WALTHAM, Mass. — The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team defeated Bentley University, 4-1, in Atlantic Hockey Association action Friday night at Bentley Arena.
 
Holy Cross improves to 9-15-3 (8-9-2 AHA), while the Falcons fall to 8-18-1 (5-13-1 AHA).
 
THE GOALTENDERS:

• Crusaders: junior Jason Grande – 11 saves, .917 save percentage, 26:20 minutes played; sophomore Thomas Gale – 10 saves, 1.000 save percentage, 33:40 Minutes played.
• Falcons: Nicholas Grabko – 25 saves, .862 save percentage.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Senior Grayson Constable got the Crusaders on the board at the 13:39 mark of the first period. Junior Tyler Ghirardosi battled for the puck at the defensive blue line and passed the puck out to Constable. Constable then took the puck the length of the ice, outskated his defender, and sent the puck in the back of the net.
• At the 2:48 mark of the first, in a play that almost mimicked the first goal, junior Jack Ricketts put Holy Cross up 2-0. After stripping a Bentley player of the puck at the defensive blue line, Ricketts gave himself a breakaway as he outskated the defense. Ricketts faked to the left before pulling the puck to the right and sending it in the goal past an outstretched Grabko.
• Bentley cut the lead to 2-1 just before the end of the period on a strike by Nick Bochen that found its way past Grande.
• The second was defined by penalties, with Bentley being called for five, and Holy Cross receiving four.
• Junior Lucas Thorne extended the Crusaders lead to 3-1 six minutes into the second period on his fourth goal of the season. Ricketts shot the puck on net, and after a scrum in front, Thorne was able to push the puck past Grabko.
• Ricketts scored his second goal of the game, a power play goal, with 9:58 remaining in the third period. Junior Alec Cicero won a battle on the boards and skated in towards Grabko before dropping a pass back to Ricketts whose wrist shot found its way through the defense and into the goal.

 
BEYOND THE BOX:

• The Crusaders penalty kill unit is a perfect 19-for-19 in the last six games, allowing only 16 shots in those 19 opportunities. The last time the Crusaders allowed a power play goal was Jan. 13, against Air Force.

 
UP NEXT:

• The two teams will meet again tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 4.
• Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. at Bentley Arena.

 
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