The Aurora University men's hockey team traveled BMO Center in Rockford, Illinois for game two of the Harris Cup Playoffs against  #7 Lake Forest College. AU lost 3-2 to the Foresters forcing a 20 minute mini game directly after the original scheduled contest. The Spartans defeated the Raiders 2-0 in the mini game to clinch their first semifinal berth in the Harris Cup Playoffs.


GAME FINAL SCORE: Lake Forest College 3, #10 Aurora University 2
MINI GAME SCORE: #10 Aurora University 4, Lake Forest College 0
LOCATION: BMO Center - Rockford, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 18-7-2 overall ; Lake Forest College 11-12-4 overall


Game Two
- The Spartans and Foresters played to a scoreless opening period with both teams having 11 shots on goal.
- Lake Forest got on the board first with a power play tally 13 minutes into the second period. 
- AU had 14 shots on goal compared to the Foresters seven, but were unable to capitalize on any scoring opportunities. 
- With 6:41 left in the second period and on the power play, Lake Forest struck and took a 1-0 lead.
- The game would be 1-0 LFC going to the second intermission.
- Early in the third, Lake Forest scored twice just 1:20 a part, once more on the power play and led 3-0.
- The Spartans were not going away without a fight though.
- Nine seconds at 8:53 and 9:02 AU scored to make the contest a one goal game with lots of hockey to play.
- Carson Riddle scored first with assists from Jack Rudin and Jacob Brockman and was quickly followed by Tyler Pang with Matt Weber picking up the helper.
- In the final minutes, the Spartans out shot Lake Forest 9-2 but couldn't tie the score and fell 3-2.

Mini Game - stats do not count, result is to advance in the NCHA playoffs.
- The Forester win forced a 20-minute mini game after the originally scheduled contest.
- AU carried the action for most of the first 14 minutes of the contest but the score remained knotted 0-0.
- With 5:58 left to play in the mini, Simon Boyko struck. After getting the puck from Clay Keeley, he rushed up the far boards and fired a shot on net that went off the net-minders glove and in. AU led 1-0.
- 2:30 later the Spartan added another goal, this time Nate Keeley scored with Boyko and his brother Clay assisting. AU had a commanding 2-0 lead with 3:29 to play.
- Shortly after a Lake Forest timeout which came after the second AU goal, the Foresters went to an empty net for an extra skater.
- Spartan goalie Kolby Thornton stopped all the pucks Lake Forest sent his way.
- Lake Forest would have a player sent off for a 5 and 10 penalty putting the Spartans on the power play with 1:46 to play.
- After a Matt Weber shot went wide, Juliano Santalucia slammed home the rebound with the net empty and AU now led 3-0.
- Another Lake Forest penalty put AU on a 5v3 power play and Carson Riddle struck for the fourth Spartan goal which came ith 50 seconds left.
- The Spartans would go on to win the mini game 4-0 and advance to the semifinals of the Harris Cup Playoffs.


Points: Tyler Pang, Carson Riddle, Jack Rudin, Jacob Brockman and Matt Weber (1)
Goals: Tyler Pang and Carson Riddle (1)
Assists: Jack Rudin, Jacob Brockman and Matt Weber (1)
Saves: Tanner Marshall (18) and Kolby Thornton (4)
 

Next action for the Spartan men's hockey team comes on Saturday, February 25 when they host the semi round series of the 2022-2023 NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs. AU will host St. Norbert College at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois with opening puck drop set for 7:00 p.m.