X-Men end first half on losing note

The X-Men hockey team closed out the first half of AUS play with a 4-1 loss to CIS ranked No. 9 Saint Mary’s Wednesday night in Halifax.

The two teams played to a scoreless first period then a power play goal by Tyler Hawes put the Huskies up by 1-0 after the second period.

Bryce Swan evened the game for the X-Men, scoring his team-leading 13th goal of the season just 1:15 into the third period. Spencer McAvoy assisted on the play.

The Huskies were able to capitalize on another X-Men penalty and Andrew Hotham scored what would be the game winner at 9:26 of the third period on the man-advantage. Saint Mary’s then scored two more unanswered goals before the final buzzer sounded, as Andrew White and Marc Rancourt hit the back of the X net. Rancourt’s goal was also on the power play.

Saint Mary’s outshot the X-Men by a 35-15 margin and were 3 for 5 on the power play, compared to the X-Men’s 0 for 6 power play opportunities.

Neil Conway earned the win in nets for SMU while Joey Perricone took the loss for StFX who fall to 7-5-3 after three consecutive losses to finish off first season AUS play.

The X-Men currently sit in fourth place with 17 points, behind the UNB Varsity Reds (13-0-0, 26 pts), Acadia Axemen (11-2-3, 22 pts) and Saint Mary’s Huskies (7-5-3, 20 pts).

They will return to action on January 2-3 as they host the 4th annual Charles V. Keating Cup in CIS exhibition play. The Carleton Ravens will play the X-Men at the StFX Keating Centre for a two-game Keating Cup Challenge. The Ravens currently own a 7-8 record in OUA East conference play. Game times are Saturday, Jan. 2 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, Jan. 3 at 3:00 pm.