2020–21 Holy Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey season

The 2020–21 Holy Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey season was the 55th season of play for the program, the 23rd at the Division I level, and the 18th season in the Atlantic Hockey conference. The Crusaders represented the College of the Holy Cross and were coached by David Berard, in his 7th season.

2020–21 Holy Cross Crusaders
men's ice hockey season
Conference11th Atlantic Hockey
Home iceHart Center
Rankings
USCHO.comNR
USA Today/
US Hockey Magazine
NR
Record
Overall4–12–0
Conference3–9–0–2–0–0
Home3–6–0
Road1–6–0
Coaches and captains
Head coachDavid Berard
Assistant coachesPeter Roundy
Max Mobley
Jon Lounsbury
Captain(s)Logan Ferguson
Matt Slick
Alternate captain(s)Pete Kessel
Anthony Vincent
Holy Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey seasons
« 2019–20 2021–22 »

The start of the college hockey season was delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Holy Cross's first scheduled game was in mid-November as opposed to early-October, which was the norm.

Season

Despite several COVID-related changes to the schedule, Holy Cross began the season well, winning 4 of their first 6 games and sat near the top of the conference in early December with a 4–1 mark in Atlantic Hockey play. The team added a series against Quinnipiac just before Christmas and the two losses seemed to reverse the Crusaders' fortunes. Holy Cross lost all of their remaining games with the offense being dormant for most of those contests. In their final 10 matches, Holy Cross scored just 10 goals and were shut out 4 times. With their schedule being rearranged in February, the Crusaders played only two games in the entire month and sat at the bottom of their conference when the Atlantic Hockey tournament was set to begin.

Four days before they were to play Sacred Heart in the first round, Holy Cross received a positive Covid test and immediately suspended all team activities.[1] This caused the team to withdraw from the conference tournament and cancel the remainder of their season.

Erkka Vänskä sat out for the season.

Departures

PlayerPositionNationalityCause
Charlie BarrowDefenseman  United StatesGraduation
Will BrophyDefenseman  United StatesGraduation
Beau CollinsGoaltender  United StatesGraduation
Kevin DarrarForward  United StatesGraduation
Christian HayesForward  United StatesTransferred to Trinity
Patrick O'LearyDefenseman  United StatesGraduation
Neil RobinsonForward  CanadaGraduation
Dalton SkellyDefenseman  United StatesGraduation (Signed with Knoxville Ice Bears)
Jack SurowiecForward  United StatesGraduation

Recruiting

PlayerPositionNationalityAgeNotes
Alec CiceroForward  United States19Buffalo, NY
Jake HigginsDefenseman  United States19Hingham, MA
Michael KaneForward  United States20Guilford, CT
Jack MacNabForward  United States22Indianapolis, IN; transfer from Notre Dame
Ryan PineaultDefenseman  United States19Glastonbury, CT
Jack RickettsForward  Canada21Oakville, ON
Jack RobilottiDefenseman  United States19New York, NY
Lucas ThorneForward  Canada21Dunnville, ON

Roster

As of August 31, 2020.[2]

