# 2022–23 Sacred Heart Pioneers men's ice hockey season

The 2022–23 Sacred Heart Pioneers men's ice hockey season was the 30th season of play for the program, the 25th at the Division I level, and the 20th in the Atlantic Hockey conference. The Pioneers represented Sacred Heart University and were coached by C. J. Marottolo, in his 14th season.

## Season

The biggest development for the program was the completion of the Martire Family Arena. While the new arena had significantly less seating capacity, the chief advantage was being the first on-campus home for the team. Not only would this allow greater access for the program but it would also be much easier for the student body to attend games. Because the opening for the rink wouldn't be until January 2023, the team had to play the first half of the season at the Total Mortgage Arena.
Perhaps in anticipation of their new venue, Sacred Heart began the season well. While incumbent starter Justin Robbins began the season in goal, he was soon replaced by Luke Lush. With stable goaltending, the offense kicked into gear and pushed the Pioneers to a 6–2–1 record by early November. The hot start not only had the team at the top of the conference standings but also had them above the water line for an NCAA tournament berth (a rare thing for Atlantic Hockey). In mid-November, Sacred Heart had a showdown with the other conference leader, RIT. Unfortunately, at that exact moment the Pioneers' offense dried up and the team scored just 4 goals over their next 5 games. When they finally ended their slump, Sacred Heart had slid into the middle of the standings and was in the bottom half of the national rankings. Even by winning their next five games, including a surprising upset of Northeastern, Sacred Heart remained well away from an at-large bid and would likely have to win their conference tournament if it were to make the NCAA tournament.
After the winter break, with construction on schedule, Sacred Heart christened its new building by hosting #20 Boston College. With more than 4,000 in attendance, Sacred Heart lost the match but were still able to push the Eagles into overtime. Figures remained strong in the new building and the Pioneers saw at least 4,000 people in 6 of their final 7 home games. Unfortunately for the Pioneers, while the building was mostly full the product on the ice was a little more inconsistent. Sacred Heart ended up going 3–5–1 in the last month of the season, including losing the season series to American International, and ended up 3rd in the conference.
The Pioneers began the postseason with a win over Niagara, however, everything went sour afterwards. After opening the scoring in the second game, Sacred Heart went the final 53 minutes without a goal and lost 1–4 despite firing 38 shots on goal. The offense was a bit better in the rubber match but the penalty kill imploded. The Purple Eagles scored three power play goals, the final being the eventual game-winner, and ran the Pioneers out of their own building. It was a disappointing end to what had once been a successful season.

## Departures

| Player | Position | Nationality | Cause |
| Alex Bates | Defenseman | United States | Graduation (retired) |
| Josh Benson | Goaltender | United States | Graduation (retired) |
| Nick Boyagian | Forward | United States | Graduate transfer to New Haven |
| Troy Conzo | Forward | United States | Graduation (retired) |
| Ryan Doolin | Forward | United States | Transferred to Colby |
| Dante Fantauzzi | Defenseman | Canada | Left program (retired) |
| Dante Palecco | Forward | United States | Graduation (retired) |
| Dan Petrick | Defenseman | United States | Left program (retired) |
| Dakota Raabe | Forward | United States | Graduation (signed with Utah Grizzlies) |
| Rourke Russell | Defenseman | United States | Graduation (signed with Adirondack Thunder) |
| Adam Tisdale | Forward | Canada | Graduate transfer to Alaska Anchorage |

## Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Notes |
| Aidan Connolly | Forward | United States | 20 | Marshfield, MA |
| Chikara Hanzawa | Forward | Japan | 21 | Tokyo, JPN |
| Marcus Joughin | Forward | Canada | 21 | Tecumseh, ON |
| Brendan Kennette | Defenseman | Canada | 20 | Windsor, ON |
| Julian Kislin | Defenseman | United States | 23 | Manalapan, NJ; graduate transfer from Northeastern |
| Brandon Milberg | Goaltender | Canada | 21 | Thornhill, ON |
| Dylan Robbins | Forward | United States | 21 | Alpine, NJ |

## Roster

As of August 16, 2022.

