WORCESTER, Mass.- The Sacred Heart University Men's Ice Hockey team opened up the season on a high note as they defeated Holy Cross by a final score of 2-1. SHU looks for the series sweep Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. 

Records:

Holy Cross: 2-2-0

Sacred Heart: 1-0-0

Top Performers:

Ryan Steele (SHU): 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points

Marcel Godbout (SHU): 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points

Braeden Tuck (SHU): 2 assists

Josh Benson (SHU): 38 saves on 39 shots faced

First Period

• The Pioneers were outshot by the Crusaders 10 to 13 as both sides hit double digits in shots on goal.
• SHU won the faceoff battle in the opening period claiming 12 wins while Holy Cross had 11.
• Throughout the opening half of the period, both sides had chances to score but it would be 11:56 in the period when Holy Cross got on the board first with a goal by Ryan Liebold to put the Crusaders ahead 1-0.

Second Period

• The second period was all Pioneers as they would tally two goals in the period to give SHU a 2-1 lead.
• The first came seconds after the Pioneers were on the power-play as junior Ryan Steele was fed a quick pass from sophomore Braeden Tuck to find the net to even the score at 1-1, 3:37 into the period.
• Six minutes, later while SHU was on the power-play, senior Marcel Godbout tallied his seventh career goal off a pair of assists from Tuck and Steele sent the Pioneers into the third period with a 2-1 lead.
• Junior Josh Benson tallied 14 saves in the period to hold off the Crusader attack keeping the Pioneers in the lead.

Third Period

• The Pioneers held their own in the final period as the SHU attempted to grow the lead firing off seven shots on goal while Holy Cross attempted 12.
• Junior Josh Benson continued his dominate play tallying 12 saves to make his total for the night 38.