Howell, Mich. – The AQ men's hockey team returned to the ice on Saturday night (Nov. 2) for the second of the two-game series against the Cleary Cougars. AQ netted six goals, its highest goal total of the 2024-25 season so far, but Cleary managed to find eight goals to outpace the Saints.

The result moves AQ to a 2-9-2 record so far this season with a 1-4-1 conference record.

Cleary 8, Aquinas 6

The scoring didn't start until about halfway through the first period, but the floodgates opened from there. Cleary found the first goal of the contest with 10:34 left on the clock and then scored once more five minutes later for a 2-0 lead.

AQ quickly found a rebuttal with a crazy series of goals. Alex Johnson scored the Saints' first goal of the game with just over three minutes to play in the first. Austin Gilmore then scored just over a minute later to tie the game after an assist from Xavier Erickson. AQ's series of goals continued in the first as a late Cougar penalty gave the Saints a powerplay and Arseniy Malyutin found the back of the net to give AQ the lead.

The Saints scored three goals in less than four minutes to end the first period.

Aquinas opened up the second period with its fourth unanswered goal, this time it was Justin Lagrow who scored. Erickson and Gilmore provided the helpers, giving Erickson a hat trick of assists in just over one period of play.

The remainder of the second period and most of the third period began to turn the tide towards Cleary. CU scored five unanswered goals to erase AQ's lead and take a 7-4 lead late into the third period.

Gavin Rozema found a response for AQ late in the third period with Erickson providing yet another assist. Erickson then made the game interesting, scoring again just 23 seconds later to move Aquinas within one goal with 3:35 left to play. However, Cleary immediately responded with its eighth goal of the game to secure the 8-6 victory.

By the Numbers

• Erickson had a phenomenal game, recording four assists and a goal for a total of five points.
• Six different Saints scored the goals with A. Johnson, Gilmore, Lagrow, Malyutin, Rozema, and Erickson providing the offense.
• Cleary outshot the Saints 41-33 and held a slim advantage on faceoffs, leading 39-35.

Up Next

AQ will have a quick turnaround as it takes on No. 2-ranked Calvin University on Wednesday. The puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.