No.S/P/CPlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
2 Jack RobilottiFreshmanD6' 3" (1.91 m)194 lb (88 kg)2001-07-18New York, New YorkFargo (USHL)
3 Frank BoieSeniorD6' 1" (1.85 m)193 lb (88 kg)1998-05-15Needham, MassachusettsLangley (BCHL)
4 Jake HigginsFreshmanD6' 2" (1.88 m)205 lb (93 kg)2001-06-09Hingham, MassachusettsDeerfield (USHS–MA)
5 Mike HigginsSophomoreD5' 10" (1.78 m)205 lb (93 kg)2000-04-06Needham, MassachusettsNortheast (NAHL)
6 Bryce DolanJuniorD6' 1" (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)1999-02-13Barrington, Rhode IslandKimball Union (USHS–NH)
7 Nick HaleSophomoreD5' 9" (1.75 m)165 lb (75 kg)1999-05-07Raleigh, North CarolinaBrooks (AJHL)
8 Michael KaneFreshmanF6' 0" (1.83 m)190 lb (86 kg)2000-04-01Guilford, ConnecticutJersey (NCDC)
11 Ryan PineaultFreshmanD5' 9" (1.75 m)160 lb (73 kg)2001-02-10Glastonbury, ConnecticutWestminster (USHS–CT)
12 Conner JeanJuniorF5' 10" (1.78 m)183 lb (83 kg)1997-02-15Oakland, MichiganBrooks (AJHL)
13 Grayson ConstableSophomoreF6' 2" (1.88 m)201 lb (91 kg)1998-05-05Lethbridge, AlbertaBonnyville (AJHL)
15 Jack RickettsFreshmanF6' 1" (1.85 m)195 lb (88 kg)1999-09-08Oakville, OntarioOakville (OJHL)
17 Ryan LeiboldJuniorF5' 10" (1.78 m)195 lb (88 kg)1998-11-03Ashburn, VirginiaSioux City (USHL)
18 Bobby YoungSophomoreF5' 11" (1.8 m)185 lb (84 kg)1998-11-08Kitchener, OntarioBonnyville (AJHL)
19 Alex PetersonSophomoreF5' 10" (1.78 m)172 lb (78 kg)1998-03-27Lansdale, PennsylvaniaAmarillo (NAHL)
20 Logan Ferguson (C)SeniorF6' 1" (1.85 m)179 lb (81 kg)1997-04-18Calgary, AlbertaCanmore (AJHL)
21 Alec CiceroFreshmanF5' 10" (1.78 m)180 lb (82 kg)2001-03-09Williamsville, New YorkBuffalo (OJHL)
22 Lucas ThorneFreshmanF6' 0" (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)1999-03-05Dunnville, OntarioBonnyville (AJHL)
23 Jack MacNabFreshman (RS)F6' 5" (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg)1998-07-03Indianapolis, IndianaNotre Dame (Big Ten)
24 Andrew DumaresqueSeniorF6' 1" (1.85 m)194 lb (88 kg)1997-02-25Hammonds Plains, Nova ScotiaLangley (BCHL)
26 Pete Kessel (A)SeniorF6' 2" (1.88 m)192 lb (87 kg)1996-01-19Bloomfield Hills, MichiganLone Star (NAHL)
27 Matt Slick (C)JuniorD6' 1" (1.85 m)214 lb (97 kg)1999-03-13Buffalo, New YorkChilliwack (BCHL)
28 Logan MillikenSeniorD5' 11" (1.8 m)187 lb (85 kg)1997-06-30Canmore, AlbertaWenatchee (BCHL)
29 Erik GordonJuniorG5' 10" (1.78 m)172 lb (78 kg)1999-01-05Duluth, GeorgiaCalgary Canucks (AJHL)
30 Matt RadomskySophomoreG6' 2" (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)1999-06-21Winnipeg, ManitobaSteinbach (MJHL)
34 Anthony Vincent (A)JuniorF5' 10" (1.78 m)180 lb (82 kg)1997-08-12Wilton, ConnecticutChilliwack (BCHL)
37 Jake PappalardoSeniorF5' 10" (1.78 m)185 lb (84 kg)1997-07-11Salem, New HampshireMaine (HEA)
40 Erkka VänskäJuniorF5' 11" (1.8 m)168 lb (76 kg)1998-02-15Espoo, FinlandFairbanks (NAHL)

Standings

Conference recordOverall record
GPWLTOWOLSWPTSPT%GFGAGPWLTGFGA
#15 American International †*12111010032.88947181915406740
Army15104131130.66742332215617148
Robert Morris15105021029.64458482415908569
Canisius1385011024.61542341711605946
RIT1375100123.5904340209926870
Sacred Heart1366112020.51335381861024359
Mercyhurst1678111123.47954502181216467
Bentley15411015016.35635481651104251
Niagara1539302115.33339532271235770
Air Force133912109.23132491431013556
Holy Cross123902007.19422381641203052
Championship: March 20, 2021
† indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion (Riley Trophy)
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Schedule and Results

