The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team is set to play a pair of non-conference games against Hockey East teams no. 15 Merrimack and Northeastern over the weekend. The Crusaders will travel to North Andover, Mass. on Friday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. to face Merrimack at Lawler Arena before returning to Worcester, Mass. on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. to face Northeastern at the Hart Center Rink.
Friday's game will stream live on ESPN+, while Saturday's matchup will stream on FloHockey and be simulcast on NESN+. Saturday's matchup is Country Music Night at the Hart Center. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive a Holy Cross branded cowboy hat, presented by Pepsi Worcester.
THE CRUSADERS (4-6-0, 2-4-0 AHA):
- Holy Cross played to a series split with Bentley last weekend, shutting out the Falcons on Friday, 2-0, before falling on Saturday, 4-3.
- Following the end of the month, junior Owen Kim was recognized as the Atlantic Hockey Forward of the Month. Kim posted 12 points on six goals and six assists in October, and held the nations' second-longest point streak, recording at least one point in each game from Oct. 4 to Oct. 30. Kim posted four multi-point games, two of which came against Maine and Arizona State.
- Despite missing a couple of games, junior Matt Kursonis' seven game point streak from Oct. 2 against Maine to Oct. 23 against Sacred Heart is tied for second in the nation for active point streaks.
- Senior Will Elias continues to top the national standings in blocked shots, having posted 21 through the season so far, while sophomore Quinn McCall's 15 blocks on the season is tied for 13th in the nation. As a team, Holy Cross has blocked a nation-leading 168 shots, 31 more than the next-closest team.
- The Crusaders currently top every offensive category, with Kim leading in goals (6) and points (12), and Elias leading in assists (8).
SCOUTING NO. 15 MERRIMACK (5-1-2, 1-0-2 HEA):
- Merrimack, who enters the weekend ranked no. 15 in the national polls, is coming off a weekend set with the University of Connecticut. The Warriors defeated the Huskies, 5-4, in game one, before playing to a 5-5 tie in game two.
- Despite their 5-1-2 record, the Warriors have allowed 12 goals in the last three games, compared to the 15 they allowed in their first five games.
- The Warriors are led on offense by Nick Pierre (8-4-12), Ty Danault (5-6-11), and former Niagara Purple Eagle, Trevor Hoskin (2-9-11). Goalkeeper Linards Feldbergs has started six of the Warriors eight games this season, posting a 4-1-1 record with a 3.08 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN (3-2-0, 1-2-0 HEA):
- Northeastern enters the weekend after a split with Boston College last weekend, falling on Friday, 2-3, in overtime, before winning in overtime on Saturday, 4-3.
- The lone opponent that the Crusaders have shared with Northeastern so far is Bentley. Northeastern defeated the Falcons in their first game of the season on Oct. 10, 5-1, at Bentley Arena.
- The Huskies are led on offense by Miguel Marques (3-5-8), Jacob Mathieu (4-3-7), and Amine Hajibi (3-3-6). Goaltender Lawton Zachar has started four of the Huskies' five games this season, posting a 2-2 record with a 2.63 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
ALL TIME SERIES:
- The matchup on Friday against Merrimack marks the 43rd meeting between the two sides. Since Jan. 25, 1972, Merrimack holds a 32-8-2 record against Holy Cross, including an 18-5-1 mark at Lawler Arena.
- The two teams last met on Jan. 10, 2025 at the Hart Center Rink, which the Warriors won 5-2. The last time Holy Cross defeated Merrimack was on Oct. 24, 2006, a 2-1 decision in North Andover, Mass.
- Holy Cross is 1-7-1 all-time against Northeastern, dating back to the 2001-02 season. The two teams last met last season on Oct. 4, 2025 at Matthews Arena, with Northeastern winning the matchup, 6-4. Holy Cross' lone win came on Oct. 29, 2010, a 4-3 overtime decision on the road.
- Northeastern has visited the Hart Center just once previously, winning a 3-1 matchup on Oct. 18, 2013.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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