The Aurora University men's hockey program made history in their NCAA Tournament debut, taking down the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds 3-2 in an intense battle at Fox Valley Ice Arena. In front of a packed home crowd, the Spartans delivered a gritty performance, stepping up in big moments to secure their first-ever NCAA postseason win. From clutch goals to lockdown defense, AU rose to the occasion and kicked off their tournament run in style.
 

FINAL SCORE: #5 Aurora University 3, University Wisconsin-Eau Claire 2
LOCATION: Fox Valley Ice Arena - Geneva, Illinois
RECORDS: #5 Aurora University 24-4-1 overall , University Wisconsin-Eau Claire 14-16-1 overall


  - Aurora controlled the pace early, out-shooting UW-Eau Claire 15-7 in the opening frame.
  - The Spartans capitalized on their only power-play opportunity of the game, breaking the deadlock at 15:51.
  - Jakson Kirk found the back of the net off assists from Landry Schmuck and Jacob Brockman, giving Aurora a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
  - A defensive battle unfolded as both teams tightened up in their own zones, preventing high-danger scoring opportunities.
  - Aurora's goaltender, Jacob Mucitelli, turned aside all seven shots faced in the period.
  - The Spartans maintained their 1-0 lead despite UW-Eau Claire's increased offensive pressure.
  - Aurora doubled their lead at 2:58 when Keaton Lipsett finished off a well-placed feed from Mathis Bedard and Matt Weber, making it 2-0.
  - UW-Eau Claire answered back quickly at 5:15 with a goal from Leo Bacallao, assisted by Trenten Heyde and Tyler Herzberg, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
  - Both teams had quality chances throughout the period, but goaltenders on both ends made key saves to keep the score tight.
  - With UW-Eau Claire pressing for an equalizer, the Spartans took advantage of an empty net at 19:20, as Juliano Santalucia buried an insurance goal to extend the lead to 3-1.
  - The Blugolds refused to go down without a fight, scoring with just 17 seconds remaining in regulation when Jadon Reimer found the net, bringing the game to 3-2.
  - Aurora held strong in the final seconds, securing the historic win for the program in their first NCAA tournament appearance.


- Aurora out-shot UW-Eau Claire 37-26, including a dominant 15-7 advantage in the first period.
- Jacob Mucitelli recorded 24 saves to earn the win for the Spartans.
- Aurora finished 1-for-1 on the power play, while UW-Eau Claire went 0-for-1.
- Jakson Kirk's power-play goal was his 12th of the season.
- Aurora improved their record to 24-4-1 with the victory, adding to a program best.


POINTS: Jakson Kirk, Keaton Lipsett, and Juliano Satalucia, Mathis Bedard, Landry Schmuck, Jacob Brockman, and Matt Weber (1)
GOALS: Jakson Kirk, Keaton Lipsett, and Juliano Satalucia (1)
ASSISTS: Mathis Bedard, Landry Schmuck, Jacob Brockman and Matt Weber (1)
SAVES: JaCob Mucitelli (24)


Next scheduled action for the Spartan men's hockey team comes Saturday, March 22 in the quarterfinal round of the 2024-2025 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championshop. AU's opponent with game time and location will be announced on athletics.aurora.edu once the NCAA makes their announcement.