GAME PREVIEW: UConn Huskies vs. Holy Cross Crusaders

Storrs, CT - The UConn Huskies kick off their Hockey East conference schedule with a home-and-home series against the Holy Cross Crusaders, opening on the road before returning to Storrs.

Game Information

  • Game 1: Thursday, October 29 | 7:00 PM EDT | Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex (Worcester, MA)
  • Game 2: Friday, October 30 | 6:00 PM EDT | Toscano Family Ice Forum (Storrs, CT)
  • Streaming: ESPN+ (US) / HockeyEast.tv (International)

Series Snapshot & History

UConn has historically controlled this regional matchup. Under head coach Chris MacKenzie, the Huskies have built a dominant record against Holy Cross, having captured every regular season meeting across the past several campaigns.However, as the Crusaders showed during their gritty early-season stretches and late-game resilience against Ivy League foes, they will be eager to play spoiler and secure a signature conference upset on home ice.

Storylines & Matchup Keys

  • Setting the Conference Tone: For UConn, opening Hockey East play cleanly is critical. The Huskies pride themselves on stifling defensive zone coverage, sharp neutral-zone transitions, and disciplined special teams play.A strong start in Worcester will be key to dictating the physical tone of the series.
  • Holy Cross's Counter-Attack: The Crusaders under Katie Lachapelle have leaned heavily on structured shot-blocking and opportunistic transition scoring. To challenge UConn’s blue-line depth, Holy Cross must capitalize on odd-man rushes and find ways to generate high-danger scoring chances around the crease.
  • Goaltending and Rebound Control: With a fast turnaround between Thursday night in Worcester and Friday evening in Storrs, both coaching staffs will emphasize clean netminding and puck management. Minimizing second-chance opportunities in front of the net will determine whether Holy Cross can keep the score within striking distance.
  • Special Teams Discipline: Early-season conference matchups frequently hinge on specialty units. The Huskies will look to exploit power-play opportunities and use their aggressive penalty kill to disrupt Holy Cross's zone entries.

What to Watch For

Expect a physical, fast-paced battle along the boards on Thursday as Holy Cross feeds off the home crowd at the Hart Center. If the Huskies establish forechecking pressure early and force the Crusaders to defend for extended shifts in their own zone, UConn will be well-positioned to take the series opener before heading back to Storrs to complete the sweep.

Key Players to Watch

UConn Huskies

    • Taylor Belchetz (Goaltender, Sophomore):

      Taking over primary netminding duties following Chan's departure, Belchetz has stepped into the starter's crease for the 2026–27 campaign. She showed her upside early this season with a 43-save shutout against Clarkson and a strong weekend showing against Mercyhurst.

    • Julia Pellerin (Forward, Senior):

      One of the Huskies' primary offensive catalysts. After transferring from Boston College—where she previously led Hockey East in goals—Pellerin brings high-end shooting volume and top-line scoring power.

    • Claire Murdoch (Forward, Junior):

      A steady top-six playmaker and zone-entry distributor who creates scoring lanes below the dots and quarterbacks setup sequences on the man advantage.

    • Maya Serdachny (Defense, Senior):

      The veteran leader of UConn’s defensive corps. Serdachny logs heavy minutes in all situations, anchoring the Huskies' breakout transitions and penalty-killing unit.

      Holy Cross Crusaders

    • Violet Carroll (Forward, Sophomore): One of the Crusaders’ most clinical finishers and an active spark plug in the offensive zone. If Holy Cross gets on the board early, Carroll is usually the catalyst either finishing from the circles or picking up loose pucks off the cycle.

    • Emily Crovo (Forward, Senior): A veteran forward who sets the physical tone along the boards. Crovo’s two-way reliability and forechecking pressure will be essential in disrupting UConn’s smooth breakout transitions.

    • Ella Malloy (Defense, Sophomore): A dependable, minute-eating defenseman who provides stability in the defensive end. Malloy will draw the tough assignment of neutralizing UConn’s top cycle line and clearing traffic in front of the net.

    • Lulu Rourke (Forward, Senior): A gritty offensive contributor capable of turning broken plays into sudden counter-attack scoring opportunities. Her work on the penalty kill and in the neutral zone will be critical to keeping the game tight.

 

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