WORCESTER, MASS. – For a first-ever NCAA Division I game in program history, LIU men's hockey made sure it was one to remember Thursday night. The Sharks, who had never taken the ice for a game as a team before tonight, went on the road and beat one of the top teams in the Northeast in dramatic fashion, upsetting Holy Cross, 3-2 in overtime.
 
Senior Christian Rajic scored the game-winner just over three minutes into the overtime period, assuring LIU's first-ever victory, while senior Garrett Metcalf was the team's anchor in goal, making 39 saves in net to clinch the win for the Sharks.
 
Holy Cross got on the board first, scoring shortly after a power play in the first period to take the 1-0 lead. But the Sharks would even the score in the second, and then some. Freshman Gustav Müller scored the first goal in program history off a huge rebound at the 7:15 mark in the second period, off an assist from Rajic. And just four minutes later, senior Mitchell Meek scored an unassisted goal for LIU, giving the Sharks a 2-1 advantage.
 
Metcalf would make several huge plays for the Sharks to keep them in the game, including a big save with 7:42 left to play in the third, when Holy Cross had a breakaway, and the senior made a huge one-on-one save to keep the Sharks on top. But the Crusaders, who out-shot LIU 93-26, would sneak one by Metcalf with just over six minutes to play to knot it up, 2-2.
 
In overtime, LIU was able to successfully kill a penalty, and then Rajic broke away, scoring the game-winner and etching the W in LIU's history books.
 
"I'm just really proud of the guys," head coach Brett Riley said after the game. "It's been 200 days since we've been a program, so I don't think many people thought we'd take the ice tonight or be where we are, let alone win a hockey game against a really good team, so I have nothing but pride in our guys. To kill a penalty off at the end of the game to a breakaway goal in overtime shows the character we have in the room."
 
Metcalf made 39 total saves, including four in overtime, while the defense blocked 27 of the Crusaders' shots.

"Garett was obviously exceptional tonight," Riley said. He's exceptional every day in practice. He brings a calming presence, he's a leader, he bailed us out many times tonight, and he won us the hockey game. He was excellent on the PK. The goaltender has to be your best killer, and he was tonight for sure."
 
Up next, the Sharks will gear up for a rematch with the Crusaders. LIU and Holy Cross will face off Sunday, November 22 at 4 p.m.