WORCESTER, Mass.- The Holy Cross women's ice hockey team will face off with two non-conference opponents on Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1. The Crusaders will first host Assumption for Family Day at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Hart Center Rink. There will be a post-game autograph session with the team following the competition. Holy Cross will then travel to Brown for a 3 p.m. puck drop at Meehan Auditorium. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY CROSS (5-7-1, 2-6-1 Hockey East): 

• The Crusaders most recently took on New Hampshire in a home-away two-game set on Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16. Holy Cross dropped both games falling 3-2 in overtime on Friday and 2-0 on Saturday.
• In the first period of game one, New Hampshire got on the board late in the period with a goal at 16:56.
• Midway through the second period, senior forward Mackenzie King tied the game 1-1 putting in a great pass from sophomore forwards Manny Gendron and Emily Crovo at 13:46. The Wildcats reclaimed the 2-1 lead by converting on the power-play at 18:33.
• In the third period, junior assistant captain Alexia Moreau netted the equalizer at 14:42 scoring on the power-play. She was assisted by defenders Hannah Deck and Carmen Elliott. Moreau's goal forced the game into overtime.
• The Wildcats scored 1:15 seconds into overtime to take the 3-2 victory over the Crusaders.
• In game two, neither team scored in the first period with New Hampshire taking the lead at 2:51 in the second period. Late in the third period, the Crusaders pulled their goalie in hopes of tying the game but the Wildcats stole possession of the puck and scored an empty netter at 17:58 to ultimately take the 2-0 victory.
• The assistant captain, Crovo, is currently Holy Cross's leading scorer with six goals on the year, three of which were on the power-play, and has the most points of the squad (8). Forwards Madison Michals and Reghan Chadwick are tied with the most assists on the team with four so far. Senior captain Emma Min leads the Crusader's defense with 36 blocks so far this season.
• Junior goalie Abby Hornung started in between the pipes for the Crusaders in both games against the Wildcats. She made 33 saves in game one and 19 saves in game two. Hornung now has 1.80 goals against with a .941 save percentage.

GAUGING THE GREYHOUNDS (5-9-2, 5-6-1 NEWHA):

• The Greyhounds recently swept the Nov. 22/23 weekend over conference opponent Saint Michael's. Assumption took game one in overtime 5-4 and 3-1 in game two.
• In game one, sophomore forward Jenna Chaplain scored late in the opening period to get the Greyhounds on the board first. She was assisted by sophomore forward Caroline Lilley. Saint Michael's quickly responded two minutes later to end the first period with a 1-1 score. 
• Just 90 seconds into the second period senior forward Kiersten Browning put Assumption back on top with help from graduate forward Mikaela Langbacka. It wasn't until the last minute of the period that the Knights answered with the equalizer making it a two-all game.
• Sophomore forward Alexa Hanrahan netted a solo goal at 8:25 in the final frame but Saint Michael's returned fire at 10:53. Lilley, assisted by Chaplain and sophomore defender Teagan Vaughan, put the Greyhounds up at 16:41 but once again the Knights tied the game, 4-4, with 15 seconds left in regulation to force the game into overtime.
• At 1:58, Vaughan netted the game-winner to take the 5-4 overtime victory over Saint Michael's. She was assisted by forwards, sophomore Ava McGaffigan and freshman Heather Ajakie. 
• In game two, the Knights scored a minute into the first period for the early lead. Assumption's sophomore forward Rachel Agerter, assisted by Chaplain, tied it up 1-1 at 6:49. McGaffigan extended the Greyhound's lead at 17:52 in the second period and Browning secured the 3-1 victory at 15:57 in the third period. Ajakie was credited with the assist on both plays, Hanrahan helped McGaffigan score and sophomore defender Katelyn Prive earned a point on Browning's goal.
• Browning is currently Assumption's leading scorer with five goals so far this year. Vaughan leads the team with the most assists (6), points (8) and blocks (30) on the season. 
• Sophomore goalie Jadyn Weiser and Carissa Murdrak have split time in the net for Assumption with each of them starting eight games a piece. Weiser has appeared in 10 games while Murdrak has seen nine games so far this year. Murdrak in net for game one making 28 saves for a now, 3.11 goals against average and .905 save percentage. Weiser was between the pipes for game two, making 29 saves for a current 2.07 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

BACKGROUND ON THE BEARS (6-5-1, 4-5-1 ECAC Hockey):

• The Bears recently faced two nationally ranked opponents on Nov. 22/23. Brown dropped non-conference game one 4-1 to No. 6 Clarkson and tied 1-1 in game two to No. 9 St. Lawrence. The Saints won the shootout 3-2 to earn the extra point in ECAC Hockey standings.
• In game one, neither team scored in the opening frame with No. 6 Clarkson netting two goals in the first six minutes of the second period. Sophomore forward Ava DeCoste converted on the power-play with 45 seconds left in the second period to cut the Golden Knights lead in half.
• No. 6 Clarkson scored two more goals in the final period to secure the 4-1 victory over the Bears.
• In game two, neither team scored in the first period but midway through the second and No. 9 St. Lawrence scored for the lead. At 13:12, junior forward Jade Iginla netted the equalizer with help from DeCoste and junior forward India McDadi. No one scored in the third period or overtime to end the game with a final score of 1-1. No. 9 St. Lawrence won the shootout 3-2 for the extra point in league standings.
• DeCoste is currently Brown's leading scorer with six goals so far this season. McDadi has the most assists on the team with eight this year. Senior defender Cameron Sikich leads the Bears with 11 points on four goals and seven assists and has the most blocks of her teammates with 20 on the season. 
• Sophomore goalie Rory Edwards was in goal for game one against No. 6 Clarkson making 43 saves in the outing. Edwards has started in eight games for the Bears with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Freshman goalie Anya Zupkofska was between the pipes for game two against No. 9 St. Lawrence making 26 saves. Zupkofska has started in four games for Brown and owns a 1.75 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.

LAST TIME THEY MET:

• Holy Cross and Assumption met last year with the Crusaders sweeping the non-conference series 5-1 in game one and 5-0 in game two on Nov. 21 and 28.
• The Crusaders and the Bears last encounter was last season with the two splitting the series. The Crusaders dropped game one 4-3 in overtime but rallied to win game two 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 13 and 14. 
• Holy Cross holds a 2-0-0 all-time series record against the Greyhounds.
• The Crusaders own a 2-4-0 all-time series and a 1-3-0 conference record against Brown.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross women's ice hockey team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
X - @HCrossWHockey | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrosswhockey | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Women's Ice Hockey | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross