LET'S GET IT STARTED
Summer is officially over. The exhibition games are in the rearview mirror. It's time to get the 2024-25 season going in earnest. The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team opens its 32nd season of varsity competition this weekend, with a two-game trip to central New York to take on ECAC member Colgate. It is the second straight season the Pioneers will open their season against the Raiders. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday at Class of 1965 Arena. Both games will be available live on ESPN+.

LAST WEEKEND
The Pioneers got tuned up last weekend with a pair of exhibitions. On the road on Saturday afternoon, John Jaworski and Reid Pabich found the net, but a pair of power-play goals led Merrimack to a 3-2 victory. Back home on Sunday afternoon, it was a goal-fest. Jaworski put home two more, and the Ghirardosi/Guerra/Jaworski line struck three times in all, as SHU rolled to a 7-3 victory over Simon Fraser.

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Colgate got its 95th season of men's ice hockey underway last weekend, with a non-conference trip to Connecticut. The Raiders were swept away by the Huskies, 4-2 and 6-2. Four different Colgate players scored over the course of the weekend, while Jake Schneider dished out a pair of assists. The Raiders were outshot 81-58 over the two games and the team's goaltenders posted just an .877 save percentage. After this weekend, Colgate will not play at home again until it opens its ECAC schedule in early November against Brown.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST COLGATE
SHU opened its season against Colgate last year as well, with a pair of games at Martire Family Arena. On Friday night, a slow start hurt the Pios before Kevin Lombardi cut the lead to 3-2, but Colgate held on down the stretch for the one-goal victory. On Saturday night, the game was tied at 1-1 early in the second, but Colgate scored the game's final five goals to pull away for a 6-1 win.

ALL-TIME SERIES
The two teams have met 13 times, dating back to October of 2000, with Colgate winning all 13 meetings. Just four of the 13 contests have been decided by fewer than three goals. Sacred Heart is 0-8-0 all-time on the road at Colgate. This week will mark SHU's first trip to Class of 1965 Arena, which opened in October of 2016.

UP NEXT
The Pios have another weekend of non-conference play on the docket next weekend before diving into Atlantic Hockey play the following week. Next weekend sees SHU face off with Massachusetts in a home-and-home series, at the Mullins Center in Amherst on Friday night and back in Fairfield for the home opener at Martire Family Arena on Saturday night. Saturday night will feature SHU's first annual Hocktoberfest celebration pregame.