Dearborn, Mich. — All good things must come to an end.

For the 2025-26 AQ Men's DI Hockey Team, that end came in round one of the WHAC Conference Tournament. In many ways, the game mirrored the season itself — a slow start that required regrouping, long stretches of competitive hockey that didn't always get rewarded, and in the end, a late surge by the opponent that left the Saints close, but just short.

The Saints drew the difficult task of facing host UM-Dearborn on their home ice, and for more than two periods, Aquinas battled stride for stride.

UM-Dearborn 4, Aquinas 0

The opening 40 minutes were defined by discipline and defensive structure. Randon Striplin was sharp between the pipes, turning aside 40 shots on the night and keeping the Saints within striking distance deep into the third period. Brendan Bourne worked tirelessly in the face-off circle, winning 10 draws, while Zachary Burns and Justin Lagrow continued to grind in key puck-possession moments.

Offensively, the Saints generated 26 shots of their own, with Oliver Plato, Xavier Erickson, Gavin Rozema, and Ben Cesario pushing the pace on the wings. Easton Pratt and Arseniy Malyutin anchored the defensive blue line, limiting quality chances through much of the first two periods.

The game remained scoreless entering the third period.

Then, in a span of just over six minutes, the tournament swung.

UM-Dearborn broke through at the 7:09 mark of the third period, and before the Saints could fully reset, the Wolverines added two more goals at 3:10 and 2:37. A late empty-net goal at 0:28 sealed the 4-0 final, with all four Wolverine tallies coming in the final seven minutes of regulation.

Aquinas had opportunities. Power-play chances, strong forechecking shifts, and timely defensive stands kept the energy alive. Gabe Meendering logged critical minutes and battled through a second-period penalty situation, while Brody Traxler and Aiden Middendorf brought physical presence in the neutral zone.

But playoff hockey can be unforgiving.

For nearly 53 minutes, the Saints showed resilience and structure. In the final stretch, the bounces simply went the other way.

AQ DI Men's Curtain Call

With the loss, Aquinas concludes the 2025-26 season at 13-24-0 overall and 8-12-0 in WHAC play. The Saints opened the campaign with 11 consecutive losses, regrouped, recalibrated, and played some of their strongest hockey in the heart of conference action. They closed the season on a four-game losing streak, but not without growth and grit along the way.

AQ finished 7-9-0 at home and 6-15-0 on the road, numbers that tell part of the story, but not all of it.

Under Head Coach Brandon Rozema and his staff, the Saints showed measurable improvement in structure, accountability, and identity. While the final result was not what AQ hoped for, the foundation being laid is undeniable. The program is trending in the right direction, and perhaps 2026-27 will finally be the year of the Saints.

Inside the Numbers

    • 0 – Goals allowed through the first 53 minutes before the late surge
    • 40 – Saves by Randon Striplin in a strong postseason performance
    • 26 – Shots generated by the Saints offense
    • 25 – Faceoff wins by Aquinas
    • 13 – Total wins in a season defined by resilience

Coach's Comments

After the game, a disappointed but proud Head Coach Brandon Rozema reflected on his team, the season, and what lies ahead:

"This one hurts because our guys competed the right way for most of the night. We defended hard, we got strong goaltending, and we gave ourselves a chance. That's growth. This group went through adversity early in the year and never fractured. They kept showing up, kept working, kept believing. I'm proud of their character and the direction of this program. We're not where we ultimately want to be yet, but we're closer than we were a year ago. The standard remains high, and we'll get back to work."

Up Next

For the Saints, the season comes to an end earlier than they hoped, but they have every reason to consider this campaign a step forward. They played with pride and determination. They improved. They competed. They represented Aquinas Athletics the right way — students first, competitors second, and community members always.

Thank you, Coach Rozema and the AQ Men's DI Hockey team. You proved that success is measured by more than wins and losses. You proved that every day is a great day to be a Saint.

Thank you, AQ Hockey.