Holy Cross Athletics

LEWISTON, N.Y. - The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team defeated Niagara, 5-3, Friday night at Dwyer Arena.

Holy Cross improves to 5-8-0 (3-4-0 AHA) on the season, while Niagara moves to 5-5-1 (1-2-0).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Freshman Bode Sampair got the Crusaders on the board first, drawing and converting on a penalty shot attempt 4:50 into the opening period for his first collegiate score.
• Niagara tied the game at 1-1 with a power play goal with 4:05 to play in the first period. Putting the pressure on in the second period, Niagara took the 3-1 lead into the second intermission thanks to a power play goal and even strength goal over a 1:12 span in the closing minutes of the middle frame.
• The third period was all Holy Cross as the Crusaders scored four unanswered.
• Junior Noah Eyre got things started, netting a rebound off a shot by senior Brody Gagno with 14:20 to play. Senior Connor Welsh followed up with a goal of his own 1:43 later, tipping in a shot by Gagno.
• Senior Will Elias scored the eventual game-winning goal with 6:56 to play in regulation, cleaning up a rebound off a shot by Welsh.
• With 16.9 seconds remaining in the game, sophomore Anthony Biakabutuka picked up a loose puck in the defensive zone and sent it the length of the ice into the empty net for the Crusaders' fifth goal of the game and his first goal of his collegiate career.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Sophomore Danick Leroux recorded 29 saves in the contest, 18 of which came in the second period.
• Prior to Sampair's penalty shot goal, the last time the Crusaders were awarded one was in 2023, and the last time Holy Cross scored on one was in 2019.
• Holy Cross blocked 19 shots to Niagara's six, marking the eighth game this season that the Crusaders' blocked 15 or more shots in a game.

UP NEXT:

• The two teams will meet again tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. to round out the weekend set. The matchup will stream live on FloHockey.
• Holy Cross' next home set comes on Friday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. against Atlantic Hockey foe Air Force. Tickets to the matchup are available at goholycross.com/mihtix.

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