HC fans will be hearing from Dewey; Soph sees an uptick as season progresses.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Jennifer Toland WORCESTER - Holy Cross sophomore forward Dewey Thomson has been known by his nickname for so long that if he started going by his given name - Andrew - people would probably have no idea who he is. A babysitter used to call Thomson "Drew-Drew" as a toddler, a moniker his parents did not like and changed to Dewey. Thomson's not sure how they came up with it, but thinks their affection for the Red Sox and Dwight "Dewey" Evans probably had something to do with it. In any case, it's stuck for the last 18 years or so, and it's a name HC hockey fans may be hearing a lot. Thomson, a Northbridge native and the only Central Mass. product on the HC roster, is enjoying a solid second season with the Crusaders. With 6 goals and 6 assists, Thomson is tied for fifth on the team in scoring. "I've got an increased role and it's been great," said Thomson, who was wearing a Red Sox cap before Wednesday's practice at the Hart Center. The Crusaders have not played since a 2-2 tie at Army on Dec. 6 and after a 10-day Christmas respite, resume the season tonight in the UConn Hockey Classic in Storrs. HC (7-8-2) plays the hosts at 7:15. Holy Cross defeated Atlantic Hockey foe UConn, 7-3, on Nov. 21. The Crusaders will face either Colgate or Northeastern tomorrow at a time to be determined. This year's team is still a work in progress, but there are many things Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl has been encouraged by, among them Thomson's play. The Crusaders graduated three of their top four scorers from last year's team, but coming into this season Pearl looked at Thomson, who totaled 2 goals and 4 assists in 27 games as a freshman, as one of the returning players who could and would take on a more prominent role in 2006-07. "He's coming along," Pearl said, "and hopefully it will continue because he's an outstanding skater, he can really shoot the puck, and now that his confidence is coming along he's a presence out there. If I'm an opposing coach, I definitely have to know where he is on the ice." Thomson has been skating with HC's third line as the left wing, along with junior center Cal St. Denis and sophomore Kai Magnussen or junior Jim Tselikis at the right wing. Thomson had a great weekend during a mid-November sweep of Army with four goals and an assist in two games at the Hart Center. "An increased role opened for me because we lost those seniors," Thomson said. "I was expecting it a little bit and I was hoping for it. I've started to play on the power...