Freshman forward and The Northeastern News Player of the Week Chad Costello helped the men’s hockey team add two wins to its record this weekend, and has a few stitches to prove it.

The team beat Merrimack in a 4-1 victory, where Costello tallied an assist and a stitched ear after a slash at Matthews Arena Friday. The Huskies traveled to Merrimack and took the rematch the following night in a 2-0 win, in which Costello scored the game-winning goal.

“We just kept playing the way we were, but we just got better at what we were doing well,” Costello said. “The games are won in practice, and we all kept practicing hard this week.”

Costello has had a solid start with the Huskies. On the season, he is tied with senior captain Mike Morris for the top spot in points at 13, scoring six goals and seven assists in 14 games.

He was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for the week ending Oct. 29, and Hockey East Superskills Rookie of the Month for November.

After proving to himself, teammates and fans that he is capable of playing a level of hockey that helps his team win, Costello has earned himself a spot on the team’s first line.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Costello and the team are focused on winning key games. The Huskies, 4-8-2 overall, 2-7-2 in Hockey East, face Maine Saturday.

“In the beginning of the year I set a lot of personal goals for myself, to prove that I belonged at this level of play,” Costello said. “Now a lot of my goals are team-oriented, and clinching Hockey East.”

Before joining NU, Costello played for the United States Hockey League’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2005-06 season. In 59 games, Costello led the USHL in scoring with 32 goals and 45 assists, totaling 77 points. His abilities netted him a place in Cedar Rapids history with the highest single-season totals in goals and points.

Costello led the RoughRiders to the USHL’s East Division regular-season title with a 33-21-6 record and earned him All-USHL second team honors.

– Danielle Ossher, News Correspondent