Aurora University Spartans visit the Adrian College Bulldogs in this weekend’s Harris Cup Semifinal Clash. (Photo by Steve Woltmann)

As the playoffs begin, the first matchup on the docket is a great one for fans. This weekend in Division III, two of the top three teams in the nation meet as #3 Aurora University travels to take on #2 Adrian College in the Harris Cup semifinals.

All-time, Adrian has dominated the series with a 24-7-0 record, but this season (like last) the Spartans flipped the script, sweeping the Bulldogs in four matchups earlier in the year, three at Aurora & one at Adrian. Aurora has also won six of the last eight meetings between the programs dating back to last season.

The last time Adrian earned a victory over Aurora came in last season’s NCHA playoffs. Aurora would go on to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, while Adrian was the “first one out” in the NPI rankings. Speaking of NPI, Adrian currently sits 5th while Aurora is 9th. With the two programs so close in the rankings, it appears that whoever falls this weekend could find themselves out, or very close to out, of the at-large conversation. Read all about this in our very own Scott Huston’s “2026 Pre-Playoff Bubble Watch: Men”.

Aurora travels east to face the NCHA’s top seed, Adrian, with puck drop set for 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Arrington Ice Arena.

The Bulldogs enter the postseason on a two-game win streak after sweeping #8 (conference ranking) Lake Forest last weekend by a combined score of 16-3. Both games were at home, improving Adrian’s home record to 13-1-0. That lone home loss came at the hands of Aurora. In conference play, the Bulldogs went 14-4 in the NCHA, with two of those losses as menrtioned, coming against the Spartans.

Adrian’s offense is one of the most dangerous in the nation. The Bulldogs rank eighth nationally in shots per game at 39 and fourth in goals per game at 5.1, while limiting opponents to 1.9 goals per contest. Ian Amsbaugh, a potential favorite for the Sid Watson Award, leads the nation in points with 48, three clear of the next closest skater. He also leads the country in assists with 36 and has been held off the scoresheet just four times, two of those against Aurora. The Bulldogs’ depth is also notable, with 15 players recording at least 10 points, six over 20, and four over 30.

On the back end, Adrian is anchored by defenseman David Clarke, who ranks second nationally among defenders in scoring with 32 points on 11 goals and 21 assists. In net, Ryan Piros has started 23 games and ranks 10th nationally with a 1.83 goals-against average to go along with a .923 save percentage and one shutout.

Flipping to what has been Adrian’s kryptonite this season, Aurora enters the weekend riding a four-game win streak. Most recently, the Spartans swept Milwaukee School of Engineering by a combined score of 14-2 after having lost 7-5 and tied 2-2 against MSOE two weeks prior. Aurora finished 13-4-1 in conference play and owns a 10-1-1 record away from home, including victories at Trine, Lake Forest, and Adrian.

Offensively, much like the Bulldogs, the Spartans are dominant, ranking fifth in the nation in goals per game at 4.8. They also hold the third-best power play in the nation, operating at a 28.9 percent clip. While they boast one of the top power plays in Division III, they also give up the most penalty kill opportunities in the nation.

Their offense is led by Hassan Akl, who ranks 12th nationally in points with 35, scoring 13 goals and adding 22 assists. Just behind Akl is Jakson Kirk, who has 30 points this season and ranks fourth nationally in power-play goals with seven.

Depth remains a major strength for Aurora. Twenty-one skaters have recorded at least 10 points this season, eight have surpassed 20, and three have eclipsed the 30-point mark.

In net, Matt O’Donnell has started all but three games for Aurora and is putting together one of the strongest seasons of his career. The Connecticut native carries a 2.09 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage, and is tied for the national lead with five shutouts.

This matchup provides an electric start to the Division III postseason, with two national contenders facing off and an NCAA tournament spot potentially hanging in the balance. Aurora has found answers for Adrian throughout the regular season, but postseason hockey carries a different level of urgency. One of these dominant home and road records will have to give, as Adrian has lost just once at home while Aurora has dropped only two games away from its own rink.

Special teams could ultimately tilt the semifinal, with Aurora’s elite power play facing an Adrian unit that converts at a 26.1 percent clip. Adrian may have the most dynamic individual scorer in the nation in Ian Amsbaugh, but Aurora’s strength lies in its depth, a factor that has fueled its 4-0 record against the Bulldogs this season.

Adrian hosts Aurora Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET at Arrington Ice Arena in the Harris Cup semifinals. It’s hard to beat a team three times, it’s even harder to beat a team four times… can Aurora do the unthinkable and beat Adrian FIVE times in one season?…