WORCESTER, Mass. – Men's ice hockey defeated Sacred Heart, 5-2, Saturday night at the Hart Center Rink. With the win, Holy Cross moves to 12-11-4 (7-9-3 Atlantic Hockey), while Sacred Heart moves to 11-12-2 (11-7-1 Atlantic Hockey).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders got on the board first just over five minutes into the opening frame thanks to a strike by senior Jack Ricketts. After a wide shot by sophomore Mack Oliphant, Ricketts collected the puck by the boards on the goal line, unleashing a wrist shot that somehow found its way over the shoulder of the Pioneers netminder.
• Sacred Heart tied the game up on the power play eight minutes later, before taking the 2-1 lead four minutes into the second period.
• Junior John Gelatt, skating in the 100^th game of his collegiate career, tied the game at 2-2 at the 11:45 mark of the second period. Freshman Ty Gagno sent a shot towards the net that was blocked, allowing sophomore Matt DeBoer to pick up the loose puck. DeBoer pushed the puck towards the Pioneers netminder, which trickled through his pads. With the puck sitting just in front of the goal line, Gelatt easily tapped it into the goal.
• Senior Alec Cicero put the Crusaders on top 3-2 three minutes into the third period with a power play strike. Receiving a drop pass from DeBoer, Cicero unleashed a wrist shot from the same spot as Ricketts did in the first period, this time finding space on the far side of the net.
• Sacred Heart pulled their goaltender with 2:20 remaining in regulation.
• Senior Matt Guerra netted an empty net goal 38 seconds later to give the Crusaders the 4-2 lead. After winning the faceoff, the Pioneers pulled their netminder again, giving Cicero the opportunity to score a second empty netter to ice the game with 16.4 seconds remaining.

 
BEYOND THE BOX:

• Junior Thomas Gale recorded 24 saves in the win, while the Pioneers' Justin Robbins tallied 26 in the loss.
• The Crusaders held the edge in faceoffs, 39-24, with freshman Jack Stockfish leading both sides with 13 wins.
• Holy Cross is undefeated on Saturdays in January.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will travel to Erie, Pa. to face Mercyhurst on Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m.
• Holy Cross will return to the Hart Center to face Air Force on Friday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 3.

 
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