WORCESTER, Mass.— The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team will open its 2021-22 campaign at the Ice Breaker Tournament at the DCU Center on Oct. 8-9. The Crusaders will open against No. 18 Northeastern on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and will then take on No. 6 Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

TALKING POINTS:

• Holy Cross returns 15 of the 21 players that recorded a point during the 2020-21 campaign, including top scorer Alex Peterson. Peterson posted nine points off four goals and five assists last season.
• Ryan Leibold tied for second on the team with eight points last season and will return to the Holy Cross lineup. Leibold potted two goals and a team-high six assists.
• Captain Matt Slick returns to the Crusaders after being named to the All-Atlantic Hockey Eastern Pod second team last name.
• Holy Cross has experience returning in goal this year with junior Matt Radomsky and senior Erik Gordon. The returning duo, who combined for every minute in net for the Crusaders, will also be joined by freshman Thomas Gale.

SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN:

• The No. 18 Huskies are currently 1-0-0 on the season after defeating fellow Atlantic Hockey member, Bentley, 4-0.
• Sophomore goaltender Devon Levi made his first career start and earned his first career shutout in the victory.
• Senior Aidan McDonough leads the Huskies with two goals, while junior Jayden Struble has a team-high three points off one goal and two assists.
• The two teams last met in the 2019 season, tying 2-2. Erik Gordon made 23 saves in the game.
• Northeastern leads the all-time series between the two teams, 6-2-1.

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES:

• No. 6 Boston College will open its season against No. 9 Quinnipiac on day one of the Ice Breaker tournament before facing the Crusaders on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
• The Eagles defeated Atlantic Hockey's American International College, 4-1, in an exhibition to start their season.
• Boston College has 10 newcomers on its roster this season and is coming off a 17-6-1 season in 2020-21.
• The Crusaders are 1-9-0 all time against the Eagles. Holy Cross last faced BC on Oct. 22, 2016, falling 6-1. The last Crusader win in the series was on Nov. 29, 2013, when Holy Cross defeated BC, 5-4.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN:

• For the second year in a row, Matt Slick was selected by his peers to serve as captain for the Crusaders. Ryan Leibold and Anthony Vincent will be the team's assistant captains.
• Slick is just the seventh Crusader to serve as a two-time captain.
• Vincent has worn a letter for three years for the Crusaders, having served as an assistant captain during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns.

RIGA'S REIGN:

• Holy Cross is led by first-year head coach Bill Riga. The Westboro, Mass. native, arrives on The Hill after spending 13 years at Quinnipiac University.
• Riga is assisted by Castan Sommer '16 and Eric Sorenson as well as volunteer assistant coach Bobby Butler and director of operations Blake Hailer.
• Sommer returns to The Hill after playing for the Crusaders from 2012-16. Hailer also returns after serving as the team's manager for four years during his time as student at Holy Cross from 2016-20.

FRESH ICE:

• Holy Cross welcomes six freshmen to the team this year, including Daniel Colabufo, Liam Connors, Thomas Gale, John Gelatt, John Hillman and Matt Shatsky.
• Additionally transfers, Tyler Ghirardosi from Quinnipiac and Matt Guerra from Robert Morris have also joined the Crusaders.