(HALIFAX, NS) With their backs against the wall and facing elimination, the Saint Mary's Huskies beat the UNB Varsity Reds 3-2 on Monday.
The Huskies picked up their first win of the best of five Subway Atlantic University Sport men's hockey semi-final. The Varsity Reds hold a 2-1 lead in the series.
It was a short bench for the Huskies with only 14 skaters dressed.
"It was a pretty tall order for us to achieve," said Huskies head coach Trevor Stienburg. "The guys did it. For the amount of energy and the amount of guys we had, I thought we had a pretty consistent effort."
"Any time you can play that short staffed and get that much effort out of your guys it shows they care a lot and that's what we're going to hang our hat on right now."
Cole Cheveldave(Calgary, AB) was stellar between the pipes for the Huskies, making 48 saves in his first start of the playoffs.
"[Cheveldave] came up with some unbelievable stops," said Stienburg.
Anthony Repaci(Toronto, ON), Kyle Pereira(Brampton, ON) and Bronson Beaton (Springhill NS) found the back of the net for the Huskies.
Cam Braes(Shawnigan Lake, BC) and Francis Beauvillier(St. Hyacinthe, QC) responded for the Varsity Reds.
Braes opened the scoring 7:43 into the game. Marcus McIvor(Whitby ON) kept the puck in the Huskies zone and sent it to Philippe Maillet(Terrebone, QC). He fed Braes in the high slot and Braes ripped a quick wrister past Cheveldave.
Repaci tied it 1-1 just 44-seconds later. Pereira made a lead pass up ice from the Huskies zone that Repaci tipped to Hunter Garlent(Thorold, ON). Garlent took it into the Varsity Reds zone on the right wing before dropping it for Repaci, who fired a snap shot that found the back of the net.
Pereira made it 2-1 Huskies exactly a minute later, on the power-play. Stephen Gillard(St. John's, NL) started a play that saw the Huskies captain finish from just above the left circle.
Beaton gave the Huskies a two-goal cushion 7:06 into the third. Michael Curtis (Georgetown, ON) forced a turnover at the Varsity Reds blue line and flew in on a partial break.
Curtis tried to slip it five-hole, but Etienne Marcoux(Terrebonne, QC) closed the hole, but the puck remained free in the crease. Beaton crashed the net and buried the loose puck.
Beauvillier got the Varsity Reds back within one with 1:53 left in the third. Chris Caissy(Campbellton, NB) made a quick backhand pass in the neutral zone to Stephen Anderson(Morell, PE). He carried the puck into the Huskies zone and flipped a backhand from the slot that hit a shin-pad and ricocheted to Beauvillier. He buried the puck blocker side.
The Varsity Reds got the extra attacker out and applied some pressure late, but could not beat Cheveldave.
The Varsity Reds outshot the Huskies 50-16.
The teams are back on the ice at the Halifax Forum for game four on Tuesday night.
RECAP AND PHOTO BY: SMU Athletics