Byron Center, Mich. – As well as the Saints have been playing, match-ups against top-20 opponents demand a fresh edge every night. Yesterday's shutout belonged in the rear view mirror, and Aquinas knew they'd need the same sharp, disciplined effort to extend their eight-game winning streak. But on Saturday, the hunger and precision that fueled their Friday win seemed to fade just a touch — and Cleary, eager to respond after being blanked, jumped on every mistake. AQ's defensive-zone giveaways proved costly, and the Cougars capitalized nearly every time, handing the Saints a tough setback.

Cleary 7, Aquinas 3

Aquinas actually opened the scoring, striking just 4:56 into the game when Xavier Erickson finished a feed from Arseniy Malyutin to make it 1–0. The lead, however, lasted only seconds, as Cleary responded on the next shift. The Saints continued generating chances throughout the first period with strong pushes from Braylen Outwater, Justin Lagrow, Brody Traxler, and Evan Doan, but Cleary's forecheck kept forcing turnovers that shifted momentum.

In the second period, Cleary took control with two even-strength goals before Cooper Nienhuis gave AQ life at 10:23, burying a power-play strike off a setup from Austin Plumert. Despite the swing, Cleary answered again late in the period, stretching the deficit to 4–2 and putting the Saints in chase mode the rest of the night.

The third period brought more frustration. A shorthanded goal extended Cleary's lead, but the Saints countered when Ben Cesario scored at 14:18 on a pass from Zachary Burns, pulling AQ within striking distance. Unfortunately, Cleary quickly struck twice more, sealing the game and punishing additional defensive-zone miscues. Throughout the night, AQ saw contributions from Tyler Hilliker, Gavin Phillips, Aiden Middendorf, Arseniy Malyutin, Alex Johnson, and Nick Dashner, but defensive breakdowns and rushed decisions limited the Saints' ability to sustain pressure.

Goaltender Jean Berthaudin, who was brilliant Friday, battled through heavy traffic again, facing 34 shots, while Outwater, Erickson, and Nienhuis continued to tilt the ice at moments. Still, Cleary's counterpunching proved too much, snapping AQ's eight-game streak after one of the team's more uncharacteristic outings in weeks.

Inside the Numbers
     • Erickson, Nienhuis, and Cesario scored AQ's three goals.
     • Malyutin, Plumert, and Burns each added assists for the Saints.
     • Cleary outshot Aquinas 34–28, taking advantage of turnovers.
     • AQ scored once on the power play, while Cleary added one PP and one SH goal.

Coach's Comments
Head Coach Brandon Rozema talked about how his team did not match the crisp play of Friday and gave the Cougars too many easy chances:
"We simply weren't sharp enough tonight. Cleary is too good of a team to gift them the opportunities we gave up, and they made us pay for every mistake. But I know this group — they'll watch the tape, learn from it, and correct what needs correcting. We've been playing really good hockey for weeks, and one game won't change the belief I have in this team moving forward."

Up Next
Aquinas has one more opportunity to close out 2025 on a high note when they travel to Calvin on Wednesday night. After a short holiday recharge, the Saints will be right back at it in early January — and a strong finish this week could set the tone for a big start to 2026. The rivalry battle begins at 6:00 PM. For information, stats, and a full recap of the action, visit AQSaints.com.