Howell, Mich. – What a difference a few months make. The last time Aquinas and Cleary met for their home-and-home series, the Saints were struggling to find confidence during one of the toughest stretches of their season. Cleary won both nights in tight, competitive games, leaving no room for moral victories in the AQ locker room. Competing wasn't the standard — winning was. And with the Saints fighting to claw back toward .500, this game loomed as the biggest hurdle in their quest to extend the win streak. After a focused, high-energy week of practice, Aquinas arrived in Howell determined to make it eight straight.

Aquinas 3, Cleary 0

The Saints wasted no time setting the tone. At 9:43 of the first period, Braylen Outwater opened the scoring with a sharp finish on a feed from Logan Boettcher and Tyler Hilliker, giving AQ early momentum. From there, the story of the game became the calm, composed brilliance of goaltender Jean Berthaudin, who turned away all 44 shots he faced in a spectacular shutout performance. Cleary generated heavy pressure throughout the period, but Berthaudin, locked in from the opening puck drop, matched every challenge.

In the second period, Aquinas struck again — this time from Cooper Nienhuis, who buried a feed from Outwater at 8:50. The Saints continued to push the pace, with strong efforts from Gavin Rozema, Aiden Middendorf, Ben Cesario, Zach Burns, and Gavin Phillips helping AQ transition cleanly through the neutral zone and generate quality looks. Defensively, Xavier Erickson, Nick Dashner, and Brendan Bourne logged key minutes, breaking up Cleary rushes and supporting Berthaudin's clean sheet.

The Saints' penalty kill — a major emphasis during the week — delivered its best performance of the season. AQ killed off all four Cleary power plays, including three in the third period, as players like Arseniy Malyutin, Evan Doan, Boettcher, and Burns hustled in lanes, blocked shots, and cleared rebounds. Those kills proved pivotal in preserving the two-goal lead and keeping the building momentum firmly in AQ's control.

With Cleary pulling its goalie late, Aquinas sealed the victory at 18:55 of the third when Gavin Rozema fired an empty-netter into the cage, assisted by Malyutin. The bench erupted as the Saints put the finishing touches on a confident, complete road win against a top-20 opponent. Contributions from across the lineup — from Hilliker and Outwater to Erickson, Cesario, and Nienhuis — showcased the growing depth and maturity of this AQ team as the streak continued.

Inside the Numbers
     • Berthaudin stopped 44 shots in a dominant shutout performance.
     • Outwater recorded two points (1G, 1A) and played a strong two-way game.
     • Rozema scored on an empty netter, clinching the game late.
     • AQ's penalty kill went a perfect 4-for-4, including three kills in the third period.
     • AQ win streak is now at 8 games.

Coach's Comments
Head Coach Brandon Rozema spoke about the game and the momentum this team is playing with:  "So proud of this group. We had one of our most detailed and systematic weeks of practice to prepare for this weekend. Jean Berthaudin answered the bell again and played great for us, making timely saves. What really impressed me was our penalty kill. We had three penalties to kill off in the 3rd period and never folded. We enjoy this for the rest of the evening, then get ready to go tomorrow, on home ice. This game will be a special night with Skate with the Saints after the game."

Up Next
No time to really celebrate for the Saints, as they return to action Saturday night at Southside Ice Arena looking to complete the sweep and push the streak to nine straight victories. After the final horn, fans are invited to join the team on the ice for "Skate with the Saints." The rematch will be streamed live on the AQ YouTube Network, with Joey Sutherlin on the call. For information, stats, and a full recap of all the action, visit AQSaints.com.