The Aurora University hockey team hosted the first NCAA Division III hockey opponent in St. Mary's University (Minnesota) on Friday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena and the Spartans came away with a 6-3 win, the first in the programs short history.

AU got a greasy goal 2:21 into the game to take a lead just as they have in their four previous contests. Mike Mikulan scored from behind the net with assists from Trevor Hoth and Rihards Marenis.

After St. Mary's tied the contest at 9:08 in the first, AU took the lead back on the power play. The power play goal was the first of five total for both teams in the game, a very physically played contest. A hooking call against St. Mary's allowed Marenis to find the back of the net on a deflection from a shot by defenseman Ron Lindgren. Lindgren and Hoth had assists on the goal.

In the second period, the teams continued the physical play and at 9:37 St. Mary's tied the contest with a power play goal. An interference call on Lindgren set up the visitors goal.

Later in the period the Spartan and Lindgren took advantage of a St. Mary's interference call that resulted in a power play goal. Lindgren this time saw hi shot find its way through traffic and into the net for a Spartan 3-2 lead. Ryan Davlantes and Anthony Pnewski assisted on the play.

Davlantes sent the Spartans to the penalty kill just 15 seconds late though with a slashing call. On the kill, Andrew Bergquist found himself one on one with a St. Mary's defender in Cardinal ice. A nifty move and a back hand through the five hole gave Bergquist the short handed goal and the Spartans a 4-2 lead. The goal would eventually be the game winner.

As the third period commenced, the Spartans held a two-goal lead and looked to hold on. 1:20 into the period the Spartans gave themselves a three-goal cushion. Sheldon Kihle scored an even strength goal with assists from Justin Gregory and Connor Quinn.

St. Mary's cut into the lead midway through the period with a power play tally past AU goaltender Lucas Thompson who played all but 48 seconds of the game with back up Griffin Strain coming on for a short time due to an equipment (broken skate lace) malfunction for Thompson.

Just under three minutes after St. Mary's cut into the lead AU regained the three goal advantage. Gregory redeemed his penalty minutes earlier with a power play tally of his own as he was assisted by Davlantes and Quinn.

The Spartans held on to the three goal advantage and in the final minute (1:20) killed a penalty that saw the Spartans hit two pipes with an open St. Mary's net. As th final horn sounded, AU had the program's first win 6-3.

With the win, AU is now 1-6 in NCAA contests and 6-7 overall. Thompson had 31 saves in the win. Next action for the Spartan hockey team comes on Saturday, December 6 when they host St. Mary's University at 7:05 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois.