THE BASICS:

Score: Holy Cross 5, Sacred Heart 1

Records: Holy Cross (3-4-0, 2-1-0 AHC); Sacred Heart (3-3-1, 2-2-0 AHC)

Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hart Center)

Date: Friday, November 6, 2015

Time: 7:05 p.m.

The Lead: Sophomore Brett Mulcahy (Kelowna, British Columbia) led the Crusaders with two goals in the second period to propel the Holy Cross men's hockey team to a 5-1 win against Sacred Heart on Friday night in front of a packed crowd of 1,793 at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass. The Crusaders have now won three straight games.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers came out strong with the first goal of the game just 1:05 minutes into the game when Liam Clare sent a long pass to Coltyn Hansen. Hansen then took a wrist shot from the top of the circle that hit the net behind sophomore goalie Paul Berrafato's (Williamsville, N.Y.) left shoulder. Hansen almost followed up with another goal just three minutes later, but Berrafato was able to get his body behind the puck to stop it.
• At 8:07 of the first period, junior Mike Barrett (Orland Park, Ill.) intercepted a pass and crossed it to sophomore Scott Pooley (Granger, Ind.) who took a wrist shot high stick side, making the score 1-1.
• At the end of the first period, the Pioneers outshot the Crusaders 12-8.
• At 3:46 of the second period, senior captain Matt Vidal (Manorville, N.Y.) carried the puck up the ice, driving to the net. The puck then deflected off a defender's skate to the pads of Sacred Heart goalie Brett Magnus, as Mulcahy then knocked it in, making the score 2-1 Crusaders.
• The Crusaders scored another goal when senior Joe McNamara (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) passed to sophomore T.J. Moore (Edina, Minn.) who blasted the puck at the goal. Freshman Michael Laffin (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) controlled the puck and placed it into the net with a backhander, making the score 3-1 at 9:27 of the second period.
• At 15:36 of the second period, Mulcahy brought the puck up the ice off a pass from senior Karl Beckman (Okemos, Mich.) and sent it towards the goal where it deflected off a Pioneer skate into the net.
• At the end of the second period, the score was 4-1 Crusaders, as they had 25 total shots to the Pioneers' 22.
• At 5:17, Alec Butcher blasted a wrist shot at Berrafato's glove side but he snatched the puck out of the air, keeping the score 4-1.
• Senior Brett Lubanski (Farmington Hills, Mich.) expanded the Crusaders' lead when he received a pass from senior Jake Bolton (Ellington, Conn.) and sent a shot between the defender's legs and into the goal.
• The Crusaders finished off the game with a score of 5-1 and are now on a three-game winning streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Berrafato made 29 saves and allowed one goal, while Magnus also made 29 saves but allowed five goals.
• The Crusaders outshot Sacred Heart 34-30.
• Holy Cross was 0-for-5 on the power play, while the Pioneers were 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• This is Mulcahy's first multiple goal game in his collegiate career.
• Pooley's goal was his first of the year and the 11th of his career.
• Bolton posted one assist tonight and now has 42 career points which are seventh all-time by a Crusader defenseman in the DI era. His 32 career assists are eighth all-time by a Crusader defenseman in the Division I era.
• Bolton has posted at least one point in five straight games.
• With an assist tonight McNamara now has 40 career points, which is eighth by a Crusader defenseman in the Division I era. His 36 career assists are seventh all-time by a Crusader defenseman in the Division I era.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, November 7 when they face Sacred Heart in game two of their weekend series in Milford, Conn. at 7:05 p.m.

 BE PART OF THE ACTION THIS SEASON:

• To purchase tickets for the 2015-2016 Holy Cross men's hockey season, call 1-844-GOCROSS or visit GoHolyCross.com/Tickets.

STAY CONNECTED:

• There are numerous ways to stay connected with the Holy Cross men's hockey team. Follow the Crusaders on Twitter @HCrossMHockey, Facebook and Instagram.