The Aurora University men's hockey team made history on Saturday night at the Fox Valley Ice Arena, defeating St. Norbert College 4-3 and clinching their first championship final berth in the Harris Cup Playoffs. The Spartans rallied from a 2-0 deficit with four unanswered goals in the late second and third period for the win.


GAME FINAL SCORE:  #12 Aurora University 4, #12 St. Norbert College 3
LOCATION: Fox Valley Ice Arena - Geneva, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 19-7-2 overall ; Lake Forest College 11-12-4 overall


- The Spartans and St. Norbert came out flying around the ice in the opening minutes of action but it was the visitors who would strike first with a goal 5:11 into the game.
- With 4:35 left in the first St. Norbert added a second goal to lead AU 2-0.
- AU would trail by the 2-0 score going to the first intermission.
- On the power play, the Spartans were called for a pair of penalties that resulted in a SNC 4on3 and eventually 5on3 for nearly 20 seconds.
- The AU pk and goalie Kolby Thornton stoned the Green Knights power play unit with Jaden Condotta blocking numerous shots in the kill.
- The Spartans and the feisty student section were fueled by the penalty kill and with 56 seconds to go in the second, AU broke through on the scoreboard with 4on4 hockey.
- Jack Jaunich blistered a shot past the SNC tender with assists from Adam Keyes and Clay Keeley.
- The Spartans were feeling it heading to the third period trailing 2-1.
- Just 1:35 into the third the Spartans tied the score. Lukas Sedlacek tied the game with a helper from Simon Boyko.
- Minutes later and on a power play the Spartans struck once again.
- With only nine seconds left on the extra skater, Simon Boyko wristed a laser over the glove shoulder of the Green Knight tendy to put AU ahead 3-2. Jaunich and Matt Weber picked up assists.
- Four minutes later at 11:26 the Spartans scored a fourth consecutive goal. Gio Procopio was on the receiving end of beautiful passing from Hassan Akl and Carson Riddle.
- With 8:34 to play, AU led 4-2 and the home crowd was at a fever pitch.
- SNC scored a power play goal with 6:15 left in the contest to cut the AU lead to 4-3.
- In the final minutes, AU's Kolby Thornton made some tremendous saves to keep the Spartans in the lead.
- A remarkable frenzy occurred with 1:00 left on the game, after a Thornton sprawling save left the net open, Nate Keeley laid out to stop a point blank scoring chance and keep AU up 4-3.
- The Spartans would keep SNC at bay in the final seconds after the near heart stopping sequence and win 4-3.


Points: Jack Jaunich and Simon Boyko (2)
Goals: Jack Jaunich, Simon Boyko, Gio Procopio and Lukas Sedlacek (1)
Assists: Jack Jaunich, Simon Boyko, Adam Keyes, Clay Keeley, Matt Weber, Hassan Akl and Carson Riddle (1)
Saves: Kolby Thornton (52)
 

Next action for the Spartan men's hockey team comes on Saturday, March 4 when they travel for the championship game of the 2022-2023 NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs. AU will travel to Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan with opening puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. (est) / 6:00 p.m. (cst).