WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team is set to host Canisius for a two-game set at the Hart Center Rink on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. Both games will stream live on FloHockey, while Sunday's will also be broadcast on NESN.
 
Saturday's matchup is the Crusaders' Pink the Rink game, benefiting Pink Revolution, as well as their Cousy Cup match and Alumni Day. On Sunday, the Crusaders will celebrate Team Impact, and hold a postgame autograph session with select players.

THE CRUSADERS (13-11-2, 12-4-2 AHA):

• Holy Cross returns home to face Canisius in a two-game Atlantic Hockey set at the Hart Center Rink.
• The Crusaders earned six points last weekend, sweeping Air Force behind a 3-2 win on Friday and a commanding 6-3 win on Saturday.
• Following the series, senior Liam McLinskey was named Atlantic Hockey Forward of the Week for the first time in his career.
• Entering the series at 94 career points, McLinskey finished the weekend at Air Force with two goals and three assists, setting him at 99 points at the conclusion of the series.
• On Friday, McLinskey scored on the power play 7:52 into the second to take the 1-0 lead, before scoring with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame to put the Crusaders up 2-0. On Saturday, McLinskey scored with 14 minutes remaining in the third to put the Crusaders up 5-3, and picked up assists on Phillips' PPG to take the 2-1 lead in the first, and on Kursonis' PPG in the second to take the 4-3 lead, the eventual game winner.
• Seniors Liam McLinskey and Thomas Gale were announced as nominees for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award.
• McLinskey has recorded an AHA-leading 15 goals this season, while adding 12 assists for 27 points in 26 games this season. His 27 points and 1.04 points per game rank fifth and fourth, respectively, among Atlantic Hockey skaters. The Pearl River, N.Y. native is one of two Hobey Baker top-10 finalists from last season to return to college hockey this year.
• Gale carries a 2.27 goals-against average and .924 save percentage on the season with an 13-10-2 record in 25 games. Gale has held opponents to two or fewer goals on 15 occasions and picked up a shutout in an overtime matchup against AIC on Dec. 6.
• Gale's save percentage is tied for eighth nationally among goaltenders who have played 20+ games this season, while his goals-against average ranks tenth. Overall in Atlantic Hockey, his save percentage and goals-against rank third in each category.
• Holy Cross' kill percentage of 89.8% is the best mark in Atlantic Hockey and ranks second in the nation behind only Western Michigan.

 
SCOUTING CANISIUS (9-6-2, 9-14-2 AHA):

• Canisius enters the contest with an 9-6-2 record in Atlantic Hockey contests, placing them in sixth in the standings, seven points behind Holy Cross.
• The Golden Griffins had a three-game week, taking six of nine points in the contests. Canisius traveled to AIC for a two-game set on Friday and Saturday, winning game one 4-2, before falling in the second game, 2-3. They then traveled to Robert Morris on Tuesday for a single game showdown, which Canisius won, 4-2.
• Sophomore Matteo Giampa, the reigning Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year, leads the team in points (25) and assists (18), and is tied for the team-lead in goals with junior Oliver Tarr with seven.
   

ALL TIME SERIES:

• The two teams have met 71 times, with Holy Cross leading the all-time series, 39-29-13.
• Despite the overall record, the Golden Griffins are 5-3-2 in their last ten against the Crusaders.
• The two teams met four times last season, twice in the regular season and twice in the playoffs.
• In the regular season set in Buffalo on Nov. 3 and 4, Canisius won the first night, 5-3, before the Crusaders won in a shootout on the 4th after a 3-3 tie.
• When they met again in the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinal at the Hart Center, the Crusaders won the first game on March 8, 4-3, before sweeping the series in dramatic fashion on March 9 with a 2-1 double overtime win.

 
Be the Power of Purple and celebrate Holy Cross' 10th Giving Day on February 7 & 8 — because when you make a gift, you make an impact!
 
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross men's ice hockey team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
X - @HCrossMHockey | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossmhockey | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Men's Ice Hockey | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross