SHU to open hockey season at Quinnipiac
Sacred Heart men’s hockey program will open the 2020-21 season on Nov. 24 with a game at Quinnipiac.
Six of the Pioneers first eight games will be played on the road with contests against Army on Nov. 27, Holy Cross on Dec. 5 and Union on Dec. 30 the home games in December.
“Our guys are excited to see pen to paper with an opponent,” Sacred Heart coach C.J. Marottolo said. “It’s been a long and winding road to get to this point, there has been a lot of different schedules out as our commissioner [Robert DeGregorio] has gone through it step by step. Now that we do have the schedule, we are just going to continue to do what we can as a program to practice, keep our guys safe away from the rink and at the rink with following the protocols. We are going to control what we can control to get to Nov. 24.”
Sacred Heart started practice in early September with players separated into six pods. Within a month, they were given the OK to have practices with the entire team. Marottolo is happy to report that there have no COVID-related setbacks.
“We are still on the path and I expect us to get there for sure,” Marottolo said. “We all know you can do everything right in this pandemic and still get the coronavirus. There is nothing to guarantee that you aren’t going to contract it if you follow all the protocols and you are doing everything right, that is just the world that we live in right now. We talked to our guys about it, continually reemphasize to follow what the CDC says or what our school protocols are. That doesn’t mean that we are teflon by any means but you try to do what you can to put yourself in the best possible position.”
Due to COVID-19, the Atlantic Hockey Association has separated the
AHA into eastern and western pods. Sacred Heart is in the pod with AIC, Army Bentley and Holy Cross so the Pioneers won’t need to fly to road games with the exception of the Dec. 18-19 trip to Air Force.
Sacred Heart is coming off a 21-10-3 season including a mark of 18-8-2 in conference play. The Pioneers will need to replace their top four scorers from a season ago. Braden Tuck, who had five goals and 23 assists, and Marc Johnstone (9 goals, 18 assists) are the top returning scorers.
It won’t be an easy opener playing at Quinnipiac but it certainly beats the alternative of not having a non-conference game to begin the season with.
“It was really hard for us to find non-league games so it makes sense,” Marottolo said. “Quinnipiac is close, there is no overnight trip involved with that. They are eager to play, we are eager to play so there are a lot of reasons why playing Quinnipiac makes sense.”
Times will be announced at a later date. Sacred Heart announced on Wednesday no fans will be allowed at home games until further notice.
Quinnipiac also has nonconference games scheduled against AIC on Dec. 23 and 27 and will host Bowling Green on Dec. 18-19.
SCHEDULE
Nov.: 24 at Quinnipiac; 27 vs. Army; 28 at Army
Dec.: 1 at AIC; 4 at Holy Cross; 5 vs. Holy Cross; 18 at Air Force; 19 at Air Force; 30 Union
Jan.: 2 vs. Army; 3 at Army; 8 vs. Bentley; 9 at Bentley; 15 vs. Holy Cross; 16 at Holy Cross; 19 at Bentley; 22 vs. AIC; 23 at AIC; 30 vs. Army
Feb.: 4 vs. Bentley; 5 at Bentley; 12 vs. LIU; 13 at LIU; 20 vs. Holy Cross; 25 vs. AIC; 27 at AIC