West Point, New York - - Top seed the College of the Holy Cross (21-9-4) defeated Canisius College (10-15-8) 4-1 in the 2004 Atlantic Hockey Championship Tournament semifinal and will advance to the championship game on Saturday, March 20. Their opponent will be the winner of the Sacred Heart University versus Mercyhurst College semifinal played at 7:45 tonight at Tate Rink.

Canisius and Holy Cross met three times in the regular season. The Crusaders won the head-to-head series 1-0-2. Closely matched up in all three meetings, Holy Cross looked to get off to a quick start and that is exactly what they did scoring less than :30 into the first period. Jeff Dams (Sr., F, Manotick, Ontario) beat Canisius goaltender Brian Worosz (Jr., G, Brantford, Ontario) assisted by Marc Bianchi (So., D, Ithaca, NY) and Greg Kealey (Sr., F, Nepean, Ontartio). The period ended with Holy Cross up 1-0.

The only score in the second period came off of a power play for Holy Cross at the 14:48 mark. Jonas Tomiuck (Jr., F, Wainfleet, Ontario) beat Worosz giving the Crusaders as 2-0 lead after two. Tomiuck was assisted by J.R. Walker (Sr., D, Faribault, MN) and Tim Coskren (Sr., F, Walpole, MA).

The Crusaders captain Kealey would come up big in the third period scoring two goals. In two games of the tournament, Kealey scored four goals and has added two assists for six points. Kealey’s teammate Tony Quesada (So., G, South Freeport, ME) went 106:31 without allowing a goal until Griffins forward Rob Martin (Sr., F, Pickering, Ontario) scored at the 6:31 mark of the third.

Being down one goal, Canisius put unrelenting pressure on the Holy Cross zone looking to even up the score. However the Holy Cross power play would prove too much for the Griffins. At the 10:27 mark, with the man advantage, Kealey scored the first of his two goals putting Holy Cross up 3-1. He was assisted by Tim Coskren and Jeff Dams. This was the Crusaders second power play goal of the night. A late penalty on Holy Cross gave Canisius the power play at 18:15 of the third. Looking to score quickly, Canisius put six attackers on the ice but Kealey would find the puck on his stick and send it into an open net.

In the win Quesada had 24 saves. He has 52 saves for the tournament, a .50 GAA, and a save percentage of .981.

Holy Cross will play in the 2004 Atlantic Hockey Championship Game. The winner of the Atlantic Hockey Tournament will receive and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.