Grand Rapids, Mich. — The fickle fate of hockey fortunes can change quickly, and the Aquinas men's team is living proof. After dropping their first eleven games of the season, the Saints have completely rewritten their story and now find themselves riding a five-game winning streak. Friday night's match-up with the Western Michigan Stallions opened a home-and-home showdown, and AQ knew extending the streak to six would require poise, discipline, and a full 60 minutes of urgency against a Stallions team capable of flipping momentum in a blink.

Aquinas 6, Western Michigan 3

Aquinas struck first and often, jumping out to a 2–0 lead with goals from Zachary Burns and Ben Cesario, each set up by the playmaking vision of Gavin Rozema and Tyler Hilliker. But Western Michigan clawed back, scoring with six seconds left in the first period before tying the game early in the second. The Stallions briefly took a 3–2 lead, but the Saints' response came fast—just 50 seconds later, Cesario buried his second of the night to even the score. AQ took over from there, as Cesario completed the hat trick and Rozema added a power-play tally late in the second to extend the advantage.

In the third, Alex Johnson delivered the dagger with a strong finish off a feed from Xavier Erickson, cementing a dominant offensive performance. Rozema finished with a stellar five-point night, while Burns contributed a goal and three assists to power AQ's attack. Nick Dashner, Zach Burns, and Erickson each chipped in helpers as the Saints' depth continued to shine. Between the pipes, Jean Berthaudin stopped 42 shots to secure the win and keep AQ's momentum rolling into Thanksgiving week.

Inside the Numbers
     • 3 goals for Ben Cesario, recording the hat trick and tying the game when AQ needed it most
     • 5 points for Gavin Rozema (1g, 4a), leading all players in scoring
     • 4 points for Zach Burns (1g, 3a), matching Rozema's energy all night
     • 42 saves for goaltender Jean Berthaudin, earning the victory
     • 3 unanswered goals to close out the second period and take control of the game

Coach's Comments
Following the win, Head Coach Brandon Rozema reflected on the team's surge heading into the holiday stretch:
"Over the last few weeks, our guys have shown what belief and consistency can do for a locker room. Early in the season, we were searching for our identity, but now we're playing connected hockey—hard, fast, and for each other. Extending the streak is great, but what excites me most is how we're trending. If we keep competing like this, we're going to be a tough team to deal with as we move toward December."

Up Next
Aquinas heads to Kalamazoo to finish the home-and-home with Western on Saturday night. After that, the Saints will have some time to rest and reset before returning to action in December. AQ will battle the Cougars of Cleary University with a Friday, December 5 match-up in Howell at 8:00 pm, followed by the rematch at Southside Ice Arena on Saturday at 7:30 pm. Visit AQSaints.com for streaming information, live stats, and complete postgame coverage.