## Standings

2022–23 Atlantic Hockey Standingsvte :
| | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record |
| | GP | W | L | T | OW | OL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| RIT † | 26 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 85 | 55 | 39 | 25 | 13 | 1 | 127 | 100 |
| American International | 26 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 47 | 87 | 62 | 39 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 124 | 98 |
| Sacred Heart | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 45 | 87 | 72 | 37 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 107 | 112 |
| Canisius * | 26 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 76 | 71 | 42 | 20 | 19 | 3 | 118 | 119 |
| Army | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 72 | 81 | 37 | 14 | 19 | 4 | 98 | 119 |
| Niagara | 26 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 73 | 86 | 40 | 19 | 18 | 3 | 119 | 129 |
| Holy Cross | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 73 | 71 | 41 | 17 | 21 | 3 | 98 | 119 |
| Mercyhurst | 26 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 35 | 77 | 80 | 36 | 10 | 23 | 3 | 98 | 122 |
| Bentley | 26 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 61 | 89 | 34 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 81 | 124 |
| Air Force | 26 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 63 | 87 | 36 | 12 | 22 | 2 | 95 | 128 |
| Championship: March 18, 2023 † indicates conference regular season champion (DeGregorio Trophy) * indicates conference tournament champion (Riley Trophy) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll |||||||||||||||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Site | TV | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Exhibition ||||||||||
| October 1 | 7:00 PM | at #10 Massachusetts* | Mullins Center • Amherst, Massachusetts (Exhibition) | | Robbins | W 3–2 | | |
| October 2 | 3:00 PM | Western Ontario* | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut (Exhibition) | FloHockey | | W 6–4 | | |
| Regular Season ||||||||||
| October 7 | 7:00 PM | at #16 Providence* | Schneider Arena • Providence, Rhode Island | ESPN+ | Robbins | L 1–6 | 2,706 | 0–1–0 |
| October 13 | 7:00 PM | at Holy Cross | Hart Center • Worcester, Massachusetts | FloHockey | Robbins | W 3–2 | 327 | 1–1–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 14 | 7:00 PM | at Holy Cross | Hart Center • Worcester, Massachusetts | FloHockey | Lush | W 5–1 | 246 | 2–1–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 21 | 7:30 PM | at Niagara | Dwyer Arena • Lewiston, New York | FloHockey | Lush | L 4–6 | 704 | 2–2–0 (2–1–0) |
| October 22 | 5:30 PM | at Niagara | Dwyer Arena • Lewiston, New York | FloHockey | Lush | W 5–1 | 661 | 3–2–0 (3–1–0) |
| October 28 | 7:00 PM | Canisius | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 6–3 | 754 | 4–2–0 (4–1–0) |
| October 29 | 4:00 PM | Canisius | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 3–1 | 584 | 5–2–0 (5–1–0) |
| November 4 | 7:00 PM | at Mercyhurst | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, Pennsylvania | FloHockey | Lush | W 6–3 | 624 | 6–2–0 (6–1–0) |
| November 5 | 4:05 PM | at Mercyhurst | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, Pennsylvania | FloHockey | Lush | T 3–3 $^{SOW}$ | 212 | 6–2–1 (6–1–1) |
| November 11 | 7:05 PM | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Henrietta, New York | FloHockey | Lush | L 1–3 | 2,394 | 6–3–1 (6–2–1) |
| November 12 | 5:05 PM | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Henrietta, New York | FloHockey | Lush | L 1–3 | 2,508 | 6–4–1 (6–3–1) |
| November 17 | 7:05 PM | #15 Merrimack* | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | L 0–3 | 803 | 6–5–1 |
| November 22 | 7:00 PM | at Cornell* | Lynah Rink • Ithaca, New York | ESPN+ | Lush | L 1–2 | 2,772 | 6–6–1 |
| November 25 | 7:00 PM | Bentley | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | L 1–3 | 708 | 6–7–1 (6–4–1) |
| November 26 | 7:00 PM | Bentley | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 6–3 | 687 | 7–7–1 (7–4–1) |
| December 6 | 7:05 PM | Northeastern* | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 4–2 | 1,004 | 8–7–1 |
| December 29 | 7:00 PM | Mercyhurst | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Milberg | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 804 | 9–7–1 (8–4–1) |
| December 30 | 4:00 PM | Mercyhurst | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 4–1 | 981 | 10–7–1 (9–4–1) |
| January 5 | 7:00 PM | Army | Total Mortgage Arena • Bridgeport, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 5–0 | 748 | 11–7–1 (10–4–1) |
| January 8 | 4:00 PM | at New Hampshire* | Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire | ESPN+ | Lush | L 1–4 | 4,205 | 11–8–1 |
| January 14 | 7:00 PM | #20 Boston College* | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey, SNY | Lush | L 2–3 | 4,103 | 11–9–1 |
| January 20 | 7:00 PM | Holy Cross | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey, SNY | Lush | T 2–2 $^{SOW}$ | 4,223 | 11–9–2 (10–4–2) |
| January 21 | 7:00 PM | Holy Cross | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey, SNY | Lush | W 4–1 | 4,296 | 12–9–2 (11–4–2) |
| Connecticut Hockey Tournament ||||||||||
| January 27 | 7:00 PM | at #3 Quinnipiac* | M&T Bank Arena • Hamden, Connecticut (Connecticut Ice Semifinal) | | Lush | L 0–5 | 3,625 | 12–10–2 |
| January 28 | 4:00 PM | vs. Yale* | M&T Bank Arena • Hamden, Connecticut (Connecticut Ice Consolation) | | Milberg | W 4–3 | - | 13–10–2 |
| February 2 | 7:05 PM | at American International | MassMutual Center • Springfield, Massachusetts | FloHockey | Lush | W 4–2 | 363 | 14–10–2 (12–4–2) |
| February 4 | 7:00 PM | American International | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | L 1–4 | 4,267 | 14–11–2 (12–5–2) |
| February 7 | 7:00 PM | Army | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey, SNY | Lush | L 1–4 | 2,643 | 14–12–2 (12–6–2) |
| February 10 | 7:00 PM | Air Force | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey, SNY | Lush | L 4–5 | 4,087 | 14–13–2 (12–7–2) |
| February 11 | 7:00 PM | Air Force | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | W 5–3 | 4,152 | 15–13–2 (13–7–2) |
| February 18 | 7:00 PM | at Canisius | LECOM Harborcenter • Buffalo, New York | FloHockey | Lush | L 4–6 | 973 | 15–14–2 (13–8–2) |
| February 19 | 7:00 PM | at Canisius | LECOM Harborcenter • Buffalo, New York | FloHockey | Lush | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 813 | 16–14–2 (14–8–2) |
| February 24 | 7:05 PM | at American International | MassMutual Center • Springfield, Massachusetts | FloHockey | Lush | T 2–2 $^{SOL}$ | - | 16–14–3 (14–8–3) |
| February 25 | 7:00 PM | American International | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut | FloHockey | Lush | L 0–5 | 4,225 | 16–15–3 (14–7–3) |
| Atlantic Hockey Tournament ||||||||||
| March 3 | 7:00 PM | Niagara* | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut (Quarterfinal Game 1) | FloHockey | Lush | W 3–1 | 2,046 | 17–15–3 |
| March 4 | 7:00 PM | Niagara* | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut (Quarterfinal Game 2) | FloHockey | Lush | L 1–4 | 2,088 | 17–16–3 |
| March 5 | 7:00 PM | Niagara* | Martire Family Arena • Fairfield, Connecticut (Quarterfinal Game 3) | FloHockey | Lush | L 3–7 | 1,196 | 17–17–3 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Eastern Time. Source: ||||||||||

