Grand Rapids, Mich. – Make no mistake about it, not winning is difficult for the players, the coaches, and the fans. However, fans aren't at practice every day to see how hard this team continues to work and the extra effort being put in to turn things around. These AQ players want to win — they just haven't quite found the right ingredients to make this recipe come together. Coach Brandon Rozema's crew took on UM-Dearborn in a weekend twin bill, showing flashes of promise, grit, and determination throughout both contests.

Friday: UM-Dearborn 5, Aquinas 4

The Saints played one of their best games of the season, pushing UM-Dearborn to the brink in a back-and-forth thriller. After falling behind 3–0 in the opening period, AQ stormed back behind a power-play goal from Evan Doan, assisted by Cooper Nienhuis and Ben Cesario. The Saints kept applying pressure in the third, as Zachary Burns found the back of the net off feeds from Gavin Rozema and Alex Johnson to cut the deficit to one. Moments later, Brendan Bourne tied the game at 3–3, finishing off a setup from Rozema and Cesario. Though the Wolverines regained control with two late goals, AQ refused to quit — Rozema capped his stellar night with a goal of his own, assisted by Bourne and Cesario, to pull within one before time expired. Goaltender Jean Berthaudin made 38 saves in the effort, keeping the Saints in striking distance until the final horn.

Saturday: UM-Dearborn 7, Aquinas 3

Less than 24 hours later, the Saints took the ice again and showed plenty of fight despite the scoreline. Nick Dashner got AQ on the board in the second period, finishing a feed from Cesario and Nienhuis after a sustained offensive push. The Saints carried that momentum into the third, as Braylen Outwater and Ben Cesario each tallied goals to pull AQ within two midway through the final frame. Outwater's marker came after another strong assist from Nienhuis, while Cesario's unassisted effort showcased his hustle and finishing touch. Forwards Evan Doan, Gavin Rozema, and Zachary Burns each contributed key plays in the offensive zone, while Simon Johnson battled hard in net, making 23 saves. Though the Wolverines pulled away late, Aquinas' resilience and growing chemistry continued to shine through.

Inside the Numbers (Combined two games)
     • Nine different Saints recorded points over the two games
     • Ben Cesario totaled one goal and five assists on the weekend
     • Cooper Nienhuis added four assists in the series
     • AQ scored four third-period goals across both nights

Coach's Comments
Head Coach Brandon Rozema spoke about the challenges of staying positive through close losses and what he's seeing from his team's development:
"It's tough coming up short when you're right there. But the effort and compete level are where we need them to be — it's just about finding consistency in all three periods. Guys like Ben, Cooper, and Gavin are setting the standard, and the younger players are starting to follow. We'll keep building, keep grinding, and trust that the wins will come if we stay committed to the process."

Up Next
The Saints will get right back on the horse when they challenge Lawrence Tech in a home-and-home series. Aquinas will travel to LT on Friday at 5:00 PM, before hosting the Blue Devils on Saturday at South Side Ice Arena with a 7:30 PM puck drop. Be sure to check out AQSaints.com for more information, stats, and a recap of all the action.