Notables
-First game for new CSS Head Coach Tim Madsen
-Game played 90 minutes from Aurora's campus at the BMO Center
-CSS falls to 2-2 all-time at Aurora

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ROCKFORD, Ill. (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica men's hockey team held a two-goal lead with less than three minutes remaining, but Aurora University (Ill.) scored two goals in the final two minutes and 17 seconds and then won in overtime 4-3 Friday night in the season opener for the Saints.
 
First Period
CSS got off to a quick start. Two minutes and 19 seconds into the season, Brett Radford (Campbell River, British Columbia/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Canmore-AJHL)) and Nate Pionk (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS (Minot-NAHL)) assisted Cole Golka (Ardrossan, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Dryden Ice Dogs-SIJHL)) putting the Saints on the board 1-0.
 
St. Scholastica kept the momentum up the rest of the period, outshooting the Spartans 15-4.
 
Second Period
The Spartans got back in it in the second period. Six minutes in, a minor penalty was called on CSS for cross-checking. Aurora took advantage, scoring to tie up the game 1-1.
 
It remained 1-1 at the second intermission.
 
Third Period
Four goals would be scored in the third period. Three minutes in Carson Rose (Surrey, British Columbia/Elgin Park Secondary (Weyburn-SJHL)) assisted Parker Mismash (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minnesota Magicians-NAHL)) giving St. Scholastica the 2-1 lead. Rose found the net with less than seven minutes left in regulation with assists from Radford and Mismash to extend CSS' lead to 3-1.
 
The Saints seemed to be on their way to giving head coach Tim Madsen his first collegiate win, but the Spartans made things interesting with a goal with over two minutes remaining. Aurora then pulled its goaltender a minute later and would find the equalizer with 27 seconds remaining to send the game in to overtime.
 
Overtime
Aurora kept the wave of momentum going and Larry Jungwirth scored midway through the overtime to down the Saints 4-3.
 
Notable Performances
Rose recorded five shots on goal, while Golka had four. Sam Fuss (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minot-NAHL)) also collected four shots in his first collegiate game.
 
CSS goaltender Forbes Ploszaj (Scottsdale, Arizona/Gilbert HS (Aberdeen-NAHL)) saved 23 of 27 shots, while Aurora Josh Boyko stopped 27 of 30 shots.
 
Up Next
The Saints (0-1, 0-1 NCHA) venture to Lake Forest College (Ill.) on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.