UTICA, N.Y. - Justin Biraben tallied a game-high three points on two goals and an assist and Hamilton weathered a furious third-period rally from Aurora to advance to the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey National Championship Game with a 6-3 victory at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

The Continentals will face three-time defending champion Hobart on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Statesman were a 4-2 winner over Wisconsin-Stout and are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the championship game.

Hamilton (22-5-2) seized control early when Luke Tchor converted on the power play just 24 seconds into the man advantage at 5:03 of the first period, finishing a setup from John Wojciechowski and Max Bulawka. Noah Leibl doubled the lead at 14:17, burying a feed from Michael Gallary and Alex Danis, and the Continentals carried a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission.

Aurora's Lukas Sedlacek pulled one back at 4:04 of the second period, but Hamilton answered emphatically. Biraben made it 3-1 at 13:05, and Zimmerman extended the lead to 4-1 at 15:41, giving the Continentals a three-goal cushion heading into the third.

The Spartans (25-6-1) made things interesting with a dramatic push midway through the final frame. Jakson Kirk cut the deficit to 4-2 at 6:54, and just 54 seconds later Landry Schmuck beat Aksel Reid to make it a one-goal game at 4-3. Reid and Hamilton's defense tightened over the final 12 minutes.

Aurora pulled goaltender Matt O'Donnell for the extra attacker late in the third, but a faceoff violation penalty gave Hamilton the power play instead. Biraben sealed the win with a power-play empty-net goal at 18:25, and Leibl added another empty-netter with 2.7 seconds remaining for his second of the game.

Reid finished with 35 saves for the win, including 16 in a frantic third period. O'Donnell stopped 25 shots in the loss. Wojciechowski and Bulawka each had two assists for Hamilton, which advances to the championship game for the first time in program history.