Green Knights Survive Scare From Spartans

From Sports Information Director, November 12, 2016 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College rallied from a third-period deficit to post a 4-3 win over Aurora University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights (5-1, 5-1 NCHA), ranked No. 3 in the USCHO.com Division III Poll, found themselves trailing 2-1 early in the third period after Aurora's Brendan Logan scored just 1:10 into the third period.

St. Norbert scored twice shortly thereafter, with Brad Pung scoring on a rebound at the 4:29 mark. Luke Karakas then scored his first collegiate goal 30 seconds later, finishing a chance off a Green Knights' rush for a 3-2 lead.

Aurora (2-4, 2-2) wouldn't go quietly, knotting the game 3-3 when Raurie Petrich scored at the 6:11 mark. The Green Knights would have one last answer, pulling ahead for good when Dominick Sacco scored at the 10:06 mark.

The Spartans would get just 23 seconds of extra-attacker time in the game's closing moments but couldn't get the equalizer.

Noah Nelson put St. Norbert ahead at the 7:28 mark of the first period, finishing a nice backhand move for a 1-0 lead. The Spartans would answer at 12:07 of the second period when Logan scored unassisted to tie the game 1-1.

Pijus Rulevicius and Steven Phillips both had two assists for the Green Knights' only multi-point games.

St. Norbert outshot Aurora 54-11. Tony Kujava made eight saves for the Green Knights, while Hunter Vorva turned in a 50-save effort for the Spartans.

St. Norbert was 0-for-7 on the power play, but committed just one penalty with the Spartans coming up empty on their lone power-play opportunity.