'Saders coach gets win No. 200.

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At 70, Holy Cross women's hockey coach Peter Van Buskirk is still going strong -- and so is his team.

The Crusaders have advanced to five straight ECAC Open Tournament championship games and have started this season 5-2. One of those victories -- a 3-2 triumph at St. Michael's -- was Van Buskirk's 200th as coach of the HC women.

"As I told people, if you're here long enough ...'' Van Buskirk said. "It goes to the kids. I've had some good kids. (Women's hockey) is an emerging sport, it still is, so everything has gotten better over the years. As far as numbers, there are more kids coming along and getting involved and playing.''

Van Buskirk has coached the HC women for 14 of the team's 15 years of existence. He's been involved with Holy Cross hockey for 30 years, having coached the men's team from 1979-1988 and in 1996-97. He was a men's assistant from 1991-96. His overall coaching record at Holy Cross is 368-265-33.

Van Buskirk's passion for the sport and his players is as strong now as it was 40 years ago, when he was coaching the Hudson High team.

"You have to be enthusiastic about what you're doing,'' Van Buskirk said. "When you look at the energy and the focus and commitment of the kids you can't do anything less. For me, I feel like I'm still playing the games I played in my neighborhood -- that's the type of feeling I have when I'm coaching.''

Van Buskirk is a member of the Hudson High and University of New Hampshire halls of fame, and in 2010 he was honored with the John "Snooks'' Kelly Founders Award for his contributions to the overall growth and development of hockey in the United States.

Van Buskirk has guided the Crusaders to seven straight winning seasons and this year's team looks strong again.

"This year's team is one of the more balanced teams I've had over the years,'' Van Buskirk said. "We have four active lines, six pretty solid defensemen and two of the best goalies I've had here. We're pretty solid.''

Holy Cross has fortified its defense, which is led by junior Francesca Panarelli of Shrewsbury and seniors Amanda Gallagher and Emily Sullivan, with the addition of three new players -- freshmen Izzy Bagi and Erin Hall and sophomore Taylor McGee, a transfer from Penn State.

Freshman Rose Rather is the team's leading scorer with five goals and five assists. Juniors Alexandra Stevenson (3-1) and Krista Manzanares (2-1 with two shutouts) have shared time in goal.

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