Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Aquinas men's DI hockey team has officially flipped the script on what once looked like a season slipping away. After a brutal opening stretch filled with close calls and frustrating finishes, the Saints have rediscovered their identity—and their confidence. Now riding a renewed wave of momentum, AQ entered the weekend determined to keep its winning streak alive in a home-and-home set against Rochester Christian. What followed was a pair of spirited victories that showcased scoring depth, physicality, and a growing belief that this group may finally be turning the corner.

Friday: Aquinas 7, Rochester Christian 2

Aquinas set the tone early on Friday night in Mt. Clemons, weathering an early Rochester Christian shorthanded goal before seizing control of the game. Ben Cesario tied the score at 1–1 with a clean finish off a setup from Xavier Erickson at 15:32 of the first, swinging momentum firmly onto the Saints' bench. In the second period, Erickson took over the game, scoring at 1:13, again at 8:34 on the power play, and completing the natural hat trick at 12:28—all part of a dominant five-goal middle frame for AQ.
Brendan Bourne added a goal late in the second, assisted by Erickson and Alex Johnson, stretching the lead to 5–1 before Rochester Christian pulled one back right before intermission. In the third, Aquinas locked down defensively and continued to push the pace, with Ignacy Drozd burying a goal off feeds from Gavin Phillips and Chase DiTullio. Gavin Rozema capped the night with a power-play strike at 13:37, assisted by Austin Plumert and Zachary Burns. Jean Berthaudin stood tall in net, turning aside 26 shots and anchoring the Saints' most complete offensive showing of the season.

Saturday: Aquinas 5, Rochester Christian 4

Saturday's rematch in Byron Center brought more drama as Aquinas battled through a back-and-forth contest to complete the weekend sweep. The Saints jumped ahead early thanks to Gavin Rozema scoring twice in the first period, with assists from Zachary Burns, Aiden Middendorf, and Ben Cesario building a 2–0 advantage. Rochester Christian countered late in the first and early in the second to tie the game at 2–2, forcing AQ to regroup.
Aquinas responded with key goals from Cesario, Alex Johnson, and Cooper Nienhuis—each arriving at pivotal moments to keep the Saints in front. Johnson's tally midway through the third, assisted by Bourne, gave AQ the lead once more, and Nienhuis delivered the game-winner moments later off a setup from Burns. The Saints held firm through a tense final minute to secure the 5–4 win, with Simon Johnson making timely saves throughout to preserve the victory and extend the winning streak.

Inside the Numbers (Combined Two Games)

     • AQ outscored Rochester Christian 12–6 in the weekend sweep.
     • 13 different Saints recorded at least one point across both games.
     • Xavier Erickson erupted for five goals and two assists in Friday's win.
     • Gavin Rozema totaled three goals and one assist on the weekend.
     • AQ's goaltending duo combined for 44 saves.

Coach's Comments

Head Coach Brandon Rozema spoke about how proud he is of this squad and how happy he is that the extra effort and hard work resulted in keeping this winning streak going:
"You can feel the buy-in growing every single day. These guys have battled through adversity, stayed committed, and now the results are finally matching the work they're putting in. We're building something real here, and this weekend was another major step forward."

Up Next

The Saints will return to action on Friday, November 21, as they open a home-and-home series with Western Michigan. Aquinas will host the Broncos at Southside Ice Arena in Byron Center for a 7:30 p.m. face-off. The series then shifts to Kalamazoo on Saturday, November 22, where the Saints and Western Michigan will meet again at 7:30 p.m. Be sure to check out AQSaints.com for streaming information, live stats, and complete post-game coverage.