X-Men Win In OT
(FREDERICTON, NB) In the latest instalment of one of the most heated rivalries in Atlantic University Sport men's hockey, the UNB REDS and STFX X-Men went toe-to-toe Saturday night.
In the end, the X-Men scored 43 seconds into overtime to beat the home team 4-3.
Jacob Hudson (Antigonish, NS), with his second goal of the night, won it for the X-Men, set up by linemate Josh Nelson (Lockport, ILL).
"He didn't really have a shot, so he stuck with it, had patience, went around the net and found me in front and it was an easy touch in," said Hudson, named Subway Player of the Game.
"It's a point, but we wanted two," said REDS' forward Simon Pinard (Drummondville, QC), who scored twice for UNB. "We always want to win, especially at home. It's tough, but we've got to bounce back with the next four games on the road."
The REDS opened the scoring, on the power-play, midway through the opening frame.
Macauley Carson (Midhurst, ON) fed a beautiful cross-crease pass to Pinard who made good on a one-timer that beat X-Men goalie Joseph Raaymakers (Chatham, ON).
In the second period, Pinard struck again, and again on the power-play, just 1:23 into the frame.
Exactly four minutes later, Hudson put the visitors on the board as the X-Men worked with a 5-on-3 advantage.
At the 7:13 mark, the X-Men drew even when Conner Bruggen-Cate (Langley, BC) beat REDS' goalie Samuel Richard (Ste. Catherine, QC) with a wrist shot from the top of the face-off circle.
The third period was highlighted by early and late goals.
Zack Trott (Mulmur, ON) gave the X-Men a 3-2 lead just 29 seconds into the third and the visitors carried that lead until the final minute of regulation.
With 12 seconds to play, second-half addition Emmett Sproule (Collingwood, ON) pulled UNB even, one-timing a Ross MacDougall (St. Stephen, NB) pass to force overtime.
"We just tried to put pucks on the net all night," said Pinard. "When I saw it go in, it was crazy. It was a great feeling. It's not the result we wanted, but that moment was good."
Hudson's winning goal gave the X-Men their 11th win of the season.
"It's a tough building to win in, so coming in here, our last game here of the regular season, it was an unreal feeling, we're looking forward to the rest of the season," he said.
Despite the loss, the REDS are still the AUS leaders with a record of 17-3-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL).
"They were forechecking hard, they put pucks deep, they were on our D and crashing the net," said Pinard. "I think we did a good job. It could've gone either way, but unfortunately it was them tonight."
Up next for the X-Men, a mid-week meeting with the Dalhousie Tigers, in Antigonish. That game goes Wednesday at 7:00pm.
The REDS hit the road for a Friday visit to Halifax and the Saint Mary's Huskies. Game time is 7:00pm.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics