The Auckland goalkeeper made three saves during a tense shootout to deny the home side in a key tier 1 National Hockey Championship match in Dunedin last night.
The sides had battled to a 1-1 draw.
Either side could have claimed the victory in regulation time.
Auckland had countless penalty corner opportunities and Otago had a handful of chances during a dominant stint during the third quarter.
But the game was decided in the most brutal of fashions — the dreaded shootout. And that man van Aardt was quick on his feet and even quicker of wit.
Otago defender Jordan Ward nonchalantly knocked the first past van Aardt.
But the goalie got out quickly and snuffed out Finn Ward’s shot. Johnny Thorn got his shot in but after the buzzer, and Malachi Buschl had his shot saved as well.
It was Otago’s first loss in four games. It was not mission critical.
A win today against Wellington will seal a spot in tomorrow’s final.
Wellington is in rather good form, though.
It brushed aside Canterbury 4-1 and looks the team to beat.
Otago striker James Nicolson opened the scoring early in the second quarter. He controlled the ball nicely and slammed it in from the top of the circle.
Auckland had ample opportunities to nab an earlier equaliser, but Hamish van Dyk had a good night in goal as well and made some tough saves.
But in the 49th minute Mitchell Murray slotted the ball into the net from a penalty corner. That is how the score stayed until said shootout.
Otago B suffered its second loss of the tournament. Canterbury B cruised to a 3-0 win.
But Otago B had done enough previously and will play North Harbour B in the tier 2 semifinal
Canterbury B will play Northland in the other semi.
The Otago women are yet to post a win in the tier 1 competition. The team lost 4-1 to Waikato yesterday and has slipped to last place in pool D.
It is in the relegation zone and will be desperate to register a win against Wellington today.
In tier 2 women, Central Otago lost 1-0 to NZDF but Southland edged North Harbour (1-1) 3-2 in a shootout.
Otago Country went down 2-1 to Tasman in the tier 2 men’s competition.
