those victories.
 
Six AQ players scored in the win, led by a hat trick from Alex Klekotka. He also dished out three assists, helping the Saints score the game's first nine goals. Kyle Truax and Darren Johnson each scored a pair of goals, while Truax handed out a pair of assists and Johnson added a helper.
 
Greg McQuade, Daniel Nelson, and Nick Long also added goals for the Saints. Long and Mason Stewart passed for a pair of assists, while McQuade, Nelson, Ryan Wolfe, Russell Shengulette, Brandon Schwandt, Brandon Rozema, and Augustus Hickle all contributed to AQ's 17 total assists. 
 
Goalie Michael Allman played his first game as a Saint and needed just six saves to earn the victory.
 
Klekotka and Long scored in the opening period for a 2-0 lead. Johnson, Truax, Klekotka, McQuade, and Nelson all found the back of the net for a 7-0 advantage entering the third period. Klekotka completed the hat trick early in the third period and Truax scored again 24 seconds later for the 9-0 cushion. Johnson's second goal capped the game's scoring.
 
AQ is back on the ice the next two days, beginning a home-and-home series with Rochester. The Saints host the Warriors at 8:00 p.m. at Southside Ice Arena tomorrow before a 4:45 afternoon match-up on Saturday.