Game 5: For all the Marbles

Courtesy Glenn MacDonald, The Chronicle Herald

ONE GAME, winner take all.

At stake, a berth into the Atlantic University Hockey Conference final and a spot in the CIS championship in Fredericton.

A lot is riding on tonight’s Game 5 of the AUHC semifinal between the St. Francis Xavier X-Men and the Saint Mary’s Huskies at the Halifax Forum. The best-of-five series is tied 2-all.

"We’re really excited about Game 5," SMU forward Colby Pridham said Sunday evening, following the Huskies’ 4-1 win in Game 4 at St. F.X. "It’s a lot of fun to play hockey for me but to play in games that have a lot of meaning and a lot of weight, it’s just a ton of fun to play in. I can’t wait for the game to come."

X-Men forward Chris Hulit said there’s no time to dwell on Sunday’s disappointing loss at home and the missed opportunity to eliminate the two-time defending Atlantic conference winners and the reigning CIS champions.

"We have no choice but to put that game behind us and focus on Tuesday night," Hulit said. "SMU came to play; they were fighting for their lives and they played like the defending national champs."

"We know Tuesday’s going to be a tough game," he added. "It’ll be a Game 7 type of atmosphere. We have had some success there earlier in the year but this one is going to be close."

This series has been evenly-matched. Both teams have a win at home and one on the road. Saint Mary’s has scored 13 goals during the series, St. F.X. has 12.

What has separated the teams has been the power-play — SMU is 6-for-18 with the man advantage, while X is 2-for-15 — and shots on goal. The Huskies have averaged over 33 shots per game while the X-Men have managed 22.

Numbers aside, Hulit said the difference in Game 4 — and what will likely be the deciding factor this evening — was who dictates the game physically.

"We have to pick up the physical play a little more," the fifth-year forward said. "They were a more physical than us (in Game 4) which showed on the scoreboard. We have to get back to getting pucks behind the D-man and start using the body more.

"We have the bodies to toss around. Being physical is a big part of our game but they took it to us. We have to get back to playing the body more."

With UNB already advancing to the league final, the semifinal winner between SMU and X gets an automatic berth into the CIS championship. UNB hosts nationals, March 24-27.