DateTimeOpponent#Rank#SiteTVDecisionResultAttendanceRecord
Regular Season
November 1910:37 AMvs. Long Island*Hart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts RadomskyL 2–3 OT00–1–0
November 224:00 PMvs. Long Island*Hart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts GordonW 5–2 01–1–0
December 16:30 PMat BentleyBentley ArenaWaltham, Massachusetts GordonW 2–1 OT02–1–0 (1–0–0)
December 46:00 PMat Sacred HeartWebster Bank ArenaBridgeport, Connecticut GordonL 1–2 02–2–0 (1–1–0)
December 62:00 PMSacred HeartHart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts GordonW 6–3 03–2–0 (2–1–0)
December 96:00 PMat BentleyHart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts GordonW 4–3 OT04–2–0 (3–1–0)
December 225:00 PMat #16 Quinnipiac*People's United CenterHamden, Connecticut RadomskyL 1–6 04–3–0
December 235:05 PMat #16 Quinnipiac*People's United CenterHamden, Connecticut GordonL 0–3 04–4–0
January 171:00 PMat #20 American InternationalMassMutual CenterSpringfield, Massachusetts GordonL 0–1 04–5–0 (3–2–0)
January 216:00 PMvs. ArmyHart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts GordonL 2–3 04–6–0 (3–3–0)
January 226:00 PMvs. ArmyHart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts GordonL 1–4 04–7–0 (3–4–0)
January 265:05 PMat BentleyBentley ArenaWaltham, Massachusetts GordonL 2–5 04–8–0 (3–5–0)
January 295:00 PMvs. #19 American InternationalHart CenterWorcester, Massachusetts RadomskyL 0–6 04–9–0 (3–6–0)
January 302:00 PMat #19 American InternationalMassMutual CenterSpringfield, Massachusetts GordonL 0–3 04–10–0 (3–7–0)
February 197:35 PMat Sacred HeartWebster Bank ArenaBridgeport, Connecticut RadomskyL 1–2 04–11–0 (3–8–0)
February 204:05 PMat Sacred HeartWebster Bank ArenaBridgeport, Connecticut RadomskyL 3–5 04–12–0 (3–9–0)
Atlantic Hockey Tournament
Participation Cancelled
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

[3]

Scoring statistics

NamePositionGamesGoalsAssistsPointsPIM
Alex PetersonF1245923
Jake PappalardoC1353812
Ryan LeiboldF142686
Logan FergusonRW153478
Anthony VincentF1432529
Andrew DumaresqueC1622410
Michael KaneF132136
Bobby YoungC152132
Jack RobilottiD1621320
Logan MillikenD131232
Connor JeanC100334
Jack RickettsC51122
Frank BoieD151124
Matt SlickD161126
Grayson ConstableF140226
Nick HaleD150224
Alec CiceroF161014
Jack MacNabRW80116
Mike HigginsD130114
Pete KesselF160112
Bryce DolanD160110
Jake HigginsD50000
Matt RadomskyG60000
Ryan PineaultD70000
Lucas ThorneC70000
Erik GordonG110000
Bench-160008
Total304171170

[4]

Goaltending statistics

NameGamesMinutesWinsLossesTiesGoals AgainstSavesShut OutsSV %GAA
Erik Gordon11648470292810.9062.68
Matt Radomsky6312050211410.8704.03
Empty Net-4---2----
Total169664120524220.8903.23

Rankings

PollWeek
Pre123456789101112131415161718192021 (Final)
USCHO.comNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR-NR
USA TodayNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR

USCHO did not release a poll in week 20.[5]

Awards and honors

PlayerAwardRef
Matt SlickAtlantic Hockey Second Team[6]

References