ACHA Hockey upsets Aurora in overtime, advances to NCHL Championship

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The No. 3 seeded Concordia Wisconsin Falcons rallied to upset the No. 2 Aurora Spartans in a thrilling 5-4 victory to advance to the NCHL Championship for the first time in program history.

THE BASICS
- Final Score: No. 3 Concordia Wisconsin 5 No. 2 Aurora 4
- Records: No. 3 Concordia Wisconsin 25-4-1, No. 2 Aurora 16-8-1

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Falcons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period. Ethan Natzke (Ballwin, Mo.) scored the first goal in the sixth minute of the period, and Jonathan Grodzki (Tampa Bay, Fla.) followed in the 18^th minute with another to double the CUW lead.
- Marian proceeded to go on a 4-0 run to put Concordia Wisconsin's championship hopes on thin ice.
- With their backs to the wall in the third period, the Falcons offense found a spark. Wyatt Wilderman (Waukesha, Wis.) cut the Sabre lead in half with a goal in the sixth minute of the period. The junior followed three minutes later to tie up the game at 4-4 to keep the Falcons alive.
- The third period ended in a stalemate, so the semifinal game went to overtime. Two minutes and 42 seconds into sudden death, Wilderman found the net for the third consecutive time to give the CUW the win and send the Falcons to the NCHL Championship game for the first time in program history.
- Mack Willy (Tacoma, Wash.) had 43 saves in goal to keep the Falcons championship hopes alive.

UP NEXT
- The No. 3 Falcons will face the No. 1 Marian Sabres for the NCHL Hap Cup Championship at the Blue Line Family Ice Center in Fond Du Lac on Sunday, February 16, at 1:30pm.