Sacred Heart, AIC making things interesting in Atlantic

Jason Cotton and Sacred Heart are having a great season. (Sacred Heart Athletics)

Sometimes the catalyst for a team’s success is simply extra motivation.

Last season, the morning after Sacred Heart lost a three-game quarterfinal series to RIT in the Atlantic Hockey tournament, Pioneers head coach C.J. Marottolo got a phone call from Jason Cotton. The senior forward couldn’t stand how the season ended against the Tigers.

“‘Coach, I need to get better, I need to get on the ice every day this summer. I’m staying here at Sacred Heart, where can I skate?’” Marottolo recalled Cotton asking him.