ADRIAN, Mich. -- After claiming three points with a regulation win on Friday night, the Adrian College NCAA men's hockey team moved into first place in the NCHA standings. The Bulldogs and the Spartans battled in the first period tied at 2-2 before the Bulldogs began to pull ahead. After an eventful night at the Arrington Ice Arena, the Bulldogs went on to total eight goals to defeat the Spartans 8-4.

In the first period, the Spartans went on to score the opening goal to lead 1-0. Shortly after, Riley Murphy put the Bulldogs on the board to tie the game 1-1. Aurora responded to regain the lead, but Alessio Luciani scored with less than a minute to go in the period to tie the game up at 2-2.

Matus Spodniak put Adrian ahead in the second period on a power play goal. A minute later, the Spartans scored on a power play to tie the game 3-3 before Murphy answered to take a 4-3 lead on his second goal of the game. Later in the period, Ty Enns found the back of the net to extend the lead. As the team's second leading goal scorer, Friday marked the first goal for Enns in six games.

In the third period, Spodniak added his second goal of the game to lead 6-3 on a power play which was later followed by Luciani's second goal of the game to lead 7-3. With less than three minutes to play, Aurora scored to make it 7-4. With time winding down, the Bulldogs went on the power play again after a five minute major against Aurora. Enns took advantage of the opportunity and netted the eighth goal of the game to lead 8-4.

Spodniak, Luciani, Murphy, and Enns all finished with two goals on the night. Spodniak added three assists in the game while Mathew Rehding totals five assists. Rehding's five assists tie for second all-time in program history for most assists in a single game which was also tied by Spodniak last weekend.

Dershahn Stewart started in goal for the Bulldogs were he faced 26 shots and made 22 saves. 

With the regulation win over Aurora on Friday night, the Bulldogs claimed three points in the NCHA standings while Aurora recorded zero. Adrian now sits in first place with 34 points ahead of Aurora who has 33. With a win tomorrow against Aurora, all Adrian will need to do the following weekend is split with St. Norbert to win the NCHA Peters Cup.

The Bulldogs will look to finish the sweep tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM at the Arrington Ice Arena. Prior to puck drop on Saturday, the men's hockey program will honor its senior class with a Senior Day ceremony.