In the final game for both teams, Lynn rallied from two goals down to end its season on a high.
Both Wake Forest and the Fighting Knights started pool play 0-2-0, and the Demon Deacons started this game down 2-0 after Lynn came out guns a-blazing. The Deacs battled back into the game, flying past Lynn with four straight across the first and second periods.
Lynn’s Lucca Vicino had a record-breaking night in the comeback effort, setting the new mark for points in program history in his final college game. Vicino had a point on Lynn’s three unanswered goals to take the game 5-4.
Wake Forest finishes 0-3-0 after winning the Division 2 ACCHL Tournament a few weeks ago.
Final : Lynn 5 | Wake Forest 4
If you were to grade Florida Atlantic’s performance in Pool A, it would be hard to give them anything other than an A+.
The Owls stomped Farmingdale State 6-1 to finish undefeated in pool play and advance to the playoff round. Through three games, Florida Atlantic has given up two just two goals, the fewest in the tournament, and has scored 22, the most in the tournament. FAU’s +20 goal differential is six goals better than the next team.
Even with the humbling loss, Farmingdale State will move on to the quarterfinals with a 2-1-0 record. The Rams cut it close, though, as two more Florida Atlantic goals would have eliminated them from the tournament (due to tiebreakers with Georgia Tech).
The reward for earning a wild card spot for Farmingdale State? A matchup in the quarterfinals with… Florida Atlantic. The puck drops at 5:00 P.M. EST, with a place in the Nationals semifinals on the line.
Final: Florida Atlantic 6 | Farmingdale State College 1
– Danny Baum, AAU Hockey Head Editor
Florida Atlantic’s powerplay started the party, with Sam Watson firing a wrist shot over Liam Polles’s shoulder two minutes into the period. The Owls continued to push the envelope, with College Hockey South All-Star Christian Cuccia scoring off an excellent cross-ice feed from Joseph Congero. A costly tripping penalty against the Owls set up Matthew Duane for a late goal, giving the Buccaneers some much-needed momentum heading into the break down 2-1.
Penalties defined the second period, with four combined penalties for both sides. Despite numerous power play opportunities, the Owls didn’t need the man advantage to find the back of the net. Aaron Lentz built FAU’s lead, finding a rebound off the end boards after a Nicholas Caraballo shot. The late-period goal gave them a 3-1 lead heading into the final period.
Massachusetts Maritime applied the pressure in the third period, and despite strong play from Matthew McMillin, they knocked the lead down to one. The Buccaneers set up the cycle as passes from Nick Souretis and Jack Dickie gave Colin Campbell a snapshot goal from the left faceoff circle with 8:50 left to go. With under two minutes left, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy pulled their goalie. Matthew McMillin faced a barrage of shots in the final minute, but the Owls held on taking down the Buccaneers as they ended their tournament with a win.
Final: FAU Owls 3 | Mass. Maritime Academy 2
It was a winner-takes-all matchup for the two-seed Bishop’s University Gaiters and the ninth-seed SUNY-Brockport Clubbers. The winner advances to the quarterfinals as the victor of Pool B, with the loser potentially making it as a wildcard team.
SUNY-Brockport set the tone early, taking a multitude of shots. On what looked like a strong defensive play, Bishop’s University let a pick slide to Parker Cerkiewicz, who found the opening goal. The Clubbers were unsatisfied as Cole Newman forced a turnover and increased the lead to 2-0 with two goals in 39 seconds. With frustrations building for the Gaiters, Felix-Antoine Lesperance headed to the box. The penalty set up the third unanswered goal for the Clubbers as Dylan Clark fired a laser from the point, finding the back of the net.
In arguably the most chaotic period of the tournament, both the game and all of Pool B were turned on its head. Bishop’s entered the period trailing by three and responded by scoring nine goals, eight of which were on the power-play. The Gaiters struck five times in four minutes and ten seconds to take the lead while Brockport continued to meltdown. In all, the teams combined for 49 minutes in penalties in the middle frame.
With SUNY-Brockport facing its biggest deficit of the tournament after a dynamic period from the Gaiters, they took to the ice looking to claw back into the game down five. Trey Eberhart started the attempted comeback, firing a shot from the point and beating Antimmes Leudiere. Stephen Sigler continued the crawl back for the Clubbers, scoring his second power-play goal, cutting the deficit to three with 7:22 left in the game. It was too late as Bishops University, in the final minute, tallied one more goal as Alessandro Lapietra gave the Gaiters the 10-6 win.
With the win, the Gaiters will head to the quarterfinals as the winner of Pool B. Bishop’s University will advance as they square off with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, with both squads looking to chase the title of National Champions.
Final: Bishop’s University 10 | SUNY Brockport 6
– Gavin Coker, AAU Hockey Beat Writer
Georgia Tech keeps buzzing through Nationals! With their win against Miami, the Yellow Jackets finish pool play 2-1-0 despite being the lowest seed in Pool C.
