Sacred Heart opened the 2021-22 season with five straight road games before the Pioneers played their first homestand of the season Oct. 29-30 at Webster Bank Arena, a split with Niagara.
Then it was back on the road for C.J. Marottolo’s team, which won’t play another home game until 2022 – January 1 to be exact, against Rochester Institute of Technology.
“I talked to our group at the beginning of the season about it,” said Marolotto. “Thirteen of our first 15 games are on the road. So far we’ve played at some great arenas in front of some rabid fan bases. Our players have enjoyed competing in enemy territory.
“We’ve embraced it.”
Wins at Boston University and Maine have contributed to a 3-4-3 record to date, including a pair of 3-3 ties with Mercyhurst back on Nov. 5-6, the last time SHU was in action. The Pioneers won both shootouts, with the second night going 11 rounds.
That was exciting for the fans and players, but Marottolo had mixed feelings despite coming away with the extra two points.
“I’ve changed my view on the three-on-three overtime and shootout,” he said. “I used to be a proponent, but I think that sometimes after playing 60 or 65 minutes if it ends up in a tie it’s a good game. Nothing wrong with each team getting a well-deserved point. Lose the shootout and even though you get a point, you feel like you lost.”
On the other hand, players seem to prefer the current format.
“Players love it,” said Marottolo. “It’s fun and an opportunity to show off your skills.”
Coming up big in those shootouts was goaltender Justin Robbins, a junior transfer from Arizona State. Three year starter Josh Benson went down with an injury early in the season and since then, Robbins has carried the load.
“Josh was hurt at Merrimack a minute into the second period. Justin was very prepared,” said Marottolo. “He’s given us a chance to win every game. That’s all you can ask from your goaltender.”
Robbins is one of eight transfers on the SHU roster.
“It’s worked out well,” said Marottolo. “The biggest challenge this season for our coaching staff has been getting everyone together as a team. The transfer portal has given us much more depth. Competition to play is fierce. It’s made our team better.”
Sacred Heart’s road trip continues with a rare four-game stint at Air Force. The teams will tangle at Cadet Ice Arena on Nov. 19-20 and 22-23.
“We were supposed to go there last year during the height of COVID and our school made the decision that we weren’t flying,” said Marottolo. “So we have to make up those games from last year plus we were scheduled to go there again this year. It’s quite interesting, but we go where the schedule tells us.”
SHU will play eight more games at Webster Bank Arena this season, as it looks forward to true home games in early 2023, when it will unveil the Martire Family Arena, a $70-million, on-campus, state-of-the-art facility that will seat 4,000 fans.
“It’s going to be great from every perspective – fan and student-athlete,” said Marottolo. “It’s going to have three floors: suites, a main bowl and a level for the players.
“It’s great for our university and great for our league, where things keep getting better and better.”
