Box Score Canton, Mich. — On Friday night (Nov. 10) the men's hockey team traveled to Canton, Mich, to take on Concordia at the Arctic Edge. AQ would strike first and two additional times without being answered, pushing the match to 3-0. Concordia fought back to even the score, 3-3. But a late third period goal cemented the Saints on top for the 4-3 win.
The first period found both teams cutting up the ice trying to find a weakness in the opposing defense. Due to a penalty AQ was a man down, but that didn't stop them from capitalizing on an opportunity and
Christian Look struck a shot in from
Brandon Rozema and
Dylan Rumpke, as the Saints score a short-handed goal with 10:49 remaining in the first. Lighting doesn't strike the same place twice in succession but Aquinas would, as
Logan Wesolek got on the board for the Saints with assists by
Ben Cesario and
Kirwin Johnson just 50 seconds after the previous goal. The rest of the first did not see a score for either team. At intermission Aquinas held a two goal difference over the Cardinals.
Coming back on the ice AQ wanted to keep pushing the differential and they did just that with a goal by
Ryan Kleber assisted by Rumpke with 16:31 remaining. The Saints had a comfortable 3-0 lead, but this prompted the Cardinals to dig their claws in, resulting with them marching themselves back into the game. The Cardinals would retaliate and in quick succession, finding the back of the net at the 11:58, 11:37, and 9:36 marks in the second. In the matter of three minutes it was a tied game, 3-3. No team managed to break into the in net for the remainder of the second period.
Both teams grew frustrated in the third as each teams efforts to score were unsuccessful. Aquinas' frustrations came to subside when
Alex Johnson jammed in the game winning goal with just 50 seconds remaining, Johnson was assisted by Rozema and Kleber on a power play. Concordia pulled their goalie in what remained of the final minute but were unsuccessful to find an equalizer. AQ took the victory in Canton, 4-3. Aquinas keeper
Randon Striplin faced 26 shots, while Zachary Janis of Concordia faced 30.
The Saints are back in action Saturday (Nov. 11) for the second match of the series with Concordia. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at Southside Ice Arena.
