THE BASICS:
Score: Holy Cross 4, Air Force 2
Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hart Center)
Records: Holy Cross (14-10-5, 12-6-5 AHC); Air Force (14-10-5, 12-6-5 AHC)
Date: Friday, Feb 12, 2016
Time: 7:05 p.m.
THE LEAD: Sophomore forward T.J. Moore (Edina, Minn.) tallied the game-winner and sophomore goalie Paul Berrafato (Williamsville, N.Y.) recorded 31 saves as the Holy Cross men's hockey team recorded a 4-2 victory over Air Force. The Crusaders are now tied for second place in Atlantic Hockey with five regular season games remaining with Air Force as each team has 29 points. The Crusaders are now three points behind first-place Robert Morris as they have 32 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Crusaders opened the scoring at 1:26 of the first period when freshman forward Michael Laffin (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) retrieved the puck after an Air Force turnover and sent a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Shane Starrett low on the blocker side to make it 1-0.
- At 9:04 of the first period, the Crusaders extended the lead to 2-0 when senior assistant captain Brett Lubanski (Farmington Hills, Mich.) won a face-off and sent a pass to freshman forward Peter Crinella (Longmeadow, Mass.) and he tapped the puck to sophomore forward Matt Scarth (Calgary, Alberta). Scarth then buried a wrister low on Starrett's glove side to make it 2-0.
- The Crusaders outshot the Falcons 9-5 in the first period, while the Crusaders went 0-1 on the only man-advantage of the period.
- At 10:33 of the second period, sophomore forward Danny Lopez (Barrington Hills, Ill.) sent a pass to Moore and he blasted a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that beat Starrett high on the glove side to make it 3-0 Crusaders. Senior assistant captain Jake Bolton (Ellington, Conn.) also recorded an assist on the goal.
- At 18:21 of the second period, Jordan Himley sent a pass from the left circle to the slot and Ben Carey one-timed it over Berrafato's glove side to make it 3-1.
- Air Force outshot Holy Cross 12-9 in the second period, going 0-2 on the power play, while the Crusaders went 0-1.
- At 11:15 of the third period, sophomore forward Brett Mulcahy (Kelowna, British Columbia) sent a pass from behind the net to freshman defenseman Spencer Trapp (White City, Saskatchewan) and he fired a wrister into the top left corner of the net to extend the Crusaders' lead to 4-1.
- With 5:34 remaining in the third period, Air Force went with an empty net, and at 15:24 Carey ripped a shot on goal and the rebound bounced out to Matt Serratore and his backhander found the back of the net to cut the lead to 4-2.
- The Falcons were unable to score again, as the Crusaders recorded the 4-2 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Air Force outshot Holy Cross 33-24 in the contest.
- Berrafato recorded 31 saves, while Starrett and Billy Christopoulos each tallied 10 saves for the Falcons.
- The Crusaders went 0-2 on the power play, while Air Force went 0-3.
- Air Force won 33 face-offs, while the Crusaders won 28.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Crusaders are now 9-3-1 at home this season.
- Moore's goal is his team-leading 13th of the season.
- Scarth's goal is his first of the season.
- The loss snap's Air Force's 10-game unbeaten steak.
- The Crusaders' 12-6-5 conference record is their best after 23 games since 2005-2006 when the team was 17-5-1.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders will conclude the series against Air Force at home on Saturday Feb. 13 at 7:05 p.m.
- Saturday will feature a U.S. Air Force / U.S. Air Force Reserve on-ice enlistment ceremony during the first intermission. There will be 20 Air Force enlistees and three Air Force Reserve enlistees sworn in on the ice. Also on Saturday, there will be an Air Force promotional vehicle on location.
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
