St. Bonaventure’s road to a national title took a heartbreaking detour in St. Louis tonight.

St. Thomas stormed back for a 4-3 win over the Bonnies to capture Pool A and advance to Monday’s semifinals of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 National Tournament.

Leading 3-1 midway through the second period, the Bonnies (25-5-1) gave up three answered goals, including a backbreaker off a 2-on-1 break with just 11 seconds left in the period.

Neither team could muster a score in the third period.

The Bonnies best chance came in the final minute after they had pulled goalie Tyler Kirk for an extra attacker, but a goal off a scrum in front of the net was disallowed because the net had first come off its moorings.

The Tommies won a tiebreaker over SBU and Utah State to move on. All three teams went 2-1 in pool play, but St. Thomas advanced because they gave up the fewest goals (six) in their three games. Florida Atlantic finished 0-3 in the pool.

Winners of each of the four pools in the 16-team tourney advance to the semifinals, with the winners playing Tuesday for the national title.

The Bonnies jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Michael Robertson and Michael Clouden. The Tommies cut it to 2-1 after a period, but Robertson scored again 8 minutes into the second on a wicked wrist shot.

Cole Bailey assisted on both Robertson goals. Carson Schlager and Ryan Levesque also had assists. Kirk was brilliant in net, turning back 44 shots. The Bonnies were outshot, 48-29.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).