Holy Cross sophomore Greg Kealey scored the game winning goal on a power play at 14:19 of the third period to lead the Crusaders to a 7-6 victory over Sacred Heart Friday evening at the Hart Center Ice Rink.
Kealey was one of six HC players to tally multiple points in the game. Andrew McKay netted his first career hat trick to help Holy Cross to the win.
Sacred Heart jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on Lloyd Marks’ goal just :32 into the opening period. The Pioneers doubled their lead at 7:53 when Chuck Metcalfe fired a wrister past HC netminder Derek Cunha.
Holy Cross got on the board when Patrick Rissmiller scored on a wide open net at 12:05 after the Crusaders caught goalie Eddy Ferhi out of position. Kealey and Brandon Doria assisted on the play.
Sacred Heart was again able to take a two-goal advantage as Richard Naumann found the back of the net at 15:26. Holy Cross pulled within one goal at 18:29 when McKay recorded his first of three goals on the night. Tim Coskren and Jeff Dams dished out the assists.
Holy Cross scored three goals during the first 6:30 of the second stanza to take a 5-3 lead. Kealey scored off of a centering pass from Rissmiller at 1:39 to get HC rolling. The Crusaders took their first lead of the night when McKay scored on a breakaway at 3:01. Coskren tallied HC’s third goal of the frame at 6:30 on a slapshot.
The Pioneers made a goaltending change after Croskren’s goal, replacing Eddy Ferhi with Kevin LaPointe. Sacred Heart cut the Crusaders’ lead to 5-4 when Garrett Larson scored after HC was unable to clear the puck out of the zone at 8:50. Mike Regan knotted the game at 5-5 on a feed from Marks at 10:40.
The Pioneers regained the lead at 4:15 of the third period on a Martin Paquet breakaway goal. McKay completed hat trick when he was able to capitalize on a 2-on-1 at 11:14. Dams notched his fourth assist of the game on the play.
Kealey knocked in the game-winner just seven seconds into the Crusaders’ second power play of the game, at 14:19 of the segment.
Cunha made 25 saves in net for Holy Cross, including 12 in the third period. Ferhi and LaPointe combined for 18 save for the Pioneers.
Holy Cross improves to 16-11-5, 13-7-5 MAAC, Sacred Heart drops to 14-13-4, 14-8-3 MAAC.
