FAIRFIELD, Conn – The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team returns to Atlantic Hockey America play tomorrow evening with a 7 p.m. matchup at Holy Cross. The Pios and Crusaders will meet again on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Hart Center Rink in Worcester, Mass.

Sacred Heart at Holy Cross
    Thursday, Oct. 30 – 7:00 p.m.
    Friday, Oct. 31 – 7:00 p.m.
Hart Center Rink -- Worcester, Mass.
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TRUST IN TRUDEAU
Senior forward Felix Trudeau put together some late-game magic to lead the Pioneers to a 2-1 overtime win over No. 14/15 Ohio State in the series opener on Friday. On the power play and after a timeout, head coach C.J. Marottolo drew up a play that saw Trudeau get open in the right circle, where he buried a one-timer to send the bout to OT. Just 23 seconds into the extra period, Trudeau curled up the ice and sent a dribbler five-hole that snuck past the opposing netminder to seal SHU's comeback victory. The Terrebonne, Quebec, native is one of the most clutch players in Division I, ranking in a tie for third with two game-winning goals in the Pios' three victories. 

BIG WIN
Friday's victory was the second for the Pioneers against a Big Ten opponent in program history. The first was a 6-4 road win at No. 5/6 Notre Dame on Oct. 19, 2017. The Pios have done well lately against nationally-ranked opponents, picking up a win in each of their last three series against ranked teams. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers earned a hard-fought split at No. 14/15 Ohio State. The Pios skated to a 2-1 win in the opener, with Trudeau scoring a goal with 4:31 left in regulation and 23 seconds into overtime to seal the win. Mikey Adamson finished the game with two points, tallying an assist on both Trudeau scores. In net, Ajeet Gundarah continued to thrive, saving 22 of 23 shots to keep the high-powered Buckeyes at bay. Game two went Ohio State's way, as three second-period goals propelled the home team to a 3-0 victory. Luck was not on the Pioneers' side in the second game, as all of their best scoring chances were turned away after all of the video reviews went against them. 
 
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross heads into Thursday with a 2-5-0 overall record and a 2-1-0 mark in Atlantic Hockey America. This Halloween series will mark the second and third home games of the season for the Crusaders, as their remaining six games have been on the road. Holy Cross is coming off a split at Army this past weekend, dropping the first game 5-2 before winning the second 5-1. The Crusaders have not excelled at any team categories, ranking 27th in the country in scoring offense (2.67) and 31st in the country in scoring defense (3.33) and scoring margin (-0.67). The one category in which Holy Cross ranks highly is penalty minutes, as they lead DI with 99. Three Crusader goaltenders have seen time on the ice this season, with Connor MacKenzie leading the team with a 3.09 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. Offensively, Connor Welsh (4-1-5), Will Elias (1-4-5) and Noah Eyre (1-4-5) each have a team-best five points. 

ALL-TIME SERIES
Friday's game will mark the 99th all-time meeting between the Pioneers and Crusaders. Holy Cross takes a slim 49-42-6 lead into Thursday's opener. The Crusaders have won five of the last six meetings, with SHU last taking a win, 2-1, on Oct. 26, 2024, at the Martire Family Arena. 

UP NEXT
Sacred Heart begins a five-game homestand on Friday, Nov. 7, with a 7 p.m. contest against Air Force at the Martire Family Arena.