Tigers steal overtime shootout win over V-Reds

HALIFAX – For the second time in a week, the Dalhousie Tigers relied on goaltender Wendell Vye to keep them in the game against the University of New Brunswick men's hockey team while their power play accounted for their offence through three periods. Only this time it was Dal winning 3-2 in overtime Saturday night, and it came thanks to the sixteenth man in the shootout – Brett Theberge.

It was a big game for both teams for different reasons. First place UNB has yet to secure a first-round AUS playoff bye while Dalhousie is desperately trying to catch StFX for the last playoff spot. The first eight minutes of careful play in the game didn't see a shot recorded on net as both teams felt each out in very much of a playoff mode. The only goal in the period was a beauty at 15:31, as UNB rookie Shayne Wiebe (Brandon, MB) first circled to his right to get past several Tigers players and then quickly circled back to his left to drive across the net and deke out goaltender Wendell Vye (Moncton, NB). Shots were only 7-4 for UNB in the period.

UNB extended their lead early in the second period at the one minute mark on the power play when Luke Gallant (Bedford, NS) from the right point slap-passed the puck to fellow d-man Jonathan Harty (Oromocto, NB) who had pinched down to the left circle, and Harty quickly fired across the slot to captain Kyle Bailey (Ponoka, AB) for the redirect goal. Late in the period UNB forward Antoine Houde-Caron (Trois-Rivières, QC) and Dal d-man David MacDonald (Baddeck, NS) had several physical battles on one shift and the V-Reds player was given a high sticking penalty. On the power play Pascal Amyot (Québec, QC) fired a point shot that Brendon MacDonald (Sydney, NS) redirected past Travis Fullerton (Riverview, NB) with just 0.9 seconds left on the clock. UNB outshot Dal 9-4 in the period.

Fullerton was called for delay of game 18 seconds into the third period, and that penalty would prove costly as well with Jordan Villeneuve-Gagné (L'Ancienne-Lorette, QC) scoring late in the power play at 2:05 to tie the game. Despite that goal the third period was all UNB, and Vye, as the V-Reds outshot the Tigers 21-2.

The ten minute overtime settled nothing (with UNB outshooting Dal 39-17 over the total 70 minutes), so the teams went to the sudden victory shootout. The teams were at their eighth shooters when Brett Theberge (Sundridge, ON) scored for Dal while Vye made a glove save on Harty to get the win.

UNB is now 0-for-3 in overtime shootouts on the season, with all three of their goaltenders each taking a loss. For Fullerton, it was his first loss this season in ten starts in the UNB nets.

The one point for the overtime loss keeps the V-Reds in first place in the AUS, just one point ahead of Saint Mary's. UNB has a game in hand on SMU and will make that up when they host cross-campus rival St. Thomas Wednesday in the annual Mark Jeffrey Memorial game.