Gustavus at Aurora
Date: Friday, Dec. 29 | Saturday, Dec. 30
Time: 6:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m.
Location: Geneva, Ill. | Fox Valley Ice Arena
Live Coverage: Stats | Video
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s hockey team returns to action this weekend, set for a non-conference series at Aurora University. The Gusties (6-4-1 overall, 5-1 MIAC) will opens the first ever game against the Spartans (2-7-2, 1-4-1 NCHA) at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Series Snapshot
Friday’s game will mark the first ever meeting between the Gustavus and Aurora men’s ice hockey programs. Aurora University, set in Aurora, Ill., west of Chicago, competes in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.
Last Time Out
After two consecutive conference sweeps, the Gusties had their winning streak end in a non-conference game at the College of St. Scholastica Dec. 8, losing 3-0. Gustavus surrendered three power play goals, being shut out for the first time in 2017-18.
Scouting Aurora
The Spartans lost 2-1 against the No. 15-ranked Milwaukee School of Engineering on Dec. 2, which followed the team’s first conference win of the season, a 4-3 victory over Concordia University Wisconsin. Aurora is 2-2 during its last two weekend series and averages 1.91 goals per game, while allowing 3.66 per game. First-year defender Nick Minerva and senior forward Rihards Marenis lead the team with six points each (2g-4a), while six Spartans are tied for the goal-scoring lead with two goals. Goaltenders Jake Gwillim and Josh Boyko have shared time in net, with Gwillim allowing 3.36 goals per game and Boyko averaging 3.83 against.
Gustavus Notables
- First-year forward Caleb Anderson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) leads the MIAC in freshman scoring and is tied for the team-lead with nine points (4g-5a).
- Anderson is tied for the lead in Division III with two shorthanded goals. The Gusties scored one shorthanded goal all of last season.
- Anderson is tied for the lead in the conference with two game-winning goals.
- Evan Erickson (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) leads the Gusties with five goals (T-6th/MIAC).
- After two consecutive series sweeps over Hamline and Bethel, the Gusties surpassed their win total from the 2016-17 season.
- The last time Gustavus strung together two-straight series sweeps was during the 2013-14 season, while the back-to-back shutouts is the first time since 2008.
- 16 different Gusties have found their way into the goal-scoring column through the first 11 games this season.
- The Gusties have outscored their opponents 17-5 in the second period.
- Chris Amsden (Jr., St. Peter, Minn.) ranks among the top-five goaltenders in the MIAC, owning the third best goals against average (1.98) and fourth best save percentage (.930).