After a 10 day break, the Holy Cross men's ice hockey team returns to action Tuesday for an Atlantic Hockey Association bout with defending conference champion American International Tuesday at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. and will stream through FloHockey.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY CROSS (2-7-1, 2-4-1 AHA):

• Holy Cross took five out of a possible six points their last time out defeating league foe Canisius 3-1 Friday, November 4 and picking up a point in a shootout during a 2-2 deadlock on Saturday, November 5.
• Junior forward Jack Ricketts has tallied a goal in three straight games for the Crusaders as the team is 1-1-1 during those matches.
• Ricketts is currently tied for seventh in the conference in goals with five. He is also sixth in shots per game (3.50).
• Goaltender, sophomore Thomas Gale ranks fifth in the league in goals against average (2.72) and is tied for sixth in save percentage (.904).

 
SCOUTING AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL (5-6-2, 3-5-0 AHA):

• AIC started the year 5-2-2, 3-1-0 AHA but has lost four straight conference games to gall to 5-6-2, 3-5-0 AHA. They suffered two defeats by one goal apiece to league leader RIT on November 5 and 6 before losing to Canisius 5-2 and 3-1 last Friday and Saturday.
• The Yellow Jackets have been outscored 15-9 over the course of their last four losses.
• As a team, AIC is tied for the conference lead in goals scored (45), but are middle of the pack in goals allowed (37).
• Blake Bennett leads the AHA in goals (9) while Jordan Biro ranks third (6).
• Netminder Alexandros Aslanidis paces the conference in goals against average (2.23), is third in save percentage (.913) and has the only shutout in the league this year.

 
LAST TIME THEY MET:

• Holy Cross is 57-37-11 all-time in the series against AIC which began back in 1971.
• In their last meeting on October 18, 2022, the Crusaders picked up their first win of the season, a 7-3 victory at American International. Sophomore forward Liam McLinskey recorded his first career goal part of a hat trick performance for Holy Cross.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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Twitter - @HCrossMHockey | @goholycross
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