Men's Hockey rallies past Aurora for fifth straight win

MEQUON, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin ended 2014 playing its best hockey of the season, winners of four straight. While the Falcons had to shake off some rust in their first time out in over a month Wednesday night, they were able to extend their winning streak to five with a 5-3 win over Aurora University at the Ozaukee Ice Center.

Freshman Braden Crone (Metiskow, Alberta) scored the game-winning goal with 2:29 left in regulation, making the score 4-3 in favor of the Falcons after Aurora had tied the game at 3-3 early in the final stanza. Crone's game-winner was assisted by sophomore Andrew Sprouse (Cary, Ill.) and freshman Justin Coachman (Rochester, N.Y.). Sprouse picked up his first career point on the play, while Coachman finished the night with two assists.

Sophomore Tanner Bull (Brooklin, Ontario) would add an empty net with 53 seconds remaining to give the Falcons a two-goal victory. Bull's score was assisted by junior Devin Stuermer (Milwaukee, Wis.) who finished the night with two points, inching closer to the program's record. Stuermer is now two points shy of tying the all-time career mark.

Junior Domingo Torrenueva (Oshawa, Ontario) made 33 saves Wednesday, winning his fourth straight game. Torrenueva has won every game he has started this season and has been a big reason for the Falcons recent surge.

Earlier this season CUW routed Aurora 8-2 at the Ozaukee Ice Center and it appeared the Falcons were on their way to doing just that when senior Matt Gates (Palatine, Ill.) put them up 1-0 just 1:43 into play. Coachman and freshman Nick Szopinski (Beaver Dam, Wis.) assisted on the play, resulting in both player's first career points.

Gates goal would be the only scoring in the first period as Torrenueva and his counterpart, Griffin Strain, stopped everything for the rest of the opening 20 minutes. Strain made 16 saves in the stanza, while Torrenueva turned away all 10 shots he faced.

Sophomore Kyle Fink (Milwaukee, Wis.) put the Falcons up 2-0 on an unassisted 4:46 into the second period, but Aurora would cut the lead to 2-1 at the 8:19 mark on a score by Trevor Hoth. The Falcons responded quickly, scoring just 19 seconds later when Stuermer lit the lamp for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. Junior Chris Hughes (Dundee, Mich.) assisted on the Stuermer score.

Aurora would gain the game's next two goals, a Ben Winter score with 5:55 remaining cut the lead to 3-2, and a Andrew Bergquist power play goal 4:41 into the third, tying the score at 3-3. That would be all the scoring until Crone recorded the game-winner, the first of his young career.

Strain finished the game with 43 saves for Aurora as he was impressive in defeat. The Falcons outshot the Spartans 48-36 in the game. One area CUW struggled was with the man advantage, failing to convert on five power play chances. Aurora on the other hand, scored once on four tries on the power play.

CUW (6-7-0) will return to action Friday when they visit UW-Superior in a non-conference matchup. The Falcons and Yellowjackets are set for a 7 p.m. start and live coverage links will be available at CUWFalcons.com.