From Hope College Athletics
By Alan Babbitt
The Hope College men’s hockey team began a new era over the weekend with familiar success.
The Flying Dutchmen swept a two-game series from Aquinas College in American College Hockey Association Division 1 play, their first games at the organization’s highest level.
Hope previously played in ACHA Division 3, winning four national championships, including last season.
The Flying Dutchmen won, 8-1, on Friday on home ice at Griff’s IceHouse West, raising their latest national title banner before the game. Hope won, 5-0, on Saturday at Southside Ice Arena in Byron Center.
Freshman right wing Gerdas Paulauskas (Lisle, Illinois / Acellus Academy) scored twice and recorded one assist in each game.
Sophomore center Ryan Jaros (Portage, Michigan / Portage Central) chipped in a goal in each game.
Freshman center Connor Dvorak (Freeland, Michigan / Freeland) scored twice on Friday, including one during a five-goal third period.
Sophomore Sebastian Wigfield (Blue Hill, Maine / Saint Ignatius College Prep) recorded a 37-save shutout on Saturday and made 24 saves on Friday.
Hope’s next series is against Northwood University. The Flying Dutchmen will host the first game on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at Griff’s IceHouse West and play on the road on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 2:30 p.m. at Midland Ice Arena in Midland.
(Originally published at https://athletics.hope.edu/news/2025/9/29/acha-mens-ice-hockey-opens-new-acha-division-1-era-sweeps-aquinas.aspx)
