Grand Rapids, Mich. — The early stretch of the season hasn't gone exactly as planned for the Aquinas men's Division I hockey team, but there's no denying the steady progress taking shape on the ice. As the Saints geared up for a home-and-home series with Cleary University, Head Coach Brandon Rozema's squad showed flashes of what's possible when the group executes its system — skating with better structure, sharper puck movement, and a growing sense of confidence. While the win column still doesn't reflect the effort, Aquinas continues to trend upward with plenty of encouraging signs heading into the heart of the schedule.

Friday @ Southside Ice Arena in Byron Center (Home)
Cleary 6, Aquinas 5

Friday night's matchup at Southside Ice Arena was a wild one, as the Saints nearly erased a four-goal deficit in an explosive third period before falling just short in a 6–5 thriller. Aquinas trailed 3–0 after the first and 4–1 entering the third but stormed back behind a relentless offensive push. Gavin Rozema led the charge with two goals, while Cooper Nienhuis, Justin LaGrow, and Xavier Erickson each added tallies of their own. Erickson, Zachary Burns, and Arseniy Malyutin each chipped in with assists, and Burns led all Saints with three helpers on the night. Jean Berthaudin made 38 saves in net, keeping AQ within striking distance against a potent Cleary attack. Despite the loss, the rally showcased the team's grit and offensive upside.

Saturday @ Ice Den in Howell, Mich. (Away)
Cleary 4, Aquinas 2

Less than 24 hours later, the Saints and Cougars met again — this time in Howell — and Aquinas came out firing. Brayden Outwater opened the scoring early with his first goal of the season, followed by a strong finish from defenseman Arseniy Malyutin, assisted by Brendan Bourne and Xavier Erickson. The Saints built a 2–0 lead before Cleary responded with four unanswered goals to claim the 4–2 victory. Goaltender Simon Johnson was stellar between the pipes, turning aside 47 shots and keeping AQ in contention deep into the third period. Bourne and Erickson each collected assists, while the Saints' penalty kill stood tall in multiple key moments. The overall compete level and pace of play continued to climb — a testament to the steady development Rozema's group is showing.

Inside the Numbers (Both Games)
     • The Saints scored seven goals over the two-game series
     • Eight different Saints recorded at least one point
     • Simon Johnson made 47 saves in Saturday's game
     • Aquinas went 3-for-9 on the power play across both contests

Coaches' Comments
Following another tough weekend, Head Coach Brandon Rozema remained encouraged by his team's direction:
"While the results haven't gone our way, you can see the growth every time we take the ice. We're starting to play with more consistency, and our structure is improving shift by shift. The complete level is where it needs to be — now it's about tightening the details and finishing games the right way. I'm proud of how our guys responded, especially in the third period Friday and the early push Saturday. We're moving in the right direction, and that'll pay off soon."

Up Next
It won't feel like mid-fall break for the AQ men's DI hockey team as the Saints hit the road for a two-game set at Purdue Northwest in Hammond, Indiana. Both games are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday with 7:30 PM face-offs. Fans can follow along with live stats, scores, and recaps at AQSaints.com.