Last Shot

This story first appeared on the New England Hockey Journal website.  To view Jim Connelly's story click here.

By Jim Connelly

Holy Cross didn't post a single loss and allowed just two goals at this weekend's Catamount Cup. One might never know that, though, looking at the tournament standings.  

Despite posting back-to-back 1-1 ties against Vermont and Western Michigan, the Crusaders

lost both their semifinal and consolation games in shootouts - a practice usually saved for the NHL but employed in select in-season college tournaments to decide college games.  

The two games were almost counter images of one another with similar outcomes. Saturday's semifinal against host Vermont saw the Crusaders finally break a scoreless tie in the third only to have the Catamounts bury a late tally with their goaltender pulled. UVM outscored Holy Cross, 4-3, in a six-round shootout.  

Sunday's consolation game saw the Crusaders fall behind in the third, 1-0, only to rally with a late shorthanded tally. Sadly, though, another shootout loss, this time by a 2-0 score, relegated the ‘Cross to fourth place.  

It's quite possibly one of the best last-place performances in holiday tournament history with plenty of highlights that coach Paul Pearl can take into the second half of the season.   In addition to hanging with two ‘big four' teams throughout the weekend, Pearl has to be pleased with the play of rookie goaltender Adam Roy, who finished Saturday's semifinal with 36 saves. He has posted a 2-1-3 in his last six games since beginning the season with two losses in his first three starts.  

NEHJ Player of the Week
Josh Heidinger, So., Canisius There aren't many players throughout college hockey who understand the meaning of the Canisius-Niagara rivalry. One player who it might not be lost on, though, is Josh Heidinger, a Buffalo, N.Y., native. As this annual rivalry was renewed Sunday, Heidinger netted two goals and an assist in a 4-3 Canisius victory.  

Looking Ahead
Air Force at Sacred Heart, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 4 and 5 There's no better way to start of 2008 than with the battle of Nos. 1 and 2 in Atlantic Hockey. Both clubs are coming off some humbling losses over the weekend, as Air Force fell, 8-2, to Boston College before rebounding with a 2-2 tie against Minnesota in the Dodge Holiday Classic. Sacred Heart, which with a sweep would overtake first place in Atlantic Hockey, dropped a 5-0 decision to Denver and fell, 5-2, to Northern Michigan at the Denver Cup.   

Around Atlantic Hockey  

Air Force
When the league-leading Falcons travel to second place Sacred Heart, they'll be looking to take further control of the top spot in Atlantic Hockey. Air Force has never lost to the Pioneers (4-0-3 all time), including a 5-4 overtime victory in the semifinals of the 2007 Atlantic Hockey Championship.   

AIC
The Yellow Jackets will face off against Robert Morris in a pair of non-league games this weekend - the first time these two schools have met. It will be AIC's first games against a CHA team since the 2004-05 season, when the Yellow Jackets hosted then-CHA member Air Force.  

Army
The Black Knights made an addition to their goaltending roster this weekend, as Joe Spracklen made his debut and earned a 1-1 tie with Brown in the consolation game of the UConn Holiday Classic. Spracklen, a sophomore, had sat out the 2006-07 season and this first 10 games of this season after having played major junior hockey. He made 20 saves in his first appearance with Army.  

Bentley
Tom Dickhudt will look to extend his three-game point-scoring streak as the Falcons return to play after a 27-day layoff with a two-game series at Canisius. Bentley has won its last four straight against the Griffs.  

Canisius
The Griffs set an attendance record at Buffalo State Sports Arena, as 1,711 fans witnessed their 4-3 victory over cross-town rival Niagara. The previous high attendance mark was 1,235, also against Niagara, in 2004.  

UConn
For the third straight year, UConn advanced to the championship game of its own tournament, the UConn Holiday Classic. And for the third straight year, the Huskies came out on the losing end, falling 5-0 to Ferris State of the CCHA.  

Holy Cross
The Crusaders scored just two goals in two games over the weekend at the Catamount Cup tournament, both of which came off the stick of rookie Everett Sheen. Sheen has now scored six goals in his last nine games and his 10 goals is second in the nation among rookies.  

Mercyhurst
The Lakers will host a red-hot Michigan Tech team this weekend, as the WCHA foe travels to Erie, Penn., for a two-game non-league set. Michigan Tech upset defending national champion Michigan State in the semifinals of the annual GLI Tournament, before falling, 1-0 in double overtime, to Michigan in the title game.  

RIT
The Tigers earned possibly one of their biggest victories in the program's short Division-1 history - upsetting host Minnesota, 4-3, at the Dodge Holiday Classic. It was the first-ever win for RIT over a WCHA team and the second over a ranked opponent this season (Cornell, Oct. 27, 2007). Unfortunately, the magic ran out a night later, when the Tigers fell, 6-0, to Boston College in the title game.  

Sacred Heart
The Pioneers completed their non-league schedule over the weekend - dropping two games to Denver and Northern Michigan at the Denver Cup. All of the 18 remaining games on the SHU schedule are league contest, 10 of which will come at home.