## Scoring statistics

| Name | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
| Neil Shea | F | 37 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 12 |
| Austin Magera | C | 37 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 26 |
| Kevin Lombardi | RW | 36 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 23 |
| Marcus Joughin | F | 35 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 12 |
| Todd Goehring | F | 37 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 6 |
| Braeden Tuck | F | 37 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 4 |
| Conner Hutchison | D | 34 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 6 |
| Ryan Steele | F | 26 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 10 |
| Hunter Sansbury | D | 37 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 23 |
| Blake Humphrey | F | 37 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 10 |
| Daniel Ebrahim | F | 27 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 |
| John Jaworski | F | 36 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 22 |
| Logan Britt | D | 37 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 24 |
| Julian Kislin | D | 30 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| Dante Fantauzzi | D | 33 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 23 |
| Aidan Connolly | F | 15 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Patrick Dawson | D | 36 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Chikara Hanzawa | F | 28 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Tim Clifton | C | 34 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Grant Anderson | D | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Luke Lush | G | 35 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Dylan Robbins | F | 31 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Brendan Kennette | D | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Andrius Kulbis-Marino | D | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Jack O'Dea | G | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeppe Urup Mogensen | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Robbins | G | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Milberg | G | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Hoban | F | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bench | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Total | | | 107 | 184 | 291 | 275 |

## Goaltending statistics

| Name | Games | Minutes | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals Against | Saves | Shut Outs | SV % | GAA |
| Jack O'Dea | 1 | 0:07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.00 |
| Luke Lush | 35 | 2003:54 | 14 | 16 | 3 | 90 | 802 | 1 | .899 | 2.69 |
| Brandon Millberg | 3 | 108:05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 44 | 0 | .863 | 3.89 |
| Justin Robbins | 2 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 35 | 0 | .833 | 4.20 |
| Empty Net | - | 28:45 | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 37 | 2240:51 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 112 | 881 | 1 | .894 | 2.82 |

## Rankings

| Poll | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 (Final) |
| USCHO.com | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| USA Today | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
Note: USCHO did not release a poll in weeks 1, 13, or 26.

## Awards and honors

| Player | Award |
| Braeden Tuck | Atlantic Hockey Individual Sportsmanship Award |
| Sacred Heart Pioneers | Team Sportsmanship Award |
| Neil Shea | Atlantic Hockey First Team |
| Hunter Sansbury | Atlantic Hockey Third Team |
| Marcus Joughin | Atlantic Hockey Rookie Team |