Howell, Mich. — The Aquinas College Men's Hockey Team fell short in the first game of their home-and-home series against Cleary University, suffering an 8-2 loss.

Cleary 8, Aquinas 2
Cleary took control early, building a commanding 3-0 lead by the end of the first period. The Saints came out strong in the second, cutting into the deficit with two quick goals just 16 seconds apart. Zachary Burns scored the first on a setup by Christian Look, and moments later, Gavin Rozema found the back of the net off assists from Brendan Bourne and Matt Denhartigh, bringing the score to 3-2.

However, Cleary quickly regained momentum and dominated the remainder of the game, scoring five unanswered goals to secure the win.

Head Coach Brandon Rozema shared his thoughts after the game:

"I'm proud of the effort in terms of playing hard. Our primary concern is the amount of high-quality chances we gave up in our defensive zone, especially in front of the net. It stings to put up 40 shots and only score twice. That said, the Cleary goaltender played exceptional."

Special teams played a pivotal role in the outcome. The Saints' power-play struggles continued, going 0-for-5 with the man advantage, while Cleary capitalized on their lone power-play opportunity.

The loss drops Aquinas to 6-19-3 overall and 5-10-2 in conference play.

By the Numbers:

• Max Johnston: Recorded 21 saves on 29 shots.
• Shots on Goal: Aquinas outshot Cleary 40-29 but couldn't convert chances.
• Special Teams: Aquinas went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Cleary was 1-for-1.

Up Next:
The Saints will aim to bounce back as they conclude the two-game series against Cleary University. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.