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FAIRFIELD, Conn.- After a brief Thanksgiving break, the Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team hits the ice for a single game at Army West Point on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

Last Time Out... The Pioneers are coming off four games at Air Force that resulted in three straight wins. SHU picked up a solid nine points in the AHA standings to place themselves in second place with 16 points.

Last Meeting..... The last time the Pioneers encountered the Black Knights was on March 13, 2021 in a thrilling three-overtime game which eventually Army took by a final score of 4-3 and advanced in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs. The last time the Pioneers defeated the Black Knights came on February 21, 2020 when the Pioneers shutout Army West Point 3-0.

Scouting The Black Knights.. Army West Point enters Thursday's match with a 4-7-2 overall record and a 2-4-2 Atlantic Hockey play record. The Black Knights were swept by Bentley last week falling 3-1 and 5-0 on November 26 and 27. They are led on the offensive front by Anthony Firriolo who currently leads the team in points with 10 (five goals and five assists). Guarding the net is one of the leagues top goaltenders Gavin Abric who tallies a GAA of 2.28 and a save percentage of .932 while tallying a record of 4-5-2.

Lombardi Leading… Junior Kevin Lombardi tallied a goal in each game of the four-game series at Air Force this past week to place him on a four-game goal streak. He currently has five goals, and four assists on the year for nine points.

Kool Kulbis... Sophomore defender Andrius Kulbis-Marino was solid for the Pioneers at Air Force recording his first career goals and one assist for a total of three points. He currently leads all Pioneer defenseman in goals and ranks tied for third on team in points with six.

Back on Top of the League… As the Pioneers tallied three-straight wins at Air Force, the Pioneers climbed up to second in the AHA standings with 16 points. SHU sits one point behind RIT and Bentley in the standings.

Benson is Back… Senior Josh Benson returned in net for the Pioneers for the first time since October 9 as he picked up his first win of the season in the Pioneers 3-1 victory over Air Force on November 20. He made 24 saves on 26 shots faced in the victory. The following day, he picked up another win stopping 32 of 34 shots faced in the Pioneers 4-2 victory.

Martire Family Arena Update... Less than seven months after the official groundbreaking, the last piece of steel was put into place at Sacred Heart University's Martire Family Arena. Home to the school's Division I hockey programs, club teams and nationally ranked figure skating team, the $70-million project is slated to open in January of 2023 when the men's team takes on Boston College and the women face off against Harvard.

What has only been imagined through artist renderings is becoming reality with the addition of the final pieces of steel. The concourse from the East Building, at SHU's West Campus where the success of the varsity hockey programs will be showcased, as well as the east entrance, from which SHU students will enter before they cheer on the Pioneers, are starting to form.