The Aurora University men's hockey team hosted the College of St. Scholastica in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association opener at the BMO Center in Rockford on Friday night. AU won an overtime thriller that saw the Spartans score two goals in the final 2:17 of the third period before a goal in overtime sent the Spartans home winners.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 4, College of St. Scholastica 3 - overtime
LOCATION: BMO Ice Arena - Rockford, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 2-1 overall and 1-0 NCHA; College of St. Scholastica 0-1 overall and 0-1 NCHA
ATTENDANCE: 69
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The visitors struck early in the first period when a defensive zone turnover led to a 1v1 with AU goalie Josh Boyko. The Spartans trailed 1-0.
- CSS had a big advantage in the shot department in the opening period, holding a 15-4 advantage
- Early in the second period, the Spartan penalty kill came up big as they killed off nearly 1:30 of 5v3.
- The Spartans went to the power play for the first time in the game and with 12:08 on the clock, Drew Doyon scored to tie the game. Tim Faulkner and Larry Jungwirth had assists on the goal.
- AU and CSS went to the second intermission tied 1-1.
- Early in the third period the Saints scored to take a 2-1 lead on the Spartans.
- The teams would play back and forth hockey for the next 10 minutes when the Saints added another tally to go ahead 3-1.
- With just over two minutes left in the third, Anthony Tzveyn crashed the net and Jacob Holmers put the puck in the back of the Saint net to cut the deficit to 3-2.
- AU pulled goalie Josh Boyko in the final minute of play looking to tie the contest.
- with 27.8 seconds to play, AU tied the game with Roberts Baranovskis knotting the score at 3-3. Connor Chilton had the helper.
- With the game knotted at 3-3, the contest went to an overtime session.
- 2:14 into overtime, AU got the game winner from Larry Jungwirth and an assist from Brayden Sampson.
 
SPARTAN STAT LEADERS
Goals: Larry Jungwirth, Drew Doyon, Jacob Holmers and Roberts Baranovskis (1)
Assists: Brayden Sampson, Tim Faulkner, Anthony Tzveyn, Connor Chilton and Larry Jungwirth (1)
Saves: Josh Boyko (27)
Face offs: Drew Doyon (19-of-29)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan men's hockey team comes on Sunday, November 4 when they host Northland College. Game time is set 4:00 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois.