GENEVA, Ill. – It was déjà vu all over for the Gustavus men’s hockey team as it tied Aurora 3-3 in overtime for the second straight game Saturday. The Gusties never trailed in the contest, but an Aurora goal midway through the third period proved to be the equalizer and neither team was able to find the back of the net the rest of the way. Gustavus moves to 6-4-3, while the Spartans move to 2-7-4.
Colin Hernon (Sr., Bloomington, Minn.) put the Gusties up 1-0 with just 59 seconds remaining in the first period with the help of Colton Schmidt (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and the visitors held a one-goal advantage at the first intermission.
Aurora tied the game 4:29 into the second with a power play goal, but the Gusties regained the lead five minutes later on a power play goal of their own. Van Sullivan (Jr., Brentwood, Tenn.) scored his second goal of the series and team-leading fifth of the season, assisted by Will LeNeave (Fy., Medina, Minn.) and Jared Bromberg (So., Rochester, Minn.). Aurora had another answer at the 12:25 mark, but once again the Black and Gold reclaimed the lead with a goal off the stick of Mason Etter (Fy., Grafton, Wis.), his career-first helped by Sullivan, and the Gusties carried a 3-2 lead into the third period.
With 11:30 remaining in regulation, the Spartan capitalized on another power play to even the score at 3-3, which would remain a final after a scoreless five-minute overtime period.
The Gusties outshot the Spartans 35-34 and won the faceoff battle 37-27. Gustavus went 1-for-4 on the man-advantage, while Aurora went 2-for-8 on the power play. Robbie Goor (Fy., Anoka, Minn.) went the full game in goal for the Gusties, stopping a season-high 31 shots to move his record to 2-0-2.
Gustavus continues non-conference action 7 p.m. Friday at UW-Eau Claire.