WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team defeated Army West Point, 5-3, on Sunday evening at the Hart Center Rink for their first Atlantic Hockey win of the season.
 
With the win, Holy Cross improves to 2-3-0 overall, with a 1-1-0 Atlantic Hockey record, while Army moves to 1-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 in Atlantic Hockey play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The two teams were scoreless through the first frame, with the Crusaders out shooting the Black Knights, 14-7.
• Junior Matt DeBoer opened the scoring for either side 7:47 into the second period. Junior Michael Abgrall picked up the loose puck in the defensive zone, sending a pass up the boards to junior Jack Seymour. Seymour passed back to DeBoer who was streaking into the zone for the one-time shot, which he sent to the roof of the goal for the score.
• A minute after Army tied the game at 1-1, and just three minutes since their first score, DeBoer battled to beat an icing call, carried the puck along the end boards, and found Seymour wide open for a one-time shot past the Black Knights netminder to regain the lead.
• With 1:10 remaining in the second period, the Abgrall, DeBoer, Seymour line struck again to increase the Holy Cross lead to 3-1. Abgrall carried the puck up the middle of the ice, finding DeBoer on the wing for a pass. DeBoer carried the puck into the offensive zone and took the shot, which the Army netminder deflected right onto the stick of Seymour for the easy one-time goal.
• Junior Timothy Heinke got his name on the score sheet at the 12:31 mark, scoring his first collegiate goal. Winning a battle along the boards, Heinke poked the puck to sophomore Ty Gagno. Gagno drew the defender before sending the puck back to Heinke who dragged the puck around a defender and beat the Black Knights' goalkeeper stick side.
• Army scored their second goal of the game just under two minutes later to cut the Crusader lead to two.
• With 5:24 remaining, junior Liam McLinskey and sophomore Jack Stockfish found themselves in a two-on-one situation. Forcing both the defender and the netminder to commit to him, McLinskey sent a pass across to Stockfish for the open one-timer into the open net.
• Army cut the lead to 5-3 with 5.5 seconds remaining in regulation.

 
BEYOND THE BOX:

• Holy Cross once again killed off all three power play opportunities that Army drew, going a perfect six-for-six over the weekend. The Crusaders are now 21-for-22 (.955) on the kill, which ranks 11th in the nation.
• Senior Thomas Gale finished the night with 30 saves, while Army's Evan Szary recorded 37.

 
UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross will travel to Fairfield, Conn. for a two-game set against Sacred Heart on Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26.

 
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