The Aurora University men's hockey team put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell to SUNY Geneseo in the NCAA Tournament, 7-4, on Saturday night at Fox Valley Ice Arena. The Spartans controlled the game early, building a multi-goal lead, but a relentless third-period comeback by the Knights sealed Aurora's fate and ended their postseason run.

FINAL SCORE: SUNY Geneseo 7, #5 Aurora University 4
LOCATION: Fox Valley Ice Arena - Geneva, Illinois
RECORDS: #5 Aurora University 24-5-1 overall , SUNY Geneseo (24-4-1)

• The Spartans wasted no time setting the tone, with Chase Broda lighting the lamp at 18:47 of the opening period, finishing a setup from Riley Dekowny to give AU a 1-0 lead.
• Just 30 seconds into the second period, Juliano Santalucia extended the Spartans advantage to 2-0 with a strong finish off assists from Jakson Kirk and Chayce Schmidt.
• Aurora continued to apply pressure, and at 16:17 of the second period, Landry Schmuck capitalized on a scoring opportunity, netting his 31st goal of the season off a great sequence from Santalucia and Mathis Bedard, pushing the lead to 3-0.
• SUNY Geneseo responded swiftly, with Alex Dameski scoring at 16:42 and Luke Panchisin adding another goal at 17:56, cutting Aurora's lead to 3-2 heading into the final frame.
• Andrew Schultz restored some breathing room for the Spartans, making it 4-2 at 4:08 of the third period, assisted by Jackson Hay.
• The Knights refused to go away, striking back at 4:51 with a goal from Panchisin and equalizing at 9:43 when Jack McDonald found the back of the net.
• With just 4:04 remaining in regulation, Dameski delivered the game-winning goal for Geneseo, shifting the momentum completely in favor of the visitors.
• In the final minutes, Aurora pulled their goaltender in a desperate bid to tie the game, but Filip Wiberg took advantage of the empty net, scoring twice at 18:12 and 19:05 to seal the Knights'7-4 victory.

• Aurora outshot SUNY Geneseo 30-28, including a strong first period where they dictated the pace.
• JaCob Mucitelli stood tall for the Spartans, making 28 saves in goal.
• Aurora's penalty kill was effective, holding Geneseo scoreless on four power-play opportunities.
• Four different Spartans recorded goals: Broda, Santalucia, Schmuck, and Schultz.
• The loss ends Aurora's remarkable season, finishing with a program-best 24-5-1

POINTS: Juliano Santalucia(2), Landry Schmuck, Andrew Schultz, and Chase Broda (1) 
GOALS:  Juliano Santalucia, Landry Schmuck, Andrew Schultz, and Chase Broda (1) 
ASSISTS: Riley Dekowny, Jakson Kirk, Chayce Schmidt, Mathis Bedard, Juliano Santalucia, Jackson Hay
SAVES: JaCob Mucitelli (28)


With the season coming to an end, the Spartans finish with a 24-5-1 record, marking another historic year for Aurora University hockey. Despite the tough loss, the Spartans showcased their ability to compete at the national level and will look to build on this experience next season.