However, this game wasn’t without its blemishes, as Georgia Tech nearly surrendered a three-goal lead. Robert Mallon tickled the twine halfway through the second to put the Jackets ahead 3-0, but the winless Hurricanes wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Miami’s dynamic duo of Elian Estulin and Thomas Ferry II struck in the closing stages of the second to shrink the gap to a single goal heading into the final period. Despite the ‘Cane’s best efforts, Brandon Germano and the Jackets shut the door to finish pool play with a winning record.
Final: Georgia Tech 3 | Miami 2
Jack Slayton had a hat trick, and the High Point Panthers clawed past Penn State Harrisburg to win Pool C.
The Nittany Lions needed to beat High Point by four goals to claim Pool C after losing yesterday to Georgia Tech, but Penn State fell behind quickly in this game. Slayton scored his first short-handed, and teammate Jack Hutchins added another three minutes later to make the climb steeper for Penn State.
Penn State still had an outside chance at making the playoff round as a wildcard but needed to take care of business in this game. The Panthers were relentless and provided an answer each time the Nittany Lions cut into its lead. In the third period, Joe Di Martino’s PPG was the dagger for High Point, effectively ending Penn State Harrisburg’s season.
Final: High Point 5 | Penn State Harrisburg 2
– Danny Baum, AAU Hockey Head Editor
The 2025 AAU Hockey Nationals have provided nothing short of excitement, with Day 3 offering intense matchups that thrilled fans and kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
The Ice Eagles and the Golden Bears delivered a thrilling showdown. After a hard-fought battle through regulation, the game was knotted at 2-2, sending the teams into overtime. The overtime period was tense, with both teams pushing hard for the decisive goal. It wasn’t until the extra frame that the Ice Eagles finally broke through, scoring the game-winner to seal a 3-2 victory.
Final/OT: Embry-Riddle 3 | Kutztown 2
On the other hand, the Raiders squared off against the Amcats in what turned out to be an entertaining, high-scoring affair. From the opening puck drop, it was clear that both teams were ready for battle.
The Raiders came out firing on all cylinders, showcasing their offensive depth as they have throughout the tournament. The Raiders found the back of the net multiple times, but the Amcats didn’t go down without a fight. The Amcats responded with some quick goals of their own, keeping the game close and exciting. However, the Raiders proved to be too much for the Amcats, eventually pulling ahead to secure a 6-4 win.
With the victory, the Blue Raiders win Pool D and advance to the quarterfinals. Due to its stellar defensive play in the first two games, Anna Maria College earned a wildcard spot and will play the University of Tampa in the quarterfinals.
Final: Middle Tennessee State 6 | Anna Maria College 4
– Jyesha Nance, AAU Hockey Beat Writer
The Niagara Purple Eagles defeated the Paul Smith’s Bobcats, 5-1, in both teams’ final pool play contest.
The Purple Eagles opened the scoring just shy of the halfway mark in the first, as Joshau Watrous found the back of the net without help. About five minutes later, Noah Whitcombe scored what would ultimately be the game-winner on Niagara’s behalf.
The Purple Eagles doubled their lead with two power-play goals in the middle frame: one from Justin Bull at 6:30 and another from Boston Pokigo at 8:25. Paul Smith’s Collin Trapiss got the Bobcats on the board — his third goal of the tournament — with 2:32 left in the third, but Niagara’s Owen Kiesman punctuated his team’s 5-1 win with another goal just 38 seconds later.
Unfortunately for both teams, neither will advance beyond the opening round.
Final: Niagara 5 | Paul Smith’s College 1
The Tampa Spartans narrowly defeated the South Florida Bulls by a score of 4-2 to close their pool-play slates. Despite the score, both teams will advance to the quarterfinal round.
Neither team scored an even-strength goal until the last five minutes of the contest: South Florida’s Mario Cavallaro opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the latter half of the first frame, and less than one minute later, Tampa’s Ryan Murphy evened the score with a shorthanded goal.
The second period remained scoreless, but the Spartans added another shorthanded goal, courtesy of Ryan Steiner, to take a 2-1 lead early in the third. Shortly after, Cavallaro collected his second power-play goal of the matchup to reinstate the deadlock.
1:35 after Cavallaro’s second, Tampa’s Reagan Lyon tallied the game-winner with help from Tyler Hoffberg and Nicholas Zehelein. And, with 4:00 on the clock, Trace Cowart sealed the deal for the Spartans, adding their fourth and final goal.
South Florida will look to rebound and advance against the High Point Panthers at 5:15 p.m., while Tampa is scheduled to take on the Anna Maria Amcats at 8 p.m.
Final: Tampa 4 | South Florida 2
– Kelly Kaelblein, AAU Hockey Beat Writer
