AURORA, Ill. / FOND DU LAC – The road team won each game as No. 14 Marian University ACHA D2 (5-5-1, 1-1-0 NCHL) defeated Aurora 8-3 before falling 6-4 in the finale to open NCHL play.
GAME 1 (AWAY – W, 8-3)
- There was no lack of offense in the opening period as each team scored three goals in the first 20 minutes of action.
- Tyler Bueckert, Devon Butler, and Dakota Sullivan were the goal scorers for the Sabres.
- Both defenses were able to step up in the second period with neither team lighting the lamp.
- The third period was then dominated by the Sabres as Marian scored five goals to pull away and secure the road win.
- Carter Broton scored his ninth of the season to highlight the period, while Dom Pajor and Jason Vogler netted their first goals of the season.
- Chris Regan and Gavyn Galloway also netted goals in the final stanza of the win.
GAME 2 (HOME – L, 6-4)
- The defenses came to play at the start of game two with each side netting just one goal in the first period.
- Simon Ellingson would light the lamp for the Sabres.
- Marian was able to take a 3-2 lead after two periods of action with Ellingson and Serge Simard each scoring.
- Aurora was able to bounce back, however, scoring three unanswered goals to take the lead from Marian and earn a split with a 6-4 win.
- Broton became the first Sabre to double-digit goals with a score in the third period.
GAME 1
- The Sabres outshot the Spartans by a 59-43 margin including a 23-13 edge in the final period.
- Marian went scoreless on two power-play chances, while the penalty kill allowed one goal on six Aurora opportunities.
GAME 2
- Aurora held a slim 36-30 edge in shots for the game and outshot Marian 15-9 in the final period.
- Neither team had a power-play goal as the Sabres committed seven penalties to only three for the Spartans.
- The split saw Marian hold a slim 8-7-0 edge in the all-time series and move to 5-3-0 over the last eight match-ups.
