Prior to the Boston University men’s hockey team’s game against Providence College last week, coach Jack Parker said he did not know how his team could fail to get up for a game so early in the season. The Terriers came out flat against a team that has been regarded in Hockey East for the past few seasons as a cellar-dweller, and multiple players acknowledged that they did not give the game their best effort.

One week the wiser, BU (2-1-0, 1-1-0 HE) will face off against another team that some may consider a lesser opponent, as College of the Holy Cross (1-1-0, 1-1-0 AHA) visits Agganis Arena Saturday for its first game against BU since 2008.

The Crusaders play in the Atlantic Hockey Association, a conference that many in college hockey consider below the level of Hockey East. But after the Crusaders’ visit to Agganis three years ago, Parker again warned that his team had no right to take their opponent lightly.

“I know their league has knocked off people in our league almost every year,” Parker said. “I know the last time they came into this building, they gave us more than what we ever wanted. I think we had to score two goals late to get the 3-2 win and they dominated the game. Without goaltending, we would have easily gotten beaten.”

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