THE BASICS:

Score: Holy Cross 6, Niagara 3
Records: Holy Cross (9-12-5, 8-7-5 AHC); Niagara (3-20-2, 3-14-2 AHC)
Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hart Center)
Date: Friday, January 30, 2015
Time: 7:05 p.m.

The Lead: Junior Brett Lubanski (Farmington Hills, Mich.) recorded two goals, while junior Castan Sommer (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal, as the Holy Cross men's hockey team defeated Niagara, 6-3, on Friday night at the Hart Center in Atlantic Hockey action. Sommer's game-winning goal was his first of the season and the third of his career. Freshman goalie Paul Berrafato (Williamsville, N.Y.) recorded his first collegiate victory in net. 

Postgame Press Conference & Highlights:

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Both teams remained scoreless after one period. Holy Cross and Niagara had one power play chance each, but both failed to convert on the opportunity. The Purple Eagles outshot the Crusaders 11-9 in the first period.
• 1:48 into the second period, freshman Scott Pooley (Granger, Ind.) deflected a pass to the point where senior Nilan Nagy (Canonsburg, Pa.) fired a slap shot on goal that was initially saved by Jackson Teichroeb. However, Lubanski shot the rebound into a wide open net on the blocker side giving the Crusaders the 1-0 lead.
• At 5:54 of the second period, junior captain Matt Vidal (Manorville, N.Y.) strongly carried the puck into the offensive zone. His ensuing shot was blocked by a Niagara defender onto the stick of freshman Ryan Ferrill (Havertown, Pa.) who took a shot that was deflected and initially stopped by Teichroeb. Sophomore Brett McKinnon (Kelowna, British Columbia) put home the rebound on the blocker side increasing the Crusader lead to 2-0.
• During one of Holy Cross' power plays in the second, Niagara forward Sam Alfieri had a mini breakaway chance, but Berrafato turned the chance aside.
• Holy Cross outshot Niagara 15-6 in the second. Holy Cross went 0-2 on the power play and Niagara went 0-1.
• At 3:35 of the third period, Niagara took advantage of an early power play opportunity when an offensive zone faceoff win gave the puck to Patrick Conte who passed it to the point where it was handled by Matt Chiarantano. He quickly shuffled it over to Lawrence Smith who fired a one timer right under the cross bar on Berrafato's blocker side.
• Holy Cross came right back 38 seconds later, scoring after a battle for the puck occurred around center ice. Freshman T.J. Moore (Edina, Minn.) fought it over to Pooley who carried the puck into the zone in a two-on-one. Pooley passed it over to sophomore Mike Barrett (Orland Park, Ill.) who shot it past Teichroeb from the slot to give Holy Cross a 3-1 edge.
• At 6:37 of the third period, on a five-on-three power play advantage, Sommer scored on a one timer on the blocker side off a feed from Vidal who had circled past the face off dot, increasing Holy Cross' lead to 4-1. Sophomore Logan Smith (Littleton, Colo.) added an assist.
• At 8:56 of the third period, Lubanski recorded his second goal of the game on a power play. Sommer passed it down low to Vidal who passed it right in front to the waiting Lubanski whose one time, low-angle wrist shot got by the diving Teichroeb. The goal upped Holy Cross' lead to 5-1.
• At 11:09 of the third period, Niagara scored a shorthanded goal off the stick of Kevin Patterson while Holy Cross was on a five minute major power play advantage making the score 5-2 in favor of Holy Cross. The play was originally ruled not a goal, but determined a goal upon further review.
• At 17:54 of the third period, with Teichroeb pulled, Niagara took advantage of a power play opportunity when Patterson passed it to fellow defenseman Keegan Harper. His shot from the point was tipped in by forward Derian Plouffe under the glove of Berrafato making the score 5-3 in favor of Holy Cross.  
• At 18:14 of the third period, Barrett shot the puck off the boards and down the ice onto the stick of Pooley who knocked it into the empty net, giving Holy Cross the final 6-3 lead.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Holy Cross outshot Niagara 20-10 in the third period and 44-27 in the game.
• Teichroeb made 38 saves for the Purple Eagles while Berrafato made 24 saves in his first collegiate victory.
• Holy Cross went 2-8 on the power play while Niagara went 2-4.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Berrafato, who was named the game's second star, recorded his first collegiate victory between the pipes, improving his record to 1-5 on the season.
• The win represents Holy Cross' fifth straight victory against Niagara.  
• Barrett's two-point performance now puts him first on the team in points with 17. He has five goals and 12 assists on the season.
• Lubanski's two goals earned him the first star of the game and pushed his season total to five.  The performance marked his first two-goal game in his career as a Crusader.
• Sommer's two-point performance, which earned him the third star of the game, upped his season total to six goals and five assists for 11 points.
• Pooley had a three-point night and his goal and two assists now give him seven goals and six assists for 13 points on the year. It was the first three point game of his career.
• Vidal's three assists tied him for 10th all-time for assists in a single game in the school's Division I history.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders conclude their weekend series against the Purple Eagles with a game tomorrow night at the Hart Center with the faceoff scheduled at 7:05 p.m.

BE PART OF THE ACTION THIS SEASON:

• To purchase tickets for the 2014-2015 Holy Cross men's hockey season go to GoHolyCross.com/Tickets or call (508) 793-2573. 

KEEP CONNECTED:

• There are numerous ways to stay connected with the Holy Cross men's hockey team. Follow the Crusaders on Twitter @HCrossMHockey and on Facebook. You can also get the latest news and results on the team sent directly to your e-mail. To sign up for e-mail alerts go here: http://www.goholycross.com/